Biblical Lexicon

H4818 H4818

Conj-w | 44× in 1 sense

chariot — a horse-drawn vehicle used in warfare, royal procession, or transport

Merkavah is the standard Hebrew noun for a wheeled vehicle drawn by horses, appearing 44 times across narrative, poetic, and prophetic texts. Distinguished from the collective rekhev ('chariotry'), merkavah denotes a single chariot unit. Its range encompasses Joseph's ceremonial chariot in Egypt (Gen 41:43), the war chariots of Canaan, Assyria, and Israel's own military (Josh 11:6; 1 Kgs 10:29), and the visionary chariots of Zechariah 6:1. In Ezekiel's tradition the word took on mystical significance, giving its name to the entire 'chariot mysticism' (ma'aseh merkavah) of later Jewish thought. Translations converge on a single sense: Spanish 'carro,' French 'char,' German 'Streitwagen.'

Read in Bible → Strong's / BibleHub Blue Letter Bible

Senses

1. chariot, war-chariot — A horse-drawn vehicle used primarily as a war-chariot, often paired with sus ('horse') as a military hendiadys. Ranges from Pharaoh's chariots at the sea (Exod 14:25) to Solomon's trade imports (1 Kgs 10:29) and Zechariah's apocalyptic four chariots (Zech 6:1). Distinguished from the collective rekhev ('chariotry'). 44×

ARTIFACTS › Artifacts › Chariots and Wagons

AR["ال-مَرْكَبَةِ", "الـ-مَرْكَبَةِ", "الْمَرْكَبَةِ", "في-المَركَبَةِ", "فِي-الـ-مَرْكَبَةِ", "فِي-المَركَبَةِ", "فِي-المَرْكَبَةِ", "مَركَبَةً", "مَرْكَبَةً", "مَرْكَبَةٌ", "وَفِي-الْمَرْكَبَةِ", "وَمَركَباتٍ", "ٱلْمَرْكَبَةِ"]·ben["-রথ", "-রথের", "আর-রথগুলো", "এবং-রথে", "এবং-রথে-", "ও-রথের", "রথ", "রথ-", "রথে", "রথের"]·DE["Streitwagen", "Wagen", "[במרכבה]", "[המרכבה]", "[ומרכבות]", "[מרכבה]", "der-Wagen", "ein-Wagen", "in-der-Wagen", "und-in-Streitwagen"]·EN["a-chariot", "and-chariots", "and-in-the-chariot", "chariot", "in-the-chariot", "the-chariot"]·FR["char", "dans-le-char", "et-char", "le-char", "un-char"]·heb["ב-ה-מרכבה", "בַּ-מֶּרְכָּבָה", "ה-מרכבה", "ו-ב-מרכבה", "ו-מרכבות", "מֶרְכָּבָה", "מרכבה"]·HI["और-में-रथ", "और-रथों", "ब-रथ", "रथ", "रथ-के", "रथ-पर", "रथ-में", "रथ-से", "हम्मेरक्कावाह"]·ID["-kereta", "Dan-dalam-kereta", "dalam-kereta", "dan-dalam-kereta", "dan-kereta", "dan-kereta-kereta", "di-kereta", "ke-kereta", "kereta"]·IT["carro", "e-carro", "il-carro", "in-il-carro", "un-carro"]·jav["ing-kreta", "ing-kréta", "kareta", "kereta", "kreta", "kréta", "kréta-punika", "lan-ing-karéta", "lan-kréta", "wonten-ing-kréta"]·KO["그-병거", "그-병거-에", "그-병거에", "그리고-병거들", "그리고-에-전차", "병거", "병거가", "병거에서", "병거의", "수레와", "에-그-병거", "에-병거에", "전차"]·PT["E-no-carro", "a-carruagem", "carro", "carruagem", "e-carros", "e-no-carro", "na-carruagem", "no-carro", "o-carro"]·RU["-колесницы", "в-колеснице", "и-в-колеснице", "и-колесниц", "колесница", "колеснице", "колесницу", "колесницы", "на-колесницу"]·ES["Y-en-el-carro", "al-carro", "carro", "carroza", "el-carro", "en-el-carro", "la-carroza", "un-carro", "y-carros", "y-en-el-carro"]·SW["gari", "gari-la-farasi", "gari-la-vita", "gari-lake", "garini", "hameּrkaּbah", "katika-gari", "katika-gari-lake-la-vita", "la-gari", "na-katika-gari", "na-magari", "na-magari-ya-vita"]·TR["Ve-arabada-", "araba", "araba-o", "arabanın", "arabasında", "arabaya", "arabayı-", "de-arabasının", "savaş-arabası", "savaş-arabasına", "savaş-arabasında", "savaş-arabasından", "ve-arabada-", "ve-arabalar", "ve-arabaların"]·urd["ال-رتھ-میں", "اور-رتھ-میں", "اور-رتھوں", "اور-رتھوں-کے", "رتھ", "رتھ-پر", "رث", "رث کے-", "رث-میں", "رث-کے", "رثے", "گاڑی"]

Gen 41:43, Gen 46:29, Exod 14:25, Exod 15:4, Josh 11:6, Josh 11:9, Judg 4:15, Judg 5:28, 1 Sam 8:11, 1 Sam 8:11, 2 Sam 15:1, 1 Kgs 7:33 (+32 more)

BDB / Lexicon Reference

† מֶרְכָּבָה n.f. chariot;—abs. מ׳ Ju 4:15 +, cstr. מִרְכֶּ֫בֶת †Gn 41:43; sf. מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ 46:29 +; pl. מַרְכָּבוֹת Zc 6:1 +; cstr. מַרְכְּבוֹת 2 K 23:11 +, -בֹת Ex 15:4; sf. מַרְכְּבֹתֶיךָ Mi 5:10; Hb 3:8, etc.;—chariot (often ‖ סוּס(ים), 1 S 8:11 פָרָשִׁים): especially war-chariot, Egypt., Ex 14:25 (J), 15:4 (song), 2 Ch 14:8; from Muṣri in N. Syriac (according to Wkl., v. מצרים ad fin., cf.…