4800. merchab

Strong's Lexicon

merchab: Broad place, open space, spaciousness

Original Word: מֶרְחָב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: merchab
Pronunciation: mer-khawb'
Phonetic Spelling: (mer-khawb')
Definition: Broad place, open space, spaciousness
Meaning: enlargement, either

Word Origin: From the root רָחַב (rachab), meaning "to be or grow wide, large, or spacious."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of "merchab" can be related to Greek words like "πλατύς" (platys, G4116), meaning "broad" or "wide," and "ἐλευθερία" (eleutheria, G1657), meaning "freedom" or "liberty."

Usage: The Hebrew word "merchab" refers to a broad or open space, often symbolizing freedom, relief, or deliverance from distress. It conveys the idea of being brought into a place of safety and abundance, contrasting with confinement or oppression. In the biblical context, it is frequently used metaphorically to describe God's deliverance and the resulting freedom and prosperity.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel, physical space was often associated with security and prosperity. A "broad place" would be free from the threats of enemies and the constraints of urban life. In a largely agrarian society, open spaces were also linked to agricultural abundance and the ability to sustain life. Thus, "merchab" carried connotations of divine blessing and provision.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from rachab
Definition
a broad or roomy place
NASB Translation
broad place (2), large field (1), large place (2), throughout (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מֶרְחָב noun [masculine] broad, roomy, place; — absolute ׳מ, of pasture Hosea 4:16 (in simile); figurative of freedom from distress and anxiety 2 Samuel 22:20 = Psalm 18:20; Psalm 31:9; Psalm 118:5 (ᵑ0 construct in מֶרְחַבְיָה spacious place of Yah, i.e. extraordinarily spacious, < מֶרְחָב יָהּ, יָהּ being subject of verb); plural construct מֶרְחֲבֵיאֶֿרֶץ Habakkuk 1:6 expanses of the earth.

רחה (√ of following; meaning unknown; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Arabic handmill (compare Wetzst^{Siebe, ZPV xiv (1891), 4}); Aramaic רִיחְיָא, ; Lag^{BN 157} Ba^{NB 9, 21}).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

breadth, large place room

From rachab; enlargement, either literally (an open space, usually in a good sense), or figuratively (liberty) -- breadth, large place (room).

see HEBREW rachab

Forms and Transliterations

בַּמֶּרְחָֽב׃ בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב במרחב במרחב׃ לְמֶרְחֲבֵי־ לַמֶּרְחָ֑ב לַמֶּרְחָ֖ב למרחב למרחבי־ bam·mer·ḥāḇ ḇam·mer·ḥāḇ bammerChav bammerḥāḇ ḇammerḥāḇ lam·mer·ḥāḇ lammerChav lammerḥāḇ lə·mer·ḥă·ḇê- lemerchavei ləmerḥăḇê- vammerChav

Englishman's Concordance

2 Samuel 22:20
HEB: וַיֹּצֵ֥א לַמֶּרְחָ֖ב אֹתִ֑י יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי
NAS: He also brought me forth into a broad place; He rescued
KJV: He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered
INT: brought A broad rescued because

Psalm 18:19
HEB: וַיּוֹצִיאֵ֥נִי לַמֶּרְחָ֑ב יְ֝חַלְּצֵ֗נִי כִּ֘י
NAS: He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued
KJV: He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered
INT: brought A broad rescued because

Psalm 31:8
HEB: אוֹיֵ֑ב הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתָּ בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב רַגְלָֽי׃
NAS: You have set my feet in a large place.
KJV: thou hast set my feet in a large room.
INT: of the enemy have set A large my feet

Psalm 118:5
HEB: יָּ֑הּ עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ׃
NAS: answered me [and] [set me] in a large place.
KJV: answered me, [and set me] in a large place.
INT: the LORD answered A large the LORD

Hosea 4:16
HEB: יְהוָ֔ה כְּכֶ֖בֶשׂ בַּמֶּרְחָֽב׃
NAS: them Like a lamb in a large field?
KJV: them as a lamb in a large place.
INT: the LORD A lamb A large

Habakkuk 1:6
HEB: וְהַנִּמְהָ֑ר הַֽהוֹלֵךְ֙ לְמֶרְחֲבֵי־ אֶ֔רֶץ לָרֶ֖שֶׁת
NAS: Who march throughout the earth
KJV: which shall march through the breadth of the land,
INT: and impetuous march throughout the earth to seize

6 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4800
6 Occurrences

bam·mer·ḥāḇ — 1 Occ.
lam·mer·ḥāḇ — 2 Occ.
lə·mer·ḥă·ḇê- — 1 Occ.
ḇam·mer·ḥāḇ — 2 Occ.