Lexical Summary mishbar or mashber: Breaker, breaking forth, birthstool Original Word: מְשְׁבֵּר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance birth, breaking forth From shabar; the orifice of the womb (from which the fetus breaks forth) -- birth, breaking forth. see HEBREW shabar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shabar Definition place of breach NASB Translation birth (2), opening* (1), womb (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַשְׁבֵּר noun [masculine] place of breach, i.e. mouth of womb; — וְכֹחַ אַיִן לְלֵדָה ׳בָּאוּ בָנִים עַדמֿ 2 Kings 19:3 = Isaiah 37:3 (figurative of helplessness); construct מִשְׁבַּר בָּנִים Hosea 13:13 (figurativeof opportunity). Topical Lexicon Definition and Imagery The Hebrew term מְשְׁבֵּר (meshbēr) evokes the moment of critical crisis in childbirth—the final stage when the child is at the “opening of the womb.” Scripture uses the word figuratively for seasons in which God’s covenant people stand on the brink of either deliverance or disaster. The image combines sharp urgency with the vulnerability of utter dependence on God’s enabling power. Occurrences in Scripture • 2 Kings 19:3—“Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace; for children have come to the point of birth, but there is no strength to deliver them.” Historical Setting In 2 Kings and Isaiah the term rises from Jerusalem’s darkest military moment: the Assyrian empire encircles the city, and King Hezekiah confesses Judah’s helplessness. The labor image underscores that the crisis is not merely political; it is a spiritual crossroads demanding trust in the LORD alone. Hosea’s oracle pictures Ephraim’s moral collapse in the eighth century B.C., when Israel refused repentance despite mounting judgment. The prophet likens the nation to a child who will not be born, squandering the final opportunity for life. Literary Context and Parallels 1. Day of Distress: In both historical and prophetic narratives, meshbēr intensifies the phrase “day of distress.” It heightens the tension between promised birth (covenant blessing) and threatened miscarriage (covenant curse). Theological Themes • Human Inability versus Divine Sufficiency: Meshbēr dramatizes the gap between covenant promise and human power. Salvation is inaugurated (the child has come to the canal) yet only God brings it to completion (Philippians 1:6). Christological and Eschatological Lines Isaiah’s drama foreshadows the ultimate Deliverer. Just as Judah lacked strength to bring forth salvation, humanity could not birth its own Redeemer. The virgin conception of Jesus Christ embodies God Himself supplying what mankind could not. Eschatologically, Jesus likens end-time convulsions to “birth pains” (Matthew 24:8), assuring that tribulation precedes the new creation. Meshbēr thus provides Old Testament background for New Testament teaching that suffering heralds consummation. Pastoral and Discipleship Applications 1. Prayer in Crisis: Believers facing overwhelming pressure can model Hezekiah’s candor—acknowledging the meshbēr while appealing to God’s character and promises. Summary Meshbēr crystallizes the moment when divine purpose presses through human frailty. Whether under siege in Jerusalem or under indictment in Ephraim, God’s people discover that deliverance is His alone to grant—and He delights to bestow it upon those who cry to Him in faith. Forms and Transliterations בְּמִשְׁבַּ֥ר במשבר מַשְׁבֵּ֔ר משבר bə·miš·bar bəmišbar bemishBar maš·bêr mašbêr mashBerLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 19:3 HEB: בָנִים֙ עַד־ מַשְׁבֵּ֔ר וְכֹ֥חַ אַ֖יִן NAS: have come to birth and there is no KJV: are come to the birth, and [there is] not strength INT: children against to birth strength and there Isaiah 37:3 Hosea 13:13 3 Occurrences |
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