Original Word: מִבְרָח
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mibrach
Pronunciation: mee-brahkh
Phonetic Spelling: (mib-rawkh')
KJV: fugitive
Word Origin: [from H1272 (בָּרַח - fled)]

1. a refugee

fugitive

From barach; a refugee -- fugitive.

see HEBREW barach

Word Origin
another reading for mibchar, q.v.

[מִבְרָח] noun masculine (flight) fugitive — Ezekiel 17:21 מברחו Kt collective, מִבְרָחָיו Qr; Co reads Qr, but strike out as gloss; ᵑ7 ᵑ6 Ew Sm read מִבְחָרָיו.

Concept and Imagery

The term designates flight under duress—people slipping away in panic, fugitives rushing to escape an overwhelming power. It is not the orderly retreat of a disciplined army but the scattered scramble of those who suddenly realize their resources are exhausted and their defenses futile. The single Old Testament occurrence therefore evokes a vivid, almost cinematic picture of frantic escape that ends in failure.

Canonical Setting: Ezekiel 17:21

“His best troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to every wind” (Ezekiel 17:21). The prophet is explaining the fate of Zedekiah, Judah’s final king, who had broken covenant with Babylon and secretly courted Egypt. The “fugitives” are the small body of soldiers and court officials who tried to slip out of Jerusalem during the Babylonian siege (compare 2 Kings 25:4–6 and Jeremiah 39:4–5). Their “flight” proved useless; they were overtaken in the plains of Jericho and brought to Nebuchadnezzar for judgment.

The prophetic point is twofold:

1. Covenant treachery invites covenant curses—Zedekiah broke an oath sworn in the name of the Lord, so the Lord ensured there would be no successful escape.
2. Human schemes for deliverance cannot nullify divine decree; the Babylonian conquest proceeded exactly as the Lord had foretold through Ezekiel.

Historical Background

597 BC: Nebuchadnezzar exiles Jehoiachin and installs Zedekiah as vassal king.

589 BC: Zedekiah rebels, relying on Egyptian promises (Ezekiel 17:15).

588 BC: Babylonian armies return; Jerusalem is besieged.

586 BC: City falls; Zedekiah’s attempted night escape ends in capture—an event encapsulated by the word under study.

Theological Themes

Sovereign Judgment

The failure of the fugitives confirms the Lord’s supremacy over international politics. “The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing” (Psalm 33:10).

Futility of Self-Reliance

Judah’s leaders trusted Egypt’s chariots rather than the covenant Lord (Isaiah 31:1). The crash of their flight reminds readers that strategic alliances, military preplanning, or last-minute escapes cannot substitute for humble obedience.

Scattering and Exile

The image reinforces the prophetic motif of dispersal (Jeremiah 9:16; Ezekiel 12:14). Flight without divine favor yields dispersion, not shelter. Yet even scattered people become seeds for eventual restoration (Ezekiel 11:16-17).

Intertextual Echoes

While other Hebrew expressions for “flee” appear widely, the unique nuance here contributes to a larger biblical tapestry:
• Genesis 16:6–8 – Hagar flees but is met by the Angel of the Lord, showing that divine pursuit may bring mercy.
• Deuteronomy 28:25 – A covenant curse warns that Israel will “flee seven ways,” foreshadowing the scene in Ezekiel.
• Psalm 139:7 – “Where can I flee from Your presence?”—flight cannot outrun God, whether sought in rebellion or refuge.
• Matthew 3:7 – John the Baptist confronts hearers: “Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” highlighting the only ultimately effective flight—toward repentance and faith.

Christological Fulfillment

All human attempts to escape judgment collapse, directing attention to the one safe refuge provided by God Himself. Jesus Christ embodies the ark of safety: “God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9). In Him, fugitives become citizens of a secure kingdom (Hebrews 6:18).

Ministry Applications

Preaching and Teaching
• Use Ezekiel 17:21 to illustrate that hidden sin and broken commitments will surface; apparent evasion is temporary.
• Contrast the fruitless flight of Zedekiah’s followers with the effective “fleeing to Christ” urged in the gospel.

Pastoral Counseling
• Encourage repentant believers that while self-devised escapes fail, the Lord welcomes any who run to Him (Joel 2:13).
• Warn against trusting political or financial safety nets in place of obedience to God’s revealed will.

Mission and Discipleship
• The scattering of fugitives anticipates worldwide dispersion, opening doors for witness (Acts 8:4).
• Equip disciples to discern whether they are acting out of fearful flight or Spirit-led pilgrimage.

Summary

The lone biblical appearance of this word paints a sobering portrait: when covenant people break faith and attempt a last-minute dash for freedom, their self-rescues turn to ruin. The lesson reverberates through Scripture—true security lies not in frantic flight from divine judgment but in swift flight to the covenant-keeping God whose mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13).

מִבְרָחָ֤יו מברחיו miḇ·rā·ḥāw miḇrāḥāw mivraChavInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts