Lexical Summary merkabah: Chariot Original Word: מֶרְכָּבָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance chariot Feminine of merkab; a chariot -- chariot. See also Beyth ham-Marka-bowth. see HEBREW merkab see HEBREW Beyth ham-Marka-bowth NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of merkab Definition a chariot NASB Translation chariot (23), chariots (21). Brown-Driver-Briggs מֶרְכָּבָה noun feminine chariot; — absolute ׳מ Judges 4:13 +, construct מִרְכֶּ֫בֶת Genesis 41:43; suffix מֶרְבַּבְתּוֺ Genesis 46:29 +; plural מַרְכָּבוֺת Zechariah 6:1 +; construct מַרְכְּבוֺת 2 Kings 23:11 +, בֹת- Exodus 15:4; suffix מַרְכְּבֹתֶיךָ Micah 5:10; Habakkuk 3:8, etc.; — chariot (often "" סוּס(יםׅ, 1 Samuel 8:11 פָרָשִׁים): especially war-chariot, Egyptian, Exodus 14:25 (J), Exodus 15:4 (song), 2 Chron 14:8; from Muƒri in North Syria (according to Wkl, see מצרים near the end, compare Kit1Kings 10. 28 Benzib.) 1 Kings 10:29 2Chronicles 1:17; Can., Joshua 11:6,9 (JE), Judges 4:15 ("" רֶכֶב), Judges 5:28 ("" id.); Assyria, Isaiah 2:7; Nahum 3:2; foe from north Jeremiah 4:13, nations in General Haggai 2:22; Israel and Judah 1 Kings 20:33; 1 Kings 22:35 2Chronicles 18:34; 2 Kings 9:27; 2 Kings 10:15; 2Chronicles 35:24; Micah 5:10; figurative of ׳יs chariots Isaiah 66:15; Habakkuk 3:8, compare (in vision) Zechariah 6:1,2(twice in verse); Zechariah 6:3 (twice in verse); ׳מ for dignity and display Genesis 41:43 (E), Genesis 46:29 (J), 1 Samuel 8:11 (twice in verse); 2 Samuel 15:1; 2 Kings 5:21,26, מַדְכְּבוֺת בְּבוֺדֶ֑ךָ Isaiah 22:18 (iron.); used in flight 2 Kings 23:11 (idolatrous); ׳הַמּ הַכְּרוּבִים (read ׳מִדְכֶּבֶת הַכּ, ᵐ5 Benz) 1 Chronicles 28:18 (on this conception of cherubin in temple see Benz); ׳מ in similes: ׳כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אוֺפַן הַמּ 1 Kings 7:33, ׳בְּקוֺל מ Joel 2:3; on the obscure עַמִּי נָדִיב ׳מַר Songs 6:12 chariots of my people, a prince (?) see especially Bu. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Semantic Range מֶרְכָּבָה most commonly denotes a wheeled vehicle drawn by horses—ranging from the light, swift military chariot (Exodus 14:6–7) to ornate royal conveyances (Song of Solomon 3:9). By extension it can describe a chariot division (2 Samuel 10:18) or, in Ezekiel’s visions, the mobile “throne-chariot” of the Lord (Ezekiel 1:15–28). Historical Development of Chariots in Israel and the Ancient Near East Chariots entered the Levant through Hurrian-Hittite influence in the second millennium B.C. and rapidly became the premier offensive weapon. Israel first confronts large chariot forces in Egypt (Exodus 14) and later among the Canaanites (Joshua 11:4), Philistines (1 Samuel 13:5), and Arameans (1 Kings 20:1). Solomon’s international trade in horses and chariots (1 Kings 10:26–29) signals Israel’s full engagement with contemporary military technology, though Deuteronomy 17:16 had warned kings not to multiply such resources. Military Use in Old Testament Narratives • Deliverance: “He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt” (Exodus 14:7). The Red Sea victory establishes Yahweh’s supremacy over the mightiest chariot corps of the age. Royal and Ceremonial Chariots Song of Solomon 3:9 pictures Solomon making “a carriage of wood from Lebanon; its posts were of silver, its back of gold.” Such ornate vehicles exalt the monarch’s glory and serve as symbols of covenantal blessing when the king walks in God’s ways. Conversely, 2 Kings 23:11 records Josiah removing “the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun… and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire,” purging idolatrous misuse. Prophetic and Poetic Imagery Chariots function as metaphors for speed, power, and inevitable judgment. Spiritual Lessons and Ministry Application 1. Reliance upon God: Scripture consistently contrasts trust in military technology with faith in the Lord. Leaders and congregations today must guard against placing confidence in human resources rather than divine sufficiency. Forms and Transliterations בְּמִרְכֶּ֤בֶת בְּמֶרְכַּבְתּ֣וֹ בַּמֶּרְכָּבָ֔ה בַּמֶּרְכָּבָ֖ה בַּמֶּרְכָּבָ֛ה בַּמֶּרְכָּבָ֥ה במרכבה במרכבת במרכבתו הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֑ה הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֖ה הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֗ה הַמֶּרְכָּבָ֛ה הַמֶּרְכָּבָֽה׃ המרכבה המרכבה׃ וּבַמֶּרְכָּבָ֥ה וּבַמֶּרְכָּבָה֙ וּמֶרְכָּבָ֖ה וּמַרְכָּב֔וֹת וּמַרְכָּב֖וֹת ובמרכבה ומרכבה ומרכבות לְמַרְכְּבֹתָֽיו׃ למרכבתיו׃ מֶרְכַּבְתּ֔וֹ מֶרְכַּבְתּ֖וֹ מֶרְכַּבְתּֽוֹ׃ מֶרְכָּבָ֖ה מֶרְכָּבָ֤ה מֶרְכָּבָה֙ מַרְכְּב֖וֹת מַרְכְּב֣וֹת מַרְכְּב֥וֹת מַרְכְּבֹ֥ת מַרְכְּבֹתֵיהֶ֖ם מַרְכְּבֹתֶ֖יךָ מַרְכְּבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ מַרְכְּבֹתָ֑יו מַרְכְּבֹתָ֔יו מַרְכְּבוֹתָ֔יו מַרְכְּבוֹתָֽיו׃ מַרְכָּב֗וֹת מַרְכָּבוֹת֙ מרכבה מרכבות מרכבותיו מרכבותיו׃ מרכבת מרכבתו מרכבתו׃ מרכבתיהם מרכבתיו מרכבתיך מרכבתיך׃ bam·mer·kā·ḇāh bammerkāḇāh bammerkaVah bə·mer·kaḇ·tōw bə·mir·ke·ḇeṯ bəmerkaḇtōw bemerkavTo bəmirkeḇeṯ bemirKevet ham·mer·kā·ḇāh hammerkāḇāh hammerkaVah lə·mar·kə·ḇō·ṯāw ləmarkəḇōṯāw lemarkevoTav mar·kā·ḇō·wṯ mar·kə·ḇō·ṯāw mar·kə·ḇō·ṯê·hem mar·kə·ḇō·ṯe·ḵā mar·kə·ḇō·w·ṯāw mar·kə·ḇō·wṯ mar·kə·ḇōṯ markāḇōwṯ markaVot markəḇōṯ markəḇōṯāw markəḇōṯêhem markəḇōṯeḵā markəḇōwṯ markəḇōwṯāw markeVot markevoTav markevoTeicha markevoteiHem mer·kā·ḇāh mer·kaḇ·tōw merkāḇāh merkaḇtōw merkaVah merkavTo ū·ḇam·mer·kā·ḇāh ū·mar·kā·ḇō·wṯ ū·mer·kā·ḇāh ūḇammerkāḇāh ūmarkāḇōwṯ umarkaVot ūmerkāḇāh umerkaVah uvammerkaVahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 41:43 HEB: וַיַּרְכֵּ֣ב אֹת֗וֹ בְּמִרְכֶּ֤בֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ NAS: in his second chariot; and they proclaimed KJV: in the second chariot which he had; and they cried INT: ride chariot his second after Genesis 46:29 Exodus 14:25 Exodus 15:4 Joshua 11:6 Joshua 11:9 Judges 4:15 Judges 5:28 1 Samuel 8:11 1 Samuel 8:11 2 Samuel 15:1 1 Kings 7:33 1 Kings 10:29 1 Kings 12:18 1 Kings 20:33 1 Kings 22:35 2 Kings 5:21 2 Kings 5:26 2 Kings 9:27 2 Kings 10:15 2 Kings 23:11 1 Chronicles 28:18 2 Chronicles 1:17 2 Chronicles 9:25 2 Chronicles 10:18 44 Occurrences |
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