Lexical Summary mechezah: Vision, appearance Original Word: מֶחֱזָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance light From chazah; a window -- light. see HEBREW chazah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chazah Definition light, place of seeing, a window NASB Translation window (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs מֶחֱזָה noun feminine light, place of seeing, window, מֶחֱזָה אֶלמֶֿחֱזָה light over against light 1 Kings 7:4,5. Topical Lexicon Definition and Range of Meaning מֶחֱזָה (meḥezah) denotes a “viewing place,” “vista,” or “opening for sight.” In the context of ancient Near-Eastern architecture it refers to the open space in a wall that allows one interior vantage to look through to another—hence, a window-like aperture set “opposite” or “in line with” another aperture so that sight or light can pass straight through. Occurrences in Scripture The term appears four times, all within the description of Solomon’s palace complex called “the House of the Forest of Lebanon” (1 Kings 7:4-5). In each verse it stands in poetic parallelism with the more common word for “windows,” highlighting the orderly arrangement of apertures that created a corridor of light throughout the structure: • 1 Kings 7:4: “There were framed windows in three rows, and window was opposite window in three tiers”. Because the narrative lists every major feature only once, the doubled mention of מֶחֱזָה underscores its importance in the architectural theology of Solomon’s reign. Architectural and Historical Significance The House of the Forest of Lebanon (1 Kings 7:2-8) functioned as Solomon’s primary governmental hall and symbolized the outward reach of Israel’s kingdom under the Davidic covenant. The alternating rows of windows and מֶחֱזוֹת formed long sight-lines so pronounced that the building was likened to a cedar forest: one could “see through” the columns as though through tree trunks. This interplay of light and perspective displayed: 1. Royal Openness—inviting observers to look into the king’s judgments and administration. Symbolic and Ministry Implications Light is a persistent biblical metaphor for divine revelation (Psalm 119:105; John 8:12). By repeating מֶחֱזָה, Scripture emphasizes that Solomon’s earthly rule was meant to be administered “in the light,” typifying Messiah’s future reign in perfect righteousness (Isaiah 11:3-5). The palace’s sight-corridors declare that nothing is hidden from the Judge of all the earth (Hebrews 4:13). Moreover, the motif of “window opposite window” anticipates the prophetic vision of the New Jerusalem, whose walls are transparent “like crystal” (Revelation 21:11), and calls believers to live as “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). Practical Application • Transparency in leadership—whether in church, home, or civic life—mirrors the palace’s design and honors the God who “desires truth in the inmost being” (Psalm 51:6). Theological Harmony Though מֶחֱזָה is an architectural term, its selective use in 1 Kings integrates history, wisdom, and worship into one seamless narrative. The same God who inspired the palace’s design reveals Himself consistently from Genesis to Revelation, calling His people into lives characterized by clarity, integrity, and the unshadowed brilliance of divine truth. Forms and Transliterations וּמֶחֱזָ֥ה ומחזה מֶחֱזָ֖ה מֶחֱזָ֛ה מחזה me·ḥĕ·zāh mecheZah meḥĕzāh ū·me·ḥĕ·zāh umecheZah ūmeḥĕzāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 7:4 HEB: שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה טוּרִ֑ים וּמֶחֱזָ֥ה אֶל־ מֶחֱזָ֖ה NAS: rows, and window was opposite KJV: rows, and light [was] against light INT: three rows and window was opposite window 1 Kings 7:4 1 Kings 7:5 1 Kings 7:5 4 Occurrences |
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