Original Word: מִקְנָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: miqnah
Pronunciation: mik-neh'
Phonetic Spelling: (mik-naw')
KJV: (he that is) bought, possession, piece, purchase
NASB: purchase, bought, price, who is bought, possession, purchased, who were bought
Word Origin: [feminine of H4735 (מִקנֶה - livestock)]

1. (properly) a buying, i.e. acquisition
2. (concretely) a piece of property (land or living)
3. (also) the sum paid

he that is bought, possession, piece, purchase

Feminine of miqneh; properly, a buying, i.e. Acquisition; concretely, a piece of property (land or living); also the sum paid -- (he that is) bought, possession, piece, purchase.

see HEBREW miqneh

Word Origin
from qanah
Definition
a purchase
NASB Translation
bought (2), possession (1), price (2), purchase (6), purchased (1), who is bought (2), who were bought (1).

מִקְנָה noun feminine purahase; — absolute ׳מ Genesis 23:18 +; construct מִפְנַת Genesis 17:12 +; suffix מִקְנָתוֺ Leviticus 25:16 +; —

1 purchase, מִקְנַת כֶּסֶף Genesis 17:12,13,23,27; Exodus 12:44 (all P); ׳סֵפֶר הַמּ document of purchase Jeremiah 32:11,12 (twice in verse); Jeremiah 32:14,16.

2 purchase-price, Leviticus 25:16 (twice in verse); Leviticus 25:51; Leviticus 27:22 (P).

3 possession (gained by purchase), לְמִקְנָה Genesis 23:18 (P).

Overview

מִקְנָה (miqnah) denotes a possession or acquisition obtained by purchase. Scripture employs the term primarily for people, land, or rights bought with silver, thereby illustrating legal ownership within covenant, civil, and prophetic contexts. The word’s occurrences cluster around three major settings—patriarchal covenant practice, Mosaic legislation, and Jeremiah’s prophetic sign—each revealing theological strands of redemption, inheritance, and divine faithfulness.

Patriarchal Covenant Usage (Genesis 17; 23)

In Genesis 17 the Lord makes clear that every male “bought with money from a foreigner” (Genesis 17:12) must enter Abraham’s household sign of circumcision. The purchased slave becomes inseparably linked to the covenant community: “whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised” (Genesis 17:13). Acquisition establishes a legal standing by which outsiders share the privileges and obligations of the covenant. When Abraham immediately circumcised “all those born in his household or bought with his money” (Genesis 17:23), Scripture underlines obedience and the permanence of covenant inclusion for every miqnah.

Genesis 23 shifts the focus from persons to land. The cave of Machpelah and its field are transferred to Abraham “as his property” (Genesis 23:18), ensuring a foothold of promised inheritance. Though the patriarch still awaits full possession, the purchased parcel becomes a tangible pledge that God will give the land to his offspring. Miqnah thus secures both a burial place and a prophetic anchor for Israel’s future.

Mosaic Legislation and Social Order

1. Passover Participation

Exodus 12:44 extends covenant privilege to slaves: “any slave who has been bought may eat of it, after you have circumcised him.” Purchase followed by circumcision grants access to Israel’s defining redemption meal. The law unites deliverance from Egypt with the status of the acquired servant, prefiguring how redemption and purchase converge in later revelation.

2. Economic Equity (Leviticus 25)

In Jubilee legislation the term undergirds Israel’s unique land economy. The price of cultivated land must be adjusted “when the years are many… when the years are few” (Leviticus 25:16) because the buyer is purchasing harvests, not permanent ownership. Should an Israelite become a hired servant to a resident alien, his kinsman may redeem him, paying “in proportion to his purchase price” (Leviticus 25:51). Miqnah sets a fair standard while preventing perpetual slavery, safeguarding the principle, “the land is Mine and you are My tenants and farmers” (Leviticus 25:23).

3. Consecrated Fields (Leviticus 27:22)

If a man devotes to the Lord “a field he has purchased,” valuation differs from ancestral holdings. A miqnah field returns to the original owner in Jubilee, so sanctification of it carries distinct stipulations. The legislation stresses the difference between inherited allotment and acquired property, ensuring that devotion to Yahweh does not subvert the tribal inheritance structure.

Prophetic Illustration of Restoration (Jeremiah 32)

During the Babylonian siege Jeremiah buys his cousin’s field at Anathoth, executing both sealed and open deeds of purchase (Jeremiah 32:11). He stores them in a clay jar “so they will last a long time” (Jeremiah 32:14). The prophet’s action is a living parable: though Jerusalem is about to fall, “houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land” (Jeremiah 32:15). Miqnah here becomes an eschatological signpost. The same legal precision that governed everyday transactions anchors Israel’s hope of return; covenant restoration is as certain as a notarized deed.

Theological Threads

1. Redemption Through Purchase

From patriarchs to prophets, miqnah underscores that freedom, belonging, and inheritance can lawfully change hands by payment. The pattern anticipates the New Covenant declaration, “You were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20). Just as circumcision sealed the purchased slave’s status, so the Spirit seals believers as Christ’s redeemed possession.

2. Inheritance Secured

Whether the cave of Machpelah or Jeremiah’s field, purchased ground testifies that God will make good on His land promises. Miqnah functions as earnest money—visible evidence that full inheritance awaits.

3. Ethical Stewardship

Mosaic regulations around miqnah promote justice: fair valuation, eventual release, and respect for ancestral holdings. The believer likewise handles resources as a steward, remembering that ultimate ownership resides with the Lord.

Ministry Implications

• Covenant Inclusion: Gospel ministry invites every “outsider” into God’s family through the purchased blood of Christ, mirroring Genesis 17’s incorporation of bought servants.
• Assurance of Hope: Jeremiah’s deed encourages preaching that ties present obedience to future restoration; God’s promises stand when circumstances appear hopeless.
• Economic Witness: Churches can model Jubilee principles—fair dealings, relief of debt, and care for the vulnerable—demonstrating that purchased people live differently.

Conclusion

מִקְנָה weaves together law, covenant, and prophecy to reveal a God who secures His purposes through purchased possession. Each occurrence builds toward the climactic truth that in Jesus Christ believers become God’s treasured acquisition, guaranteed an eternal inheritance by a price fully paid.

הַמִּקְנָ֑ה הַמִּקְנָ֔ה הַמִּקְנָ֗ה הַמִּקְנָ֨ה המקנה וּמִקְנַ֣ת וּמִקְנַת־ ומקנת ומקנת־ לְמִקְנָ֖ה למקנה מִקְנַ֣ת מִקְנַת־ מִקְנָת֑וֹ מִקְנָת֔וֹ מִקְנָתֽוֹ׃ מקנת מקנת־ מקנתו מקנתו׃ ham·miq·nāh hammikNah hammiqnāh lə·miq·nāh lemikNah ləmiqnāh mikNat miknaTo miq·nā·ṯōw miq·naṯ miq·naṯ- miqnaṯ miqnaṯ- miqnāṯōw ū·miq·naṯ ū·miq·naṯ- umiknat ūmiqnaṯ ūmiqnaṯ-Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts