Lexical Summary emdah: Stand, position, place Original Word: עֶמְדָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance standing From amad; a station, i.e. Domicile -- standing. see HEBREW amad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom amad Definition standing ground NASB Translation support (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [עֶמְדָּה] noun feminine standing-ground; — suffix יִקַּח מִכֶּם עֶמְדָּתוֺ Micah 1:11; text dubious see Now. Topical Lexicon Overview The term עֶמְדָּה (Strong’s 5979) conveys the idea of a fixed place to stand, a base or support upon which something rests securely. It appears once in the Old Testament, functioning poetically in Micah 1:11 to picture the removal of a community’s security under divine judgment. Biblical Context Micah 1 announces God’s imminent judgment on both Samaria and Judah. In a series of pun-laden oracles (Micah 1:10-16), the prophet calls out towns whose very names become sober wordplays. When he turns to Beth Ezel, he declares: “Pass on your way, O inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame; the inhabitant of Zaanan does not come out. The lamentation of Beth-ezel will take from you its support.” (Micah 1:11) The phrase “its support” translates עֶמְדָּה, symbolizing a foundational footing that is being withdrawn. Historical Setting Beth Ezel (“house beside”) was apparently a small Judean settlement near the Philistine border. In the eighth century B.C., Assyria’s advance threatened such frontier towns first. Their fall would remove the “standing ground” for the rest of Judah, exposing Jerusalem to further assault. Micah’s imagery evokes refugees watching their buffer zone collapse—one town after another losing the very footing that once shielded them. Imagery of Standing and Support 1. Security removed: The idea of a base being pulled away captures the helplessness of people stripped of every earthly prop. Theological Significance • Covenant accountability: Judah’s “standing” depended on obedience (Leviticus 26:3-8). By highlighting its removal, Micah underscores the moral basis of national security. New Testament Echoes Though עֶמְדָּה itself does not recur, its core idea reappears: Applications for Ministry 1. Personal holiness safeguards stability. Churches and believers who compromise truth should heed Micah’s warning: God can withdraw platforms that once seemed secure. Related Biblical Themes • Standing in judgment: Psalm 1:5; Malachi 3:2 A single, vivid occurrence of עֶמְדָּה thus becomes a doorway into the broader biblical motif of standing—or falling—before the Lord. Forms and Transliterations עֶמְדָּתֽוֹ׃ עמדתו׃ ‘em·dā·ṯōw ‘emdāṯōw emdaToLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Micah 1:11 HEB: יִקַּ֥ח מִכֶּ֖ם עֶמְדָּתֽוֹ׃ NAS: He will take from you its support. KJV: he shall receive of you his standing. INT: will take at support 1 Occurrence |
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