H4770 H4770
marbeq — stall, feeding place for fattening livestock, especially calves
This noun literally means 'tying-place' or 'stall,' referring to an enclosure where animals were tied and fattened for eventual slaughter. The term appears four times, always in connection with calves (egel), highlighting the practice of stall-feeding to produce well-fattened animals. Both literal and figurative uses occur: Saul offers a 'stall-fed calf' for a meal in 1 Samuel, while prophets use 'calves of the stall' as metaphors for prosperity (Malachi), arrogant wealth (Jeremiah), and self-indulgent luxury (Amos). The concept of stall-feeding represented a luxury, as most livestock grazed freely.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A stall or tying-place where calves were kept and fattened, producing premium meat. In 1 Samuel 28:24, it refers literally to a calf kept in a stall that could be quickly prepared for an honored guest. Amos 6:4 uses it to critique the elite who eat 'calves from the midst of the stall,' symbolizing their excessive luxury. Jeremiah 46:21 employs it metaphorically, comparing Egypt's mercenaries to 'stall-fed calves'—well-fed and arrogant. Malachi 4:2 (3:20 MT) reverses the image positively: the righteous will leap 'like calves from the stall,' conveying exuberant joy and freedom at God's vindication. 4×
AR["المَعْلَفِ", "الْمَعْلَفِ", "مُسَمَّنٌ"]·ben["খোঁয়াড়ের", "থানের", "থোয়ানের", "পুষ্ট"]·DE["[מרבק]", "stall"]·EN["stall", "the-stall"]·FR["[מרבק]", "crèche", "stall"]·heb["מרבק"]·HI["थान-के", "थान-के।", "पल-हुअ", "पाले-हुए"]·ID["dari-kandang", "gemukan", "kandang-gemuk", "yang-gemuk"]·IT["[מרבק]", "stall"]·jav["kandhang", "lemon", "lemu"]·KO["살진", "외양간", "외양간-의", "외양간의"]·PT["engorda"]·RU["откормленные", "откормленный", "откормочного"]·ES["el-engorde", "engordado", "engorde"]·SW["aliyenona", "banda-la-kunenepesha", "mabandani", "zizi"]·TR["ahırın", "besili", "besleyenin"]·urd["باڑے-کے", "ثان-میں-سے", "موٹا", "موٹے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מַרְבֵּק n.[m.] stall (lit. tying-place);—עֲגָלִים מִתּוֹךְ מ׳ Am 6:4 calves out of the stall (where they were fattened); עֵגֶל־מ׳ 1 S 28:24 i.e. a stall-fed, fatted, calf; so כְּעֶגְלֵי מ׳ Mal 3:20 (sim. of prosperity), Je 46:21 (sim. of well-fed and arrogant mercenaries).