Lexical Summary mishi: Support, refuge, or salvation. Original Word: מִשְׁעִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to supple Probably from sha'ah; inspection -- to supple. see HEBREW sha'ah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a cleansing NASB Translation cleansing (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מִשְׁעִי noun feminine (? = מִשְׁעִית compare Thes Sm) cleansing, only ׳לֹא רֻחַצְתְּ לְמ Ezekiel 16:4 thou wast not washed for cleansing (compare ᵑ7 Thes and Add98 Sm RV and others; ᵑ9 ad salutem, as if from ישׁע; ᵐ5 omitted, and so Co Be SS, compare Buhl; form strange, and word at best dubious) מִשְׁעוֺל see I. שׁעל. Topical Lexicon Definition and Imagery The term designates the narrow bands of cloth used to bind the limbs of a newborn so the body could grow straight and warm. In the single biblical occurrence, these bands are conspicuously absent, becoming a striking symbol of neglect. Ancient Near Eastern Midwifery Practices Midwives typically performed four acts immediately after delivery: cutting the umbilical cord, washing the child, rubbing the skin with salt or oil for antiseptic purposes, and finally wrapping the body in long strips of cloth. Archaeology confirms these customs throughout Syro-Palestine, and Scripture alludes to them in Ezekiel 16:4 and Luke 2:7. The wrapping stabilized fragile bones and signified that the infant was welcomed and protected. Usage in Ezekiel 16:4 Ezekiel employs the birth-scene to portray Jerusalem’s origins: “As for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut… you were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths” (Ezekiel 16:4). The prophet’s picture of an exposed infant, ignored and unbound, condemns Judah’s spiritual condition. The missing swaddling cloths dramatize utter helplessness and the absence of human or covenantal care. Theological Significance of Neglected Swaddling 1. Depravity Exposed: Without the bands, the infant is limp and vulnerable, mirroring Jerusalem’s moral collapse (Ezekiel 16:5). Contrast with Divine Compassion Where Judah’s caretakers failed, the Lord binds, clothes, and adorns His people (Ezekiel 16:8-14). The progression from nakedness to royal attire underscores the covenant pattern: election, purification, clothing, and commissioning. Isaiah later echoes the same motif of gracious clothing: “He has clothed me with garments of salvation” (Isaiah 61:10). Prophetic and Typological Echoes The narrative throws forward to the Gospel: Thus, the neglected bands in Ezekiel magnify both Israel’s need and Christ’s fulfillment as the perfectly nurtured Son who will nurture His people (John 10:11). Practical Ministry Applications • Pastoral Care: Just as abandoned Israel needed intervention, the vulnerable in any congregation require tangible acts of love—provision, protection, and patient instruction. Key References Ezekiel 16:4–14; Deuteronomy 32:10-12; Job 38:9; Isaiah 61:1, 10; Luke 2:7. Forms and Transliterations לְמִשְׁעִ֑י למשעי lə·miš·‘î ləmiš‘î lemishILinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 16:4 HEB: לֹֽא־ רֻחַ֖צְתְּ לְמִשְׁעִ֑י וְהָמְלֵ֙חַ֙ לֹ֣א NAS: with water for cleansing; you were not rubbed KJV: in water to supple [thee]; thou wast not salted INT: nor were you washed cleansing rubbed nor 1 Occurrence |
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