Original Word: מִבְחָר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mibchar
Pronunciation: MIB-khar
Phonetic Spelling: (mib-khawr')
KJV: choice(-st), chosen
NASB: choicest, choice, choice men
Word Origin: [from H977 (בָּחַר - chosen)]

1. select, i.e. best

choicest, chosen

From bachar; select, i.e. Best -- choice(-st), chosen.

see HEBREW bachar

Word Origin
from bachar
Definition
choicest, best
NASB Translation
choice (1), choice men (1), choicest (9).

[מִבְחָר] noun [masculine] (feminine Ezekiel 24:5) choicest, best, construct מִבְחַר Deuteronomy 12:11 10t.; suffix מִבְחָרָיו Daniel 11:15; vows Deuteronomy 12:11; valleys Isaiah 22:7; fir trees Isaiah 37:24; cedars Jeremiah 22:7; bones Ezekiel 24:4; sepulchres Genesis 23:6 (P); of the flock Ezekiel 24:5; of the Assyrians Ezekiel 23:7; captains Exodus 15:4 (E poetry); young men Jeremiah 48:15; מבחר וטוב לבנון Ezekiel 31:16 (strike out וטוב ᵐ5 Co); עַם מִבְחָרָיו Daniel 11:15 = his choice troops.

Essence of the Term: Choice and Excellence

Derived from the verb “to choose,” מִבְחָר consistently denotes the best, most select, or most precious element within a group—whether land, people, produce, or possessions. Its use highlights both human appraisal of what is excellent and the divine expectation that only the finest be offered to Him.

Occurrences and Thematic Distribution

Appearing thirteen times, the word spans the Pentateuch, Former Prophets, Major Prophets, and Daniel. The references cluster around three motifs: (1) presenting the choicest to God, (2) military prowess or elite warriors, and (3) prized natural resources or structures that become objects of human pride and therefore of divine judgment.

Patriarchal Narrative: Recognition of Worth (Genesis 23:6)

In negotiating Sarah’s burial, the Hittites call Abraham “a prince of God” and offer him their “choicest of our tombs.” The usage underscores their acknowledgment of his elevated status. Theologically, it foreshadows God’s promise to give Abraham the best portion of the land, anchoring the concept that the faithful inherit what is most excellent.

Deliverance and Song: The Choicest Warriors Overthrown (Exodus 15:4)

“The choicest of his officers were drowned in the Red Sea”. Here, the term magnifies God’s triumph: Egypt’s elite forces, the pinnacle of its military might, prove powerless before Him. Worship springs from recognizing that even humanity’s finest cannot thwart God’s redemptive purposes.

Covenantal Worship: Bringing the Best Before Yahweh (Deuteronomy 12:11)

Israel is commanded to bring offerings to “the place the LORD your God will choose,” including “your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice vow offerings you vow to the LORD.” The demand for מִבְחָר establishes a pattern of giving God the first and finest, prefiguring New Testament calls for wholehearted devotion (Romans 12:1).

Pride of Nations: Boasting in Choice Forests (2 Kings 19:23; Isaiah 37:24)

Assyria’s king boasts, “With my many chariots I have ascended the heights of the mountains… I have cut down its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses”. The prophet exposes arrogant self-reliance that desecrates what God has made excellent. Divine response is swift: God turns pride into shame, reminding all rulers that the earth’s finest belongs to Him.

Doom of Judah and the Nations: Choice Ones Cut Down

Jeremiah 22:7 warns that destroyers will “cut down your choicest cedars.” Jeremiah 48:15 predicts the slaughter of “Moab’s choicest young men.” Ezekiel’s oracles employ מִבְחָר for sumptuous ornaments (Ezekiel 23:7) and fine bones in a boiling cauldron (Ezekiel 24:4-5). Ezekiel 31:16 laments Lebanon’s choicest trees felled because of Assyria’s downfall. Each text portrays judgment falling not only on common elements but on what is most valued, signaling total devastation when a people despises God.

Prophetic Conflict: The Best Fortifications Fail (Daniel 11:15)

The northern invader “will capture a well-fortified city, and the forces of the south will not stand— even their choicest troops will have no strength to resist.” Political and military calculations crumble when God’s sovereign plan unfolds, underscoring that earthly excellence offers no ultimate security.

Theological Implications: God’s Claim on the Best

1. Divine Ownership: The earth’s choicest elements originate from God (Psalm 24:1).
2. Exclusive Worthiness: Only God deserves the best; withholding it invites judgment (Malachi 1:8-10).
3. Total Devotion: Mִבְחָר anticipates the New Covenant call to love God “with all your heart” (Matthew 22:37), giving Him the choicest affections.
4. Eschatological Assurance: God preserves a “chosen” people (Ephesians 1:4), ensuring their ultimate inheritance of what is truly excellent (1 Peter 1:4).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Stewardship: Encourage believers to offer time, abilities, and resources of highest quality, reflecting Deuteronomy 12:11.
• Worship Planning: Highlight that excellence in music, teaching, and service mirrors giving God the מִבְחָר.
• Pastoral Counseling: Address misplaced pride when individuals or communities idolize their talents or possessions; remind them of Assyria’s downfall.
• Youth Discipleship: Use Daniel 11:15 to show that even the “choicest troops” fail without reliance on the Lord, cultivating humility.

Christological Foreshadowing

Jesus embodies God’s מִבְחָר—His “beloved Son” given for sinners (John 3:16). Believers respond by presenting themselves as “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1), echoing the Old Testament pattern of offering the choicest. In Christ, the Father receives what is finest, and through Christ, He makes His redeemed the choicest portion of His inheritance (Ephesians 1:18).

בְּמִבְחַ֣ר במבחר וּמִבְחַ֥ר ומבחר מִבְח֣וֹר מִבְחַ֣ר מִבְחַ֤ר מִבְחַ֥ר מִבְחַר־ מִבְחָרָ֔יו מבחור מבחר מבחר־ מבחריו bə·miḇ·ḥar bəmiḇḥar bemivChar miḇ·ḥā·rāw miḇ·ḥar miḇ·ḥar- miḇ·ḥō·wr miḇḥar miḇḥar- miḇḥārāw miḇḥōwr mivChar mivchaRav mivChor ū·miḇ·ḥar ūmiḇḥar umivCharInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts