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מִקְוֶה

𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤄

Miqeveh

H4723 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קוה to gather together, to collect, to hope, to wait expectantly

Definition

A collected body or gathering, especially of water (e.g. reservoir, pool, cistern); by extension, a thing longed for or hoped for (i.e., hope, expectation, confidence). In its concrete sense, refers to an accumulation or collection, often of liquid or physical objects; in its abstract sense, denotes expectation, waiting, or hope, especially as directed toward a desired or anticipated outcome.

Semantic Range

gathered collection (of water, people, or items), reservoir, pool, cistern, caravan; hope, expectation, thing longed for, confidence

Root / Etymology

From the root קוה, meaning 'to collect, gather together, wait, hope.' The formation מִקְוֶה is a feminine noun pattern indicating a place or thing gathered or collected.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מִקְוֶה predominantly appears in two distinct senses in the Hebrew Bible. The first (concrete) sense indicates a collection or gathering, especially of water—pools, reservoirs, or cisterns are so termed (e.g., Genesis 1:10 refers to gathered waters at creation). It may also designate other gatherings, such as caravans (collections of people or animals). The second (abstract) sense denotes an object of hope, patience, or confident expectation, appearing particularly in exilic and prophetic contexts (e.g., Jeremiah 14:8, Israel’s 'hope' in YHWH). Notably, later rabbinic Hebrew develops מִקְוֶה for the ritual immersion pool, but this religious-legal meaning does not appear in the biblical text itself. Standard English translations divide between 'pool/reservoir' and 'hope,' but may obscure the underlying connection of the idea of 'gathering together' (of water or expectation). The sense of 'linen yarn' in some versions results from a translation decision in 1 Kings 10:28/2 Chronicles 1:16, but this is now understood as a likely scribal or interpretive error originating in later periods: the context supports a meaning of either 'collection' (of horses or traders) or an unrelated term altogether. The evolution from concrete to abstract is common for this root, with the sense of 'hoping' as 'gathering one's expectation.' The term does not imply a formally ritual pool prior to Second Temple Judaism.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מִקְוֵה; (1 Kings 10:28), or מִקְוֵאlemma מִּקְוֵא extra dagesh, corrected to מִקְוֵא; (2 Chronicles 1:16), from קָוָה; something waited for, i.e. confidence (objective or subjective); also a collection, i.e. (of water) a pond, or (of men and horses) a caravan or drove; abiding, gathering together, hope, linen yarn, plenty (of water), pool.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קוה (q-w-h) — to gather, to collect, to wait expectantly, to hope

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4724 מִקְוָה and water-gathering pool
H6957 קַו with the measuring-cord
H6960 קָוָה I will eagerly wait
H6961 קָוֶה measuring cord of
H8615 תִּקְוָה the expectation

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4723-02 מִקְוֵ֥ה miqeveh HNcmsc hope gathered-collection of 7
H4723-05 וּ/מִ/קְוֵ֕ה umiqeveh HC/R/Np and from Kue and gathered-collection 2
H4723-04 וּ/מִ/קְוֵ֕א umiqeve HC/R/Np and from Kue gathering-place 1
H4723-03 וּ/לְ/מִקְוֵ֥ה ulemiqeveh HC/R/Ncmsc and to the gathering and to a gathered-collection of 1
H4723-01 מִ/קְוֵ֥א miqeve HR/Np from Kue Gathering-Place 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4723-03 Genesis 1:10 וּ/לְ/מִקְוֵ֥ה ulemiqeveh HC/R/Ncmsc and to the gathering and to a gathered-collection of
H4723-02 Exodus 7:19 מִקְוֵ֥ה miqeveh HNcmsc gathering of gathered-collection of
H4723-02 Leviticus 11:36 מִקְוֵה miqeveh HNcmsc a gathering gathered-collection of
H4723-05 1 Kings 10:28 וּ/מִ/קְוֵ֕ה umiqeveh HC/R/Np and from Kue and gathered-collection
H4723-02 1 Kings 10:28 מִ/קְוֵ֖ה miqeveh HR/Np from Kue gathered-collection of
H4723-02 Jeremiah 14:8 מִקְוֵה֙ miqeveh HNcmsc Hope of Israel gathered-collection of
H4723-02 Jeremiah 17:13 מִקְוֵ֤ה miqeveh HNcmsc hope of gathered-collection of
H4723-05 Jeremiah 50:7 וּ/מִקְוֵ֥ה umiqeveh HC/Ncmsc and hope and gathered-collection
H4723-02 Ezra 10:2 מִקְוֶ֥ה miqeveh HNcmsa hope gathered-collection of
H4723-02 1 Chronicles 29:15 מִקְוֶֽה miqeveh HNcmsa hope gathered-collection of
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