Lexical Summary medurah: Fire, Bonfire, Hearth Original Word: מְדוּרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance pile for fire Or mdurah {med-oo-raw'}; from duwr in the sense of accumulation; a pile of fuel -- pile (for fire). see HEBREW duwr NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom dur Definition a pile (of wood) NASB Translation pile (1), pyre (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מְדוּרָה noun feminine pile (of wood, etc.) ׳מ Ezekiel 24:9; מְדֻרָתָהּ אֵשׁ ועצים הרבה Isaiah 30:33 = pyre (so Ges Hi De Che Brd; Ew Di its circuit, compass). Topical Lexicon Literal Picture and Symbolic ForceThe noun מְדוּרָה evokes the image of a deliberately-built heap of combustible material—a bonfire or funeral pyre. In prophetic literature it becomes a vivid metaphor for a pre-arranged, carefully stoked judgment whose flames are irresistible because God Himself is the One who both assembles the fuel and ignites it. The planned nature of the fire underscores that divine wrath is never haphazard; it is measured, moral, and perfectly timed. Occurrences in Scripture • Isaiah 30:33 — “For Topheth has long been prepared; yes, it is ready for the king. He has made it deep and wide, a pyre of plenty of fire and wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, sets it ablaze.” • Ezekiel 24:9 — “Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed! I will make the pyre great.’” Both passages sit in oracles of judgment: Isaiah addresses Assyria’s proud king while Ezekiel speaks against Jerusalem itself. In each case the medurah is the stage on which God’s verdict is carried out. Historical and Cultural Background Topheth (Isaiah 30:33) lay in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, infamous for child sacrifice under apostate kings (Jeremiah 7:31). Later generations treated the site as a refuse dump perpetually smoldering—an apt emblem of unending judgment that eventually fed Jewish and New Testament imagery of Gehenna. Ezekiel delivered his prophecy in Babylon during the final siege of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 24:1-2). The enlarged pyre signals that the city’s corruption—“the city of bloodshed” (24:9)—has amassed its own fuel; God merely fans the flames already warranted by persistent sin. Theological Themes 1. Certain Judgment The carefully arranged fire shows that divine recompense is neither impulsive nor avoidable. Isaiah stresses preparation (“long been prepared”), underscoring the certainty of Assyria’s downfall despite its temporary dominance. 2. God as Both Judge and Executioner “The breath of the LORD…sets it ablaze” (Isaiah 30:33). Human force is not what finally brings empires low; God’s word and breath do. 3. Moral Accountability of God’s People Ezekiel places covenant Jerusalem on the same pyre once reserved for pagan nations. Privilege does not exempt from holiness. 4. Foreshadowing of Final Punishment The planned, unquenchable fire anticipates New Testament warnings of “unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12) and “the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). 5. Purification Aspect Fire in Scripture can cleanse as well as destroy (Malachi 3:2-3; 1 Peter 1:7). While medurah emphasizes punitive burning, its existence also clears the way for a purified remnant and future restoration (Isaiah 31:5; Ezekiel 36:24-28). Applications in Preaching and Pastoral Ministry • Warning with Hope The symbolism of a prepared pyre allows preachers to warn hearers that divine judgment is real and imminent, yet actively avoidable through repentance (Isaiah 55:6-7). • Integrity in Leadership Isaiah’s focus on “the king” reminds leaders that public power carries heightened responsibility. Ezekiel’s vision warns church communities that accumulated sin will eventually ignite unless confessed and forsaken. • Discipleship and Holiness Believers are exhorted to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1), voluntarily placing self on God’s altar so that sanctifying fire purges sin now rather than punitive fire later. • Missions Motivation Awareness of eternal judgment intensifies the urgency of gospel proclamation (2 Corinthians 5:11). Intertextual Echoes • Isaiah’s medurah parallels John the Baptist’s prophecy: “He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). Summary מְדוּרָה appears only twice, yet its image of an intentional, fuel-laden pyre crystalizes the biblical message that God’s judgments are prepared, proportionate, and ultimately purifying. While it warns of irreversible ruin for the impenitent, it also invites every generation to seek refuge in the One who bore the flames on Calvary, ensuring that those who trust Him will never face the final medurah. Forms and Transliterations הַמְּדוּרָֽה׃ המדורה׃ מְדֻרָתָ֗הּ מדרתה ham·mə·ḏū·rāh hammeduRah hamməḏūrāh mə·ḏu·rā·ṯāh meduraTah məḏurāṯāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 30:33 HEB: הֶעְמִ֣יק הִרְחִ֑ב מְדֻרָתָ֗הּ אֵ֤שׁ וְעֵצִים֙ NAS: and large, A pyre of fire KJV: [and] large: the pile thereof [is] fire INT: has made and large A pyre of fire of wood Ezekiel 24:9 2 Occurrences |
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