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מְדוּרָה

𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤓𐤄

mᵉdûwrâh

H4071 noun

SILEX Entry

Root דור to pile, to heap, to encircle, to gather together

Definition

A place or arrangement where fire is made; specifically, a fire heap, bonfire, or hearth constructed for burning fuel. In some contexts, may also refer more generally to a pile or accumulation of combustible material intended for burning.

Semantic Range

fire heap, bonfire, pile of fuel, arranged fire, hearth, burning-place, pyre

Root / Etymology

From the root דּוּר (dur), meaning 'to pile up, heap, gather in a circle.' The noun מְדוּרָה is formed with the mem-prefix (denoting place or result of an action) and refers to the physical location or structure where material is gathered for burning.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מְדוּרָה most commonly occurs in poetic and prophetic texts (e.g., Isaiah 30:33), where it describes a fire prepared for destruction or judgment, typically a large pile of wood or fuel arranged for burning. The word connotes an intentional site or arrangement for combustion, ranging from simple hearths to large bonfire-like structures. Its usage is distinct from other Hebrew fire-related nouns such as אֵשׁ ('fire' itself), מַדּוּר ('fireplace' in later Hebrew), or מִזְבֵּחַ ('altar'), each with specific ritual or everyday domestic implications. The term is not limited to ritual contexts—can refer generally to the pragmatic preparation of fire for warmth, cooking, or disposal. Later translators in the Septuagint and Vulgate often rendered the term generically as 'fire' or 'pyre,' sometimes missing the specific nuance of an arranged fire-site or pile. Over time, the word does not appear to acquire significant technical meaning beyond its basic lexical sense, though rabbinic and later Hebrew expanded its semantic territory to include 'fireplace' or hearth in domestic settings. Standard English translations with 'fire,' 'burning place,' or 'pile for fire' capture the main sense but sometimes obscure the idea of intentional arrangement or construction inherent in the root.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מְדֻרָה; from דּוּר in the sense of accumulation; a pile of fuel; pile (for fire).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

דור (d-w-r) — to pile, to heap, to encircle, to gather together

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1752 דּוּר from dwelling
H1753 דּוּר dwellers of
H1754 דּוּר Encircle!
H1755 דּוֹר in the generation-cycle
H1756 דּוֹר generation-cycle

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4071-01 הַ/מְּדוּרָֽה hamedurah HTd/Ncfsa the-pile the fire-heap 1
H4071-02 מְדֻרָתָ֗/הּ meduratah HNcfsc/Sp3fs its pyre her fire-heap 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4071-02 Isaiah 30:33 מְדֻרָתָ֗/הּ meduratah HNcfsc/Sp3fs its pyre her fire-heap
H4071-01 Ezekiel 24:9 הַ/מְּדוּרָֽה hamedurah HTd/Ncfsa the-pile the fire-heap
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