Lexical Summary matspon: Hidden treasure, storehouse Original Word: מִצְפֻן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hidden thing From tsaphan; a secret (place or thing, perhaps, treasure) -- hidden thing. see HEBREW tsaphan NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom tsaphan Definition hidden treasure, treasure NASB Translation hidden treasures (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מַצְמּוֺן] noun [masculine] hidden treasure, treasure; — suffix מַצְמּוּנָיו Obadiah 6 his treasures. Topical Lexicon מִצְפֻן (mitsfun) Definition and Semantic Range Denotes something treasured up, concealed, or laid in reserve. The term evokes the image of valuables hidden from public view for protection or secrecy, emphasizing both material riches and figurative stores of confidence or security. Canonical Context: Obadiah 1:6 “ ‘How Esau has been pillaged, his hidden treasures searched out!’ ” (Berean Standard Bible). In Obadiah’s oracle against Edom, מִצְפֻן underscores the futility of relying on secret caches when divine judgment arrives. What Edom presumed was unassailable is effortlessly exposed by the Lord. The single occurrence heightens the prophetic punch: no human stratagem—geographical, political, or economic—can shelter a nation from God’s penetrating justice (compare Jeremiah 49:10). Historical Background Edom’s rugged terrain, with its caves and rock-hewn fortresses such as Sela, fostered confidence in natural defenses and allowed for storage vaults inaccessible to outsiders. Archaeological evidence from the Transjordan and the broader Levant attests to hidden chambers carved into cliffs for safekeeping of grain, weapons, and precious metals. Obadiah leverages this cultural reality: even the best‐concealed hoards cannot elude divine searchlight. Theological Themes 1. Divine Omniscience. מִצְפֻן reveals that God “searches the hearts and minds” (Revelation 2:23) as readily as He uncovers clandestine riches. Intertextual Connections with צָפַן (tsaphan “to hide”) Psalm 119:11—“I have hidden Your word in my heart” uses the root positively: what is stored is God’s revelation, not illicit wealth. Proverbs 2:1–5 views wisdom as treasure to be sought; thus Scripture redirects the instinct to conceal toward spiritual riches that cannot rust (Matthew 6:19–20). The negative use in Obadiah stands in stark contrast, warning that whatever is hoarded apart from God becomes a liability. Christological and Eschatological Implications Jesus Christ is the One “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). The unveiling of Edom’s מִצְפֻן foreshadows the Day when Christ exposes every secret (1 Corinthians 4:5). Believers are therefore summoned to invest in the imperishable treasury found in Him. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Preaching: Use Obadiah 1:6 to challenge congregations on misplaced trust in material security. Summary מִצְפֻן spotlights the delusion of safety through hidden wealth and magnifies the Lord’s power to uncover every secret. Its lone appearance in Obadiah condenses a timeless lesson: ultimate security is not in what humans stash away but in surrender to the all-seeing, covenant-keeping God. Forms and Transliterations מַצְפֻּנָֽיו׃ מצפניו׃ maṣ·pu·nāw maṣpunāw matzpuNavLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Obadiah 1:6 HEB: עֵשָׂ֔ו נִבְע֖וּ מַצְפֻּנָֽיו׃ NAS: will be ransacked, [And] his hidden treasures searched KJV: searched out! [how] are his hidden things sought up! INT: Esau searched his hidden 1 Occurrence |
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