← H4568 H4570 →

מַעֲבָר

𐤌𐤏𐤁𐤓

maʻăbâr

H4569 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A place or means of crossing, especially a ford across a river or a pass through mountains. It can also denote an act or process of passage, crossing, or transit from one side to another in physical or metaphorical contexts. In some cases, it refers abstractly to the event or movement of overcoming or traversing an obstacle or space.

Semantic Range

crossing place, ford (of a river), mountain pass, place of passage, act of crossing, process of passage, transition (concrete or abstract)

Root / Etymology

מַעֲבָר derives from the root עבר (ʿ-b-r), meaning 'to cross over, pass through, traverse.' The noun formation with the מ (mem) prefix expresses 'place of' or 'act of' crossing or passing. The related feminine form is מַעֲבָרָה (maʿăbārāh), sharing the same meaning.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מַעֲבָר occurs in narratives describing travel and movement, most often as a reference to a tangible place where a person or group crosses a river (such as the Jordan) or a narrow mountain pass that allows transit between otherwise separated regions. In early Israelite accounts, such crossings are strategic, enabling migration, escape, or entrance into new territories (e.g., Joshua's crossing of the Jordan). The word is distinct from גֶּשֶׁר (bridge), as מַעֲבָר typically refers to a natural ford rather than a constructed crossing. In later or abstract usage, it may refer to the event of crossing or transition itself (e.g., from one state to another), but its most common sense remains concrete. Standard English translations like 'ford' or 'passage' are generally accurate, but may not always convey the sense of movement or transition inherent in the term. The difference between מַעֲבָר and passages using דרך ('road, way') is that מַעֲבָר focuses narrowly on specific crossing points, typically over obstacles.

Translation Consistency

primary "crossing" 0 occurrences

Most occurrences are rendered as “crossing-places” or “crossing-place,” and the term covers both a physical place to cross (ford, mountain pass) and the act/process of passage or transition. “Crossing” is natural English, broad enough for concrete and abstract senses, and avoids the narrower or potentially ambiguous alternatives like “ford” or “pass.”

Alternatives (11 occurrences):
"crossing-places" (4x) "crossing-place of" (3x) "crossing-places of" (3x) "crossing-place" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or feminine מַעֲבָרָה; from עָבַר; a crossing-place (of a river, a ford; of a mountain, a pass); abstractly, a transit, i.e. (figuratively) overwhelming; ford, place where...pass, passage.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

עָבַר (maʻăbâr) — to cross over, traverse, pass through

Root עָבַר to cross over, traverse, pass through

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4569-02 מַעֲבַ֖ר maavar HNcmsc passing crossing-place of crossing-place of 3
H4569-05 מַעְבְּר֤וֹת maeberot HNcfpc the fords crossing-places of crossing-places of 3
H4569-01 הַֽ/מַּעְבְּר֗וֹת hamaeberot HTd/Ncfpa the-passes the crossing-places the crossing-places 2
H4569-03 מַעְבָּרָ֔ה maebarah HNcfsa the pass crossing-place crossing-place 1
H4569-04 מַעְבָּרֹ֖ת maebarot HNcfpa fords crossing-places crossing-places 1
H4569-06 וְ/הַ/מַּעְבָּר֣וֹת vehamaebarot HC/Td/Ncfpa and-the-fords the crossing-places the crossing-places 1

Occurrences in Scripture

11 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4569-02 Genesis 32:23 מַעֲבַ֥ר maavar HNcmsc the ford crossing-place of crossing-place of
H4569-01 Joshua 2:7 הַֽ/מַּעְבְּר֑וֹת hamaeberot HTd/Ncfpa the fords the crossing-places the crossing-places
H4569-05 Judges 3:28 מַעְבְּר֤וֹת maeberot HNcfpc the fords crossing-places of crossing-places of
H4569-05 Judges 12:5 מַעְבְּר֥וֹת maeberot HNcfpc fords crossing-places of crossing-places of
H4569-05 Judges 12:6 מַעְבְּר֣וֹת maeberot HNcfpc the fords crossing-places of crossing-places of
H4569-02 1 Samuel 13:23 מַעֲבַ֖ר maavar HNcmsc the pass crossing-place of crossing-place of
H4569-01 1 Samuel 14:4 הַֽ/מַּעְבְּר֗וֹת hamaeberot HTd/Ncfpa the-passes the crossing-places the crossing-places
H4569-03 Isaiah 10:29 מַעְבָּרָ֔ה maebarah HNcfsa the pass crossing-place crossing-place
H4569-04 Isaiah 16:2 מַעְבָּרֹ֖ת maebarot HNcfpa fords crossing-places crossing-places
H4569-02 Isaiah 30:32 מַֽעֲבַר֙ maavar HNcmsc passing crossing-place of crossing-place of
H4569-06 Jeremiah 51:32 וְ/הַ/מַּעְבָּר֣וֹת vehamaebarot HC/Td/Ncfpa and-the-fords the crossing-places the crossing-places
← H4568 Hebrew Lexicon H4570 →