מִפְרָץ
𐤌𐤐𐤓𐤑
miphrâts
H4664 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place where there is a break, gap, or opening, especially in a shoreline; most often denotes a natural embayment, haven, or harbor formed by the sea breaking into the land. The term can also refer more generally to any fracture or breach, but its biblical usage is most frequently as a maritime geographical term.
Semantic Range
break, breach, opening, inlet, bay, harbor, haven (naturally formed)
Root / Etymology
From the root פָּרַץ (parats), meaning 'to break out, break through, burst forth.' מִפְרָץ is a noun form that denotes the result or place of such a break, particularly an opening created by the movement or force of water.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מִפְרָץ primarily appears in geographical lists and descriptions, notably in Ezekiel (27:3, 27:27, 27:34), to describe natural harbors and havens along the Phoenician coast (Tyre), places where the sea has made an inlet or bay. The term reflects the natural geography of the eastern Mediterranean shoreline, where rocky coasts were interrupted by such havens crucial for ancient navigation and trade. While some English translations use 'haven,' 'bay,' or 'inlet,' the word stands in contrast to more artificial harbor structures and emphasizes natural formation. In broader Hebrew usage outside the Bible, מִפְרָץ also comes to mean any break or opening in a physical surface, but in biblical contexts is particularly tied to maritime features. Later rabbinic literature continues but broadens this geographical sense. The term is rare and context-specific, not serving as a general word for all harbors or breaches.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from פָּרַץlemma פּרַץ missing vowel, corrected to פָּרַץ; a break (in the shore), i.e. a haven; breach.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פרץ (p-r-ts) — break through, burst forth, make a breach
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6530 | פְּרִיץ | violent breach-maker |
| H6555 | פָּרַץ | he broke through |
| H6556 | פֶּרֶץ | in the breaches |
| H6557 | פֶּרֶץ | Breakthrough-one |
| H6558 | פַּרְצִי | the Peretsite |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4664-01 |
מִפְרָצָ֖י/ו | miferatsayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his landings | his inlets | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4664-01 |
Judges 5:17 | מִפְרָצָ֖י/ו | miferatsayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his landings | his inlets |