Lexical Summary machabe': Hiding place, refuge Original Word: מַחֲבֵא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hiding lurking place Or machaboo {makh-ab-o'}; from chaba'; a refuge -- hiding (lurking) place. see HEBREW chaba' Brown-Driver-Briggs מַחֲבֵא noun [masculine] hiding-place, only construct כְּמַחֲבֵא רוּחַ וְסֵתֶר זֶרֶם Isaiah 32:2 hiding-place from wind. [מַחֲבֹא] noun [masculine] id., plural absolute מִכֹּל הַמַּחֲבֹאִים אשׁר יתחבא שׁם 1 Samuel 23:23. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Literary Imagery The term designates a secret or protected place where danger cannot intrude. In narrative it describes a literal hideout; in poetry and prophecy it becomes a metaphor for safety, calm, and relief. The imagery invites readers to picture a quiet recess cut off from pursuit, or a shelter strong enough to blunt storm and heat. Occurrences in Scripture 1 Samuel 23:23 portrays Saul instructing the Ziphites: “Observe and take note of all the hiding places where he goes”. Here the word refers to the covert refuges David used while fleeing. Isaiah 32:2 looks ahead to the reign of righteousness: “Then each man will be like a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the rain”. The term becomes a figure for leaders who embody God’s protective care. Historical Setting In the Judean wilderness David relied on caves, ravines, and forested hollows—“hiding places”—to elude Saul’s forces. These natural redoubts were indispensable in guerrilla tactics of the period. Isaiah, writing in a later century, evokes similar geography (wind-swept wadis, sudden cloudbursts, scorching heat) to describe societal turmoil. The promised rule of the righteous king would transform leadership from predatory to protective, mirroring the safety David once sought. Theological Themes 1. Divine Protection. The earthly hideout underscores the greater reality that the Lord Himself is the true refuge (Psalm 18:2; Psalm 32:7). Messianic Hope and Fulfillment in Christ Jesus Christ fulfills both dimensions of the word. During His earthly ministry He modeled humble trust in the Father, sometimes withdrawing to lonely places (Luke 5:16). In His saving work He becomes the ultimate refuge: “Your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Revelation 7:16-17 echoes Isaiah 32:2 by promising that those sheltered by the Lamb will never again be scorched by heat or battered by storm. Pastoral and Devotional Implications • Crisis Response: When believers face pursuit—whether literal persecution or inward anguish—the word calls them to hide themselves in God’s presence first, before seeking tactical solutions. Related Biblical Motifs Rock (Psalm 18:2), Cleft (Exodus 33:22), Strong Tower (Proverbs 18:10), Wings of Shelter (Psalm 61:4), Shadow (Psalm 91:1). Each motif complements the idea of a hiding place, enriching the tapestry of divine security. Summary Though used only twice, the word paints a vivid continuum: from David’s rugged caves to Isaiah’s prophetic calm, culminating in Christ, the everlasting refuge. It invites believers to trust, lead, and serve under the sheltering sovereignty of God. Forms and Transliterations הַמַּֽחֲבֹאִים֙ המחבאים כְּמַֽחֲבֵא־ כמחבא־ ham·ma·ḥă·ḇō·’îm hammachavoIm hammaḥăḇō’îm kə·ma·ḥă·ḇê- kemachave kəmaḥăḇê-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Samuel 23:23 HEB: וּדְע֗וּ מִכֹּ֤ל הַמַּֽחֲבֹאִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתְחַבֵּ֣א NAS: all the hiding places where KJV: therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth INT: and learn all the hiding he hides Isaiah 32:2 2 Occurrences |
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