Original Word: מִדְרָךְ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: midrak
Pronunciation: mid-rawk'
Phonetic Spelling: (mid-rawk')
KJV: (foot-)breadth
Word Origin: [from H1869 (דָּרַך - tread)]

1. a treading, i.e. a place for stepping on

footbreadth

From darak; a treading, i.e. A place for stepping on -- (foot-)breadth.

see HEBREW darak

Word Origin
from darak
Definition
a treading or stepping place
NASB Translation
footstep* (1).

[מִדְרָךְ] noun [masculine] treading- or stepping-place, place for the foot to tread on, only construct מִדְרַךְ כַּףרָֿ֑גֶל Deuteronomy 2:5 a treading-place for the sole of a foot (compare Deuteronomy 11:24 = Joshua 1:3).

Meaning and Imagery

מִדְרָךְ (midrakh) conveys the idea of a literal footprint, footstep, or the space covered by the sole of the foot. The imagery is concrete and vivid: a single imprint on the soil. In Hebrew thought a “step” can stand metonymically for the smallest measurable portion of land, much as “a hairbreadth” might describe minimal distance.

Usage in Scripture

The term appears once, in Deuteronomy 2:5. Israel is instructed: “Do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even the sole of a foot, because I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his possession” (Berean Standard Bible). The Lord’s prohibition is absolute—not so much as a single midrakh may be taken. The verse highlights how meticulously God honors His own covenantal allocations of territory.

Historical Setting in Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy recounts Israel’s journey on the threshold of Canaan. Midrakh occurs in the narrative of their detour around Edom (descendants of Esau). Though Israel had been promised the land of Canaan (Genesis 17:8; Exodus 3:17), the Edomite inheritance was equally fixed (Genesis 36:8). Moses reminds the nation that conquest under divine mandate is not license for presumption. Respecting Edom’s borders was an act of obedience and a testimony to God’s just governance of all peoples (Deuteronomy 2:4-6; 23:7). Israel’s refusal to seize even a single footstep of Edomite ground stands in contrast to their later wholesale possession of Canaan, demonstrating that every victory or restraint must proceed from clear divine instruction.

Theological Implications

1. Divine Sovereignty over Boundaries

Scripture presents God as “He who fixed the borders of the peoples” (Acts 17:26). Midrakh underscores that the same God who grants Israel its inheritance also safeguards Edom’s. His faithfulness is impartial and covenantal rather than tribal.
2. Integrity of God’s Word

The prohibition fulfills earlier promises to Esau, proving the inviolability of God’s earlier covenants even while enacting later ones (Malachi 1:2-3; Romans 9:10-13).
3. Obedience in Small Things

To refrain from taking even “the sole of a foot” illustrates obedience in minutiae. Faithfulness is measured not only in large exploits but in restrained steps.

Practical Ministry Insights

• Boundary Ethics: Congregations and leaders may glean lessons on respecting God-appointed spheres of ministry (2 Corinthians 10:13-16).
• Stewardship Perspective: Recognition that all land, resources, and opportunities belong ultimately to God fosters humility and dependence.
• Peacemaking Posture: Israel’s peaceful passage around Edom models the New Testament call to live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18), showing that God’s people may pursue non-confrontational solutions when conquest is not divinely sanctioned.

Related Biblical Themes and Cross References

– Respecting Edom: Numbers 20:14-21; Deuteronomy 2:22-23

– Sole of the Foot as Land Grant Measure: Joshua 1:3; Psalm 91:13; Luke 10:19

– Covenantal Land Promises: Genesis 12:7; Leviticus 25:23; Hebrews 11:9

Christological and Eschatological Echoes

Though midrakh itself is not messianic language, the concept of every “footstep” belonging to God anticipates the rule of Christ, to whom the Father has promised “the ends of the earth” (Psalm 2:8). In Revelation 11:2 the sanctuary’s outer court is “given to the nations,” again showing that precise territorial rights remain under divine jurisdiction until the consummation when Christ’s feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4).

Summary

מִדְרָךְ functions as a single but potent reminder that God’s authority extends to the smallest plot of ground. The lone occurrence in Deuteronomy 2:5 challenges believers to respect divine boundaries, trust God’s timing, and walk obediently—step by step—within the territory He assigns.

מִדְרַ֣ךְ מדרך miḏ·raḵ midRach miḏraḵInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts