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מִצְרַיִם

𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌

Mitserayim

H4714 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A proper noun referring to the land of Egypt, and sometimes used metonymically for its inhabitants, especially prominent in narratives concerning Israelite interactions with Egypt from patriarchal times through the post-exilic period. The term is formally dual in form, likely reflecting the two regions of Egypt: Upper and Lower Egypt. In biblical contexts, it functions as a geo-political designation for the territory on the Nile and, at times, as the name of a person (see genealogies in Genesis).

Semantic Range

Egypt as a geographic region, Egypt as a political entity, metonym for inhabitants of Egypt, ancestor eponym (descendant of Ham in genealogies); dual form indicating two Egypts (Upper and Lower); opposed or allied foreign power; place of affliction or refuge in Israelite historical narrative

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root מ־צ־ר (צור/מצר), generally meaning 'to bind, enclose, border' or 'narrow'. The suffix -ַיִם (-ayim) is a marker of duality in Hebrew, hence the form designates a land composed of two regions (Upper and Lower Egypt). The connection to the root may reflect the concept of Egypt as a bounded or enclosed territory. However, the precise etymology is somewhat uncertain, as the name is adapted from earlier Semitic/Akkadian forms for Egypt.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מִצְרַיִם functions as the standard Hebrew designation for the territory and polity of Egypt throughout the Hebrew Bible, distinct from indigenous Egyptian terms for their land (e.g., Kemet, Ta-wer). The term appears as a place name and, in genealogical texts (e.g., Genesis 10:6), as a personal name—one of the sons of Ham, from whom the Egyptians are said to descend in Israelite tradition. During the monarchic and exilic periods, מִצְרַיִם is often mentioned in narratives of interaction or conflict between Egypt and Israel/Judah, as well as a place of refuge or exile. In later texts and translations, especially the Septuagint and subsequent Christian usage, Mitsrayim is rendered as 'Aigyptos' (Greek), which later gives rise to the English 'Egypt.' The English term 'Egyptian' appears for inhabitants, but biblical usage often applies the geographic label (מִצְרִי) without entailing the modern ethnic or religious connotations of 'Egyptian' or 'Jew.' Caution should be used to avoid anachronistic conflation of biblical Mitsrayim with later geographic or national concepts of Egypt. The dual form is unique and is not found for other major biblical lands, highlighting the traditional distinction between the two parts of Egypt in Near Eastern perception.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

dual of מָצוֹר; Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt; Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

מצר (m-ṣ-r) — to bind, enclose, border, be narrow

Root מצר to bind, enclose, border, be narrow
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4713 מִצְרִי the Mitsrayite
H67 אָבֵל מִצְרַיִם the Dual Enclosures (Egypt)

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4714-05 מִצְרַ֔יִם mitserayim HNp of Egypt the Dual Enclosed-Land (Mitsrayim) Mitserayim 439
H4714-03 מִ/מִּצְרַ֜יִם mimitserayim HR/Np from Egypt from Egypt from Mitserayim 91
H4714-01 בְּ/מִצְרָ֑יִם bemitserayim HR/Np in Egypt in Mitsrayim in Mitserayim 44
H4714-04 מִצְרַ֨יְמָ/ה֙ mitserayemah HNp/Sd to Egypt toward Mitsrayim from Mitserayim 28
H4714-10 בְ/מִצְרַ֖יִם vemitserayim HR/Np in Egypt in Mitsrayim, the Two Enclosures in Mitserayim 11
H4714-08 וּ/מִצְרַ֖יִם umitserayim HC/Np and Egypt and Mitsrayim (the Two Bound Lands) and Mitserayim 10
H4714-02 לְ/מִצְרָ֑יִם lemitserayim HR/Np to Egypt to Mitsrayim to Mitserayim 8
H4714-07 וּ/מִ/מִּצְרַ֜יִם umimitserayim HC/R/Np and from Egypt and from Dual Enclosures and from Mitserayim 2
H4714-09 וּ/בְ/מִצְרַ֔יִם uvemitserayim HC/R/Np and in Egypt and in Mitsrayim, the Two Enclosures and in Mitserayim 1
H4714-06 וּ/לְ/מִצְרַ֔יִם ulemitserayim HC/R/Np and to Egyptians and to Dual Egypt and to Mitserayim 1

Occurrences in Scripture

635 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4714-08 Genesis 10:6 וּ/מִצְרַ֖יִם umitserayim HC/Np and Mizraim and Mitsrayim (the Two Bound Lands) and Mitserayim
H4714-08 Genesis 10:13 וּ/מִצְרַ֡יִם umitserayim HC/Np And Mizraim and Mitsrayim (the Two Bound Lands) and Mitserayim
H4714-04 Genesis 12:10 מִצְרַ֨יְמָ/ה֙ mitserayemah HNp/Sd to Egypt toward Mitsrayim from Mitserayim
H4714-04 Genesis 12:11 מִצְרָ֑יְמָ/ה mitserayemah HNp/Sd Egypt toward Mitsrayim from Mitserayim
H4714-04 Genesis 12:14 מִצְרָ֑יְמָ/ה mitserayemah HNp/Sd Egypt toward Mitsrayim from Mitserayim
H4714-03 Genesis 13:1 מִ/מִּצְרַ֜יִם mimitserayim HR/Np from Egypt from Egypt from Mitserayim
H4714-05 Genesis 13:10 מִצְרַ֔יִם mitserayim HNp of Egypt the Dual Enclosed-Land (Mitsrayim) Mitserayim
H4714-05 Genesis 15:18 מִצְרַ֔יִם mitserayim HNp of Egypt the Dual Enclosed-Land (Mitsrayim) Mitserayim
H4714-05 Genesis 21:21 מִצְרָֽיִם mitserayim HNp of Egypt the Dual Enclosed-Land (Mitsrayim) Mitserayim
H4714-05 Genesis 25:18 מִצְרַ֔יִם mitserayim HNp Egypt the Dual Enclosed-Land (Mitsrayim) Mitserayim
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