H4004 H4004
choice, select, the best or finest
A noun meaning choice or select, likely a scribal variant of the more common word for 'choicest.' In 2 Kings 3:19, it describes 'every choice city' that Israel would strike during their campaign against Moab. The term emphasizes quality and desirability—the best cities, not just any settlement. BDB notes this is probably a scribal error for the standard form, but the meaning remains clear: the finest or most valuable.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Choice, select, the finest or best. 2 Kings 3:19 uses this in the phrase 'every choice city,' referring to the prime settlements of Moab targeted for destruction. The multilingual glosses (choice, escogida) consistently render this as select or chosen. Though BDB suggests a scribal variant, the context of military campaign makes the sense clear: Israel would strike Moab's best fortified and most valuable cities. 1×
AR["مُخْتَارَةٍ"]·ben["মনোরমের"]·DE["choice"]·EN["choice"]·FR["choice"]·heb["מבחור"]·HI["चुने-हुए"]·ID["pilihan"]·IT["choice"]·jav["pilihan"]·KO["선택된"]·PT["escolhida"]·RU["избранный"]·ES["escogida"]·SW["uliochaguliwa"]·TR["seckin"]·urd["چنیدہ"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מִבְחוֹר n.[m.] choice, in the phrases עִיר מִבְחוֹר choice city 2 K 3:19; מִבְחוֹר בְּרשָׁיו choice fir trees 2 K 19:23 = מִבְחַר בְּרוֹשָׁיו Is 37:24 (prob. scribal error in both cases for מִבְחַר).