H1865 H1865
Liberty, release from bondage (especially in the Jubilee year); also free-flowing, used of fine liquid myrrh.
A noun rooted in the concept of free, unimpeded flow -- applied both to the release of persons from servitude and to the flowing quality of liquid myrrh. Its primary use is theological and legal: 'proclaim liberty throughout the land' (Lev 25:10, inscribed on the American Liberty Bell) announces the Jubilee release of slaves and return of property. Isaiah 61:1 extends this to messianic liberation, and Jeremiah 34:8-17 narrates a failed attempt to honor this obligation. The single occurrence with myrrh (Exod 30:23) preserves the word's physical root: mor-deror is 'free-flowing myrrh,' the finest grade that drips naturally without pressing.
Senses
1. liberty — Liberty or release from bondage, a technical term for the emancipation proclaimed in the Jubilee year and related sabbatical ordinances. Leviticus 25:10 pairs it with qara ('proclaim'): 'you shall proclaim liberty to all its inhabitants.' Isaiah 61:1 applies it messianically: the anointed one is sent 'to proclaim liberty to the captives.' Jeremiah 34:8, 15, 17 records Zedekiah's covenant of release and God's ironic counter-proclamation of 'liberty' to sword and pestilence. Spanish libertad and French liberté converge across all seven occurrences. Ezekiel 46:17 refers to the 'year of liberty,' confirming the Jubilee connection. 7×
AR["الْ-حُرِّيَّةِ", "حُرِّيَّةً"]·ben["মুক্তি", "মুক্তির"]·DE["Freiheit", "[הדרור]", "liberty"]·EN["liberty", "the-liberty"]·FR["liberty", "liberté"]·heb["דרור", "ה-דרור"]·HI["-की-छुटकारे", "बन्दियों-को", "स्वतंत्रता"]·ID["kebebasan", "pembebasan"]·IT["[הדרור]", "liberta", "liberty"]·jav["kamardikan", "mardika"]·KO["그-희년의", "자유를"]·PT["a-liberdade", "deror", "liberdade"]·RU["освобождения", "свободу"]·ES["la-libertad", "libertad"]·SW["uhuru"]·TR["ozgurluk", "özgürlük", "özgürlüğün"]·urd["آزادی", "رہائی-کے"]
2. flowing — Free-flowing, describing the quality of liquid myrrh that drips naturally. Exodus 30:23 specifies mor-deror ('myrrh of flowing') as the first ingredient in the sacred anointing oil -- the choicest grade that flows freely without mechanical pressing. French coulant ('flowing') captures this physical sense precisely. The connection to the liberty sense is illuminating: both share the root idea of unimpeded, spontaneous movement -- whether of a person released from bonds or of resin released from a tree. 1×
AR["حُرّاً"]·ben["তরল"]·DE["flowing"]·EN["flowing"]·FR["coulant"]·heb["דרור"]·HI["शुद्ध"]·ID["murni"]·IT["flowing"]·jav["murni"]·KO["자유롭게-흐르는"]·PT["líquida"]·RU["самотечная"]·ES["libertad"]·SW["safi"]·TR["saf"]·urd["خالص"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. דְּרוֹר n.[m.] a flowing; free run, liberty;— 1. מָר־דְּרוֹר Ex 30:23 (P) i.e. myrrh of flowing, fine-flowing m. cf. מֹר" dir="rtl" >מֹר & Di. 2. c. קרא proclaim liberty, וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר בָּאָרֶץ לְכָל־יֹשְׁכֶ֑יהָ Lv 25:10 (H) in Jubilee year, cf. Is 61:1 (‖ פְּקַח־קוֹחַ); Je 34:8, 15, 17 all ref. to liberty of Sabbatical year; v 17 (iron.) lo! I proclaim to you liberty unto the sword,…