Original Word: מְבוּכָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: mbuwkah
Pronunciation: meh-boo-kah
Phonetic Spelling: (meb-oo-kaw')
KJV: perplexity
NASB: confusion
Word Origin: [from H943 (בּוּך - confusion)]

1. perplexity

perplexity

From buwk; perplexity -- perplexity.

see HEBREW buwk

Word Origin
from buk
Definition
confusion, confounding
NASB Translation
confusion (2).

מְבוּכָה noun feminine confusion, confounding, Isaiah 22:5 יוֺם מְהוּמָה וּמְבוּסָה וּמְבוּכָה a day of consternation and down-treading and confusion; Micah 7:4 עַתָּה תִּהְיֶה מְבוּכָתָם now shall be their confusion.

Overview

The Hebrew noun מְבוּכָה portrays a scene of bewilderment, panic, and utter disarray. Scripture uses the word to depict the atmosphere that settles on a people when the LORD arises in judgment and their self-confidence melts away. Although occurring only twice, its placement in prophetic texts amplifies a timeless warning: human fortifications and schemes cannot stand when God confronts sin.

Scriptural Occurrences

1. Isaiah 22:5 – In the prophetic oracle against Jerusalem, the “Valley of Vision” is filled with “tumult and trampling and confusion”. What should have been a city of revelation becomes a place of spiritual blindness and strategic chaos.
2. Micah 7:4 – On the day God “visits” His people, even the most upright become like thorns; the nation faces “confusion” as social order collapses and every relationship is suspect.

Historical Setting

Isaiah 22 addresses the crisis when Assyria threatened Judah in the eighth century B.C. Instead of seeking the LORD, the leaders relied on armories, reservoirs, and alliances (Isaiah 22:8-11). Their misplaced trust culminated in מְבוּכָה—visible, military, and spiritual.

Micah 7 reflects the moral decay spanning the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Society’s breakdown ushers in a day when no one can be trusted; the collective unraveling is summed up in the same word of perplexity.

Prophetic Significance

• A Token of Judgment: מְבוּכָה signals that divine patience has reached its limit (compare Jeremiah 25:16).
• Exposure of False Security: The confusion reveals the futility of relying on walls, political maneuvering, or human righteousness.
• Call to Repentance: By portraying the dread of God’s visitation, the prophets invite the remnant to return to covenant faithfulness (Isaiah 22:12; Micah 7:7).

Theological Insights

1. God is not the author of confusion in His people’s worship (1 Corinthians 14:33), yet He does allow—or actively send—confusion upon unrepentant societies as a righteous judgment.
2. The term underlines the moral link between sin and disorder (Romans 1:28-32). When a community severs itself from God’s truth, chaos follows.
3. Ultimate Resolution in Christ: Isaiah 9:6 promises the “Prince of Peace,” and Micah 5:5 declares, “He will be our peace.” The Messiah alone reverses מְבוּכָה by reconciling sinners to God and ordering their lives under His lordship.

Pastoral and Practical Applications

• Discernment in Crisis: Believers facing cultural upheaval can interpret widespread confusion as a cue to humble prayer, not frantic self-reliance (Philippians 4:6-7).
• Leadership Warning: Church and civic leaders are cautioned against strategies that sidestep dependence on the LORD; such paths end in perplexity.
• Gospel Opportunity: Moments of societal bewilderment provide open doors to proclaim the clarity and hope of the cross (Acts 17:26-31).
• Personal Examination: When life feels disordered, the word invites self-assessment—are there hidden compromises robbing us of God’s settled peace?

Related Biblical Themes

Tumult (Isaiah 5:30), Terror (Jeremiah 20:4), Bewilderment (Deuteronomy 28:20), Darkness Without Dawn (Isaiah 8:22), and the Peace of God (Philippians 4:7).

Conclusion

מְבוּכָה captures the fearful disruption that attends divine judgment and human rebellion. Yet, threaded through its two appearances is a gracious summons: forsake self-made refuges, seek the LORD while He may be found, and exchange confusion for the peace promised through His covenant and fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

וּמְבוּכָ֗ה ומבוכה מְבוּכָתָֽם׃ מבוכתם׃ mə·ḇū·ḵā·ṯām məḇūḵāṯām mevuchaTam ū·mə·ḇū·ḵāh ūməḇūḵāh umevuChahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts