עֵין מִשְׁפָּט
𐤏𐤉𐤍 𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈
Eyn Mishepat
H5880 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place-name meaning 'spring (or fountain) of judgment,' referring specifically to a location in the Negev region noted in biblical narratives as a site associated with legal or administrative activity. In the biblical context, 'En Mishpat' is equivalent to the later-known site of Kadesh (Kadesh-Barnea), situated on the southern border of the land settled by the Israelites. The phrase designates both the physical spring and the judicial or communal gatherings historically linked to that site.
Semantic Range
a particular spring associated with legal activity, a gathering place for judgment or assembly, a toponym equivalent to Kadesh-Barnea; later, a geographic designation for the southern border region
Root / Etymology
Compound of עַיִן ('spring, fountain') and מִשְׁפָּט ('judgment, legal decision, custom'). The root ע-י-נ (עין) means 'to flow, spring forth,' and ש-פ-ט (שפט) means 'to judge, govern, render a legal decision.' The phrase thus literally expresses the idea of a 'source of judgment' or 'spring where decisions are made.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name appears in Genesis 14:7 as the location to which a coalition of kings travels in their foray against southern Canaanite settlements; the text states that En-Mishpat is also called Kadesh, the site importantly featured in later Israelite desert wanderings as an encampment and a boundary marker. The designation 'spring of judgment' may indicate the function of the site as a civic or tribal gathering place for legal deliberations or religious rituals related to justice. Later traditions sometimes read 'En-Mishpat' as merely a geographic toponym, but in context, its naming likely points to an institutional or functional aspect recognized in the region's social organization. The word does not denote a modern court of law but is analogous to ancient Near Eastern places where elders or leaders held assemblies and rendered customary decisions. Translations such as 'En-mishpat' or 'En Mishpat' generally retain the Hebrew form without interpretive expansion; some later English translations have noted the equivalence to 'Kadesh.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עַיִן and מִשְׁפָּט; fountain of judgment; En-Mishpat, a place near Palestine; En-mishpat.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עין, שפט (ʿ-y-n; š-p-ṭ) — springing forth, flowing source; judging, governing, rendering decisions
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5880-02 |
מִשְׁפָּט֙ | mishepat | HNp |
mishpat | Spring of Judgment | 1 |
H5880-01 |
עֵ֤ין | eyn | HNp |
En | Spring of Judgment | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5880-01 |
Genesis 14:7 | עֵ֤ין | eyn | HNp |
En | Spring of Judgment |
H5880-02 |
Genesis 14:7 | מִשְׁפָּט֙ | mishepat | HNp |
mishpat | Spring of Judgment |