Lexical Summary meri: rebellious, rebellion, rebellious man Original Word: מְרִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bitter, most rebellion, From marah; bitterness, i.e. (figuratively) rebellion; concretely, bitter, or rebellious -- bitter, (most) rebel(-lion, -lious). see HEBREW marah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom marah Definition rebellion NASB Translation rebellion (3), rebellious (16), rebellious man (1), rebellious ones (1), rebels (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מְרִי noun masculineProverbs 17:11 rebellion; — מְרִי Isaiah 30:9 10t.; מֶ֑רִי Numbers 17:25 9t.; suffix מֶרְיְךָ Deuteronomy 31:27; מִרְיָם Nehemiah 9:17; — rebellion Deuteronomy 31:27; 1 Samuel 15:23; Nehemiah 9:17; Job 23:2 עם מרי rebellious people Isaiah 30:9; בית (ה)מרי rebellious house (referring to Israel) Ezekiel 2:5,6,8; Ezekiel 3:9,26,27; Ezekiel 12:2 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 12:3,9,25; Ezekiel 17:12; Ezekiel 24:3, בית omitted (restored by Co) Ezekiel 2:7; Ezekiel 44:6; בְּנֵי מרי rebellious sons Numbers 17:25 (P); with omission of בֵּן (or abstract for concrete), תהי מֶ֑רִיאל be not a rebellious person Ezekiel 2:8; אך מרי יבקּשׁ רע a rebellious man seeketh only evil Proverbs 17:11. Topical Lexicon Concept and Scope מְרִי denotes active, willful opposition to the revealed will of God. It is covenantal defiance rather than mere error, portraying the heart-attitude that resists, contradicts, or seeks autonomy from divine authority. Distribution in Scripture The term appears twenty-three times, clustered in key theological settings: Covenant Violation in Torah Numbers 17:10 sets Aaron’s budding staff “before the testimony, to be kept as a sign to the sons of rebellion,” a perpetual witness that covenant infidelity invites judgment. Deuteronomy 31:27 links “your rebellion and your stiff neck” to Moses’ impending death, underscoring that human leadership changes, but the heart’s resistance to God requires divine intervention. Royal Rejection and Its Consequences In 1 Samuel 15:23, Samuel tells Saul, “For rebellion is like the sin of divination,” equating stubborn defiance with occult treachery. The verse exposes rebellion as usurping God’s throne, thereby justifying the loss of Saul’s kingdom. Corporate Confession and Grace Nehemiah 9:17 records post-exilic Israel admitting, “They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed… But You are a God ready to forgive.” מְרִי becomes the backdrop against which divine mercy shines. Wisdom Literature’s Personal Lens Job 23:2 laments, “Even today my complaint is bitter; His hand is heavy despite my groaning.” Here מְרִי frames Job’s inner struggle, revealing that even righteous sufferers wrestle with thoughts that border on rebellion yet ultimately submit. Proverbs 17:11 warns, “Evil men pursue rebellion; an angel of death will be sent against them,” translating communal covenant violation into personal moral peril. Prophetic Indictment in Isaiah Isaiah 30:9 names Judah “rebellious people, deceitful children,” coupling מְרִי with deceit (כָּזָב) to portray rebellion as an ensemble of sins—lying, refusing divine counsel, and seeking Egyptian alliances rather than trusting Yahweh. Ezekiel’s Concentration: Theology in Exile Ezekiel employs מְרִי more than any other book, defining his audience as “a rebellious house” (Ezekiel 2:5, 6, 7, 8; 3:9, 26, 27; 12:2, 3, 9, 25; 17:12; 24:3; 44:6). Key emphases: 1. Identity: Rebellion is Israel’s defining trait in exile, proving judgment just. Theological Themes • Rebellion equals idolatry: placing the self or other powers over God (1 Samuel 15:23). Christological Trajectory The Old Testament diagnosis of מְרִי finds its remedy in the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ. Where Israel proved a “rebellious son,” the Son of God could say, “I always do what is pleasing to Him” (John 8:29). His atoning death absorbs the penalty rebellion deserves, fulfilling Isaiah’s vision of salvation for the obstinate. Pastoral and Homiletical Application 1. Diagnose sin at the level of willful resistance, not mere mistakes. Summary מְרִי stands as a sobering reminder that the greatest threat to God’s people is internal revolt against His lordship. Yet through judgment, confession, and ultimately the cross, Scripture traces the path from rebellion to restoration, urging every generation to “submit yourselves therefore to God” and live in covenant faithfulness. Forms and Transliterations בְּמִרְיָ֑ם במרים הַמֶּ֑רִי הַמֶּ֔רִי הַמֶּ֖רִי הַמֶּ֗רִי הַמֶּ֙רִי֙ המרי מְרִ֖י מְרִ֣י מְרִ֥י מְרִי֙ מֶ֑רִי מֶ֔רִי מֶ֖רִי מֶ֙רִי֙ מֶרְיְךָ֔ מרי מריך bə·mir·yām bemirYam bəmiryām ham·me·rî hamMeri hammerî me·rî mə·rî mer·yə·ḵā Meri merî mərî meryeCha meryəḵāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 17:10 HEB: לְא֖וֹת לִבְנֵי־ מֶ֑רִי וּתְכַ֧ל תְּלוּנֹּתָ֛ם NAS: as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end INT: A sign against the rebels you may put to their grumblings Deuteronomy 31:27 1 Samuel 15:23 Nehemiah 9:17 Job 23:2 Proverbs 17:11 Isaiah 30:9 Ezekiel 2:5 Ezekiel 2:6 Ezekiel 2:7 Ezekiel 2:8 Ezekiel 2:8 Ezekiel 3:9 Ezekiel 3:26 Ezekiel 3:27 Ezekiel 12:2 Ezekiel 12:2 Ezekiel 12:3 Ezekiel 12:9 Ezekiel 12:25 Ezekiel 17:12 Ezekiel 24:3 Ezekiel 44:6 23 Occurrences |
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