H4057b H4057b
Wilderness, desert; uninhabited open land used for pasturage or traversed in journeys
Appearing 270 times, midbar is the quintessential biblical landscape of testing, wandering, and encounter with God. Far from being simply barren desert, it denotes open, uncultivated land that could serve as pasture (Joel 2:22; Ps 65:13) but was largely uninhabited (Job 38:26). It is the setting for Israel's forty-year sojourn after the Exodus, the haunt of wild animals (Jer 2:24), and the place where prophetic voices cry out (Isa 40:3). The consistent rendering across languages as 'wilderness' or 'desert' (Spanish desierto, French desert, German Wueste) captures its core sense of land beyond settled habitation.
Senses
1. wilderness, desert region — Uninhabited open country or arid terrain beyond the boundaries of settled agricultural land, used for seasonal pasturage but lacking permanent habitation. The primary setting of Israel's post-Exodus wandering (Exod 15:22ff.), the domain of wild creatures (Job 24:5; Jer 2:24), and a place of divine encounter and prophetic proclamation (Isa 40:3). Spanish desierto and German Wueste reflect the desolation sense, while the pastoral usage in Joel 2:22 shows its broader range. 270×
AR["بِ-الْ-بَرِّيَّةِ", "فِي-الْ-بَرِّيَّةِ", "فِي-الْبَرِّيَّةِ"]·ben["-মরুভূমিতে", "মরুভূমিতে", "মরুভূমিতে।"]·DE["in-der-Wueste", "in-der-Wüste"]·EN["in-the-wilderness", "into-the-wilderness"]·FR["dans-le-désert"]·heb["ב-ה-מדבר", "ב-מדבר"]·HI["जंगल-में", "मरुशथल-मे", "मरुस्थल-में", "में-जंगल"]·ID["di-padang-gurun", "di-padang-gurun.", "ke-padang-gurun"]·IT["in-il-deserto", "nel-deserto"]·jav["ing-ara-ara", "ing-ara-ara-samun", "wonten-ing-ara-ara", "wonten-ing-ara-ara-samun"]·KO["광야-에", "광야-에서", "광야로", "광야에-있는", "광야에서", "그-광야-에", "그-광야-에서", "에-그-광야", "에서-그-광야"]·PT["no-deserto", "no-deserto,", "no-deserto.", "no-deserto?"]·RU["в-пустыне", "в-пустыню"]·ES["en-el-desierto"]·SW["jangwani", "katika-jangwa", "na-kuwa"]·TR["-de-çölde", "-çölde", "çölde", "çöle"]·urd["بیابان-میں", "میں-بیابان"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)H7760a 2. make into, turn into (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
II. מִדְבָּר270 n.m. wilderness—Dt 32:10 +; c. ה loc. מִדְבָּ֫רָה Jos 18:12 + 15 times; cstr. Ex 15:22 +; מִדְבַּ֫רָה 1 K 19:15; sf. מִדְבָּרָהּ Is 51:3;— 1. tracts of land, used for the pasturage of flocks and herds, דָּֽשְׁאוּ נְאוֹת מִדְבָּר the pastures of the wilderness put forth green grass Jo 2:22; יִרְעֲפוּ נ׳ מ׳ the pastures of the wilderness drop (fertility) ψ 65:13; יָֽבְשׁוּ נ׳ מ׳ are…