מְקֵרָה
𐤌𐤒𐤓𐤄
mᵉqêrâh
H4747 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place or event of cooling, typically referring to a structure or location providing shade or relief from heat. In biblical usage, particularly denotes either a latticework (through which cool air passes) or, idiomatically, the season of summer—time characterized by heat and a desire for cooling. Its primary lexical meaning refers to relief from heat, either physically or temporally (season of heat).
Semantic Range
structure for cooling off, shaded pavilion, cooling lattice, summer-house, season characterized by heat and cooling (idiomatically 'summer')
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root קָר (qar), meaning 'to be cool, to be cold.' The term מְקֵרָה is derived with the mem-prefix, forming a noun indicating a place, state, or thing associated with the root sense of 'coolness.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Ancient Israelite context, מְקֵרָה appears only in Ecclesiastes 2:5, where it refers to a 'place of cooling off' or 'ornamental garden pavilion,' plausibly a shaded arbor or structure intended for respite from summer heat. The translation as 'summer-house' (e.g., in English Bibles) reflects interpretation based on near eastern architectural parallels, but literally the word refers to a cooling space or lattice. The related term קַר (qar) simply means 'cool,' and is not attested elsewhere as a substantive. The term does not imply seasonal categorization but describes the function or purpose of the structure within the context—primarily relief from heat. In Second Temple and later periods, such terms might be interpreted architecturally, but its biblical usage is limited and contextually bound to the Solomonic garden pavilions. English versions' rendering as 'summer house' or 'lattice' often narrows the sense; the broader idea is a place or means of cooling, typical of upper-class leisure architecture in Israelite society.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as קַר; a cooling off; [idiom] summer.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קר (q-r) — to be cool, to be cold
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4747-01 |
הַ/מְּקֵרָ֤ה | hameqerah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the coolness | the cooling-place | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4747-01 |
Judges 3:20 | הַ/מְּקֵרָ֤ה | hameqerah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the coolness | the cooling-place |
H4747-01 |
Judges 3:24 | הַ/מְּקֵרָֽה | hameqerah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the cool room | the cooling-place |