Lexical Summary meqareh: Roof, beams, rafters Original Word: מְקָרֶה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance building From qarah; properly, something meeting, i.e. A frame (of timbers) -- building. see HEBREW qarah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom qarah Definition beam work NASB Translation rafters (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מְקָרֶה noun [masculine] beam-work; — Ecclesiastes 10:13. Topical Lexicon Definition and Imagery The Hebrew term מְקָרֶה denotes the overhead structure of a house—its beams, rafters, or roof-work. In Scripture it functions as a concrete picture of a dwelling’s strength or weakness, serving as a moral mirror of the people who occupy it. A sound roof protects life and possessions; a sagging roof signals neglect and invites ruin. Occurrence in Scripture Ecclesiastes 10:18 is the sole canonical occurrence: “Through laziness, the roof sinks in, and through idle hands, the house leaks.” Here מְקָרֶה represents the visible outcome of hidden attitudes. Sloth allows rot to advance until the very framework that should shield the household collapses. Architectural Background Roofs in ancient Israel were typically flat, formed by stretching wooden beams across stone or mud-brick walls, overlaying them with reeds or branches, and sealing the surface with clay. Annual maintenance—rolling, patching cracks, clearing debris—was essential. Neglect meant water seeped into the mud plaster, weakening beams and ultimately undermining the house itself. Moral and Theological Themes 1. Diligence versus Sloth. The sagging roof dramatizes the principle that sin often works slowly but surely (Proverbs 24:30-34). Spiritual and moral decay seldom arrives by sudden catastrophe; rather, it leaks in through small compromises. Wisdom Literature Context Ecclesiastes couches this proverb within reflections on governance and household management (Ecclesiastes 10:16-20). Wisdom is proven by results: prudent rulers and heads of homes labor to preserve stability; fools ignore warnings until decay becomes irreversible. New Testament Echoes The apostolic call to industrious living parallels the image: Just as rotting rafters expose a lazy owner, an undisciplined life undermines Christian witness. Pastoral and Homiletical Use • Self-examination. Congregations may be urged to inspect the “roof” of their spiritual house—patterns of prayer, doctrine, stewardship—before leaks appear. Christological Perspective Where human roofs fail, Christ remains the unfailing shelter. He “shelters them with His presence” (Revelation 7:15), securing what fallen stewardship cannot. Yet His provision never negates human responsibility; rather, it empowers believers to labor faithfully, knowing their work “is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Practical Application 1. Conduct routine “spiritual maintenance”: daily Scripture, confession, accountability. Summary מְקָרֶה is more than a structural term; it is a parable in timber and clay. A roof’s condition proclaims either the wisdom or the folly of its caretakers. By attending to the rafters—literal and metaphorical—believers honor the Lord, safeguard their households, and testify to the enduring reliability of divine wisdom. Forms and Transliterations הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה המקרה ham·mə·qā·reh hammekaReh hamməqārehLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ecclesiastes 10:18 HEB: בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם יִמַּ֣ךְ הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת יָדַ֖יִם NAS: Through indolence the rafters sag, KJV: By much slothfulness the building decayeth; INT: indolence sag the rafters idleness of the hands 1 Occurrence |
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