מֶרְכָּבָה (H4818) — Hebrew Lexicon

מֶרְכָּבָה

𐤌𐤓𐤊𐤁𐤄

merkâbâh

H4818 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רכב to ride, to mount, to drive

Definition

A war chariot or carriage, typically a wheeled vehicle drawn by horses, used in battle, transportation, or ceremonial processions. The term can refer both to individual chariots as vehicles and, in some contexts, to the assembled force of chariots (i.e., a chariot corps).

Semantic Range

chariot (military or ceremonial), carriage, vehicle for riding or driving, supernatural or visionary chariot (in prophetic literature), collective chariot force

Root / Etymology

From the root רכב, meaning 'to ride, to mount, to drive.' מֶרְכָּבָה is a feminine noun formation, signifying 'that which is ridden/driven,' specifically a chariot or carriage.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the biblical period, מֶרְכָּבָה referred primarily to the horse-drawn military chariots prominent in Egyptian, Canaanite, and later Israelite armies, especially during the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. The term could also be used for ceremonial or royal carriages. In poetic and visionary literature (notably Ezekiel 1), מֶרְכָּבָה is used figuratively for the supernatural 'chariot' of the divine, reflecting Israelite adaptation of ancient Near Eastern throne/chariot imagery. Post-biblically, merkavah became a key motif in Jewish mystical literature, though this development is later and outside the biblical usage. Standard English Bible translations as 'chariot' accurately convey the primary meaning in most contexts but sometimes fail to reflect the military or ceremonial nuances. The referenced 'בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹת' ('house of chariots') further supports the concrete quality of the term as referring to the vehicles themselves, not simply the act of riding. Distinctions should be drawn between מֶרְכָּבָה (the chariot) and רֶכֶב (sometimes 'chariot' but also 'riding force,' 'mounted troop,' or 'horsemen'), to preserve lexical precision.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of מֶרְכָּב; a chariot; chariot. See also בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹת.

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Root Family

רכב (r-k-b) — to ride, to mount, to drive

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1024	בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹת	House of the Chariots
H4817	מֶרְכָּב	the riding-vehicle
H7392	רָכַב	I will cause to ride
H7393	רֶכֶב	in the chariot
H7394	רֵכָב	Rekab
H7395	רַכָּב	to a chariot-driver
H7396	רִכְבָּה	to a chariot corps
H7398	רְכוּב	his riding-vehicle
H755	אַרְכֻבָה	his bending-joints

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H4818-04`	הַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֖ה	hamerekavah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the chariot	the chariot	9
`H4818-01`	בַּ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֔ה	bamerekavah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	the chariot	in the chariot	5
`H4818-07`	מַרְכְּבֹ֥ת	marekevot	`HNcfpc`	chariots	chariots of	4
`H4818-08`	מַרְכְּבֹתָ֔י/ו	marekevotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	his chariots	his chariots	4
`H4818-11`	מֶרְכָּבָ֖ה	merekavah	`HNcfsa`	chariot	riding-chariot	4
`H4818-12`	מֶרְכַּבְתּ֔/וֹ	merekaveto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his chariot	his chariot	3
`H4818-15`	וּ/בַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֥ה	uvamerekavah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and-in-the-chariot	and in the chariot	3
`H4818-13`	וּ/מַרְכָּב֔וֹת	umarekavot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and chariots	and chariots	2
`H4818-10`	מַרְכְּבֹתֶֽי/ךָ	marekevoteykha	`HNcfpc/Sp2ms`	your chariots	your chariots	2
`H4818-06`	מַרְכָּב֗וֹת	marekavot	`HNcfpa`	chariots	chariots	2
`H4818-09`	מַרְכְּבֹתֵי/הֶ֖ם	marekevoteyhem	`HNcfpc/Sp3mp`	their chariots	their riding-chariots	2
`H4818-03`	בְּ/מִרְכֶּ֤בֶת	bemirekevet	`HR/Ncfsc`	in the chariot	in a riding-chariot-of	1
`H4818-02`	בְּ/מֶרְכַּבְתּ֣/וֹ	bemerekaveto	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	in his chariots	in his chariot	1
`H4818-05`	לְ/מַרְכְּבֹתָֽי/ו	lemarekevotayv	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3ms`	to-his-chariots	to his chariots	1
`H4818-14`	וּ/מֶרְכָּבָ֖ה	umerekavah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and chariot	and chariot	1

Occurrences in Scripture

44 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H4818-03`	Genesis 41:43	בְּ/מִרְכֶּ֤בֶת	bemirekevet	`HR/Ncfsc`	in the chariot	in a riding-chariot-of
`H4818-12`	Genesis 46:29	מֶרְכַּבְתּ֔/וֹ	merekaveto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his chariot	his chariot
`H4818-08`	Exodus 14:25	מַרְכְּבֹתָ֔י/ו	marekevotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	of his chariots	his chariots
`H4818-07`	Exodus 15:4	מַרְכְּבֹ֥ת	marekevot	`HNcfpc`	chariots	chariots of
`H4818-09`	Joshua 11:6	מַרְכְּבֹתֵי/הֶ֖ם	marekevoteyhem	`HNcfpc/Sp3mp`	their chariots	their riding-chariots
`H4818-09`	Joshua 11:9	מַרְכְּבֹתֵי/הֶ֖ם	marekevoteyhem	`HNcfpc/Sp3mp`	their chariots	their riding-chariots
`H4818-04`	Judges 4:15	הַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֖ה	hamerekavah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the-chariot	the chariot
`H4818-08`	Judges 5:28	מַרְכְּבוֹתָֽי/ו	marekevotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	of his chariots	his chariots
`H4818-02`	1 Samuel 8:11	בְּ/מֶרְכַּבְתּ֣/וֹ	bemerekaveto	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	in his chariots	in his chariot
`H4818-12`	1 Samuel 8:11	מֶרְכַּבְתּֽ/וֹ	merekaveto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his chariots	his chariot
`H4818-11`	2 Samuel 15:1	מֶרְכָּבָ֖ה	merekavah	`HNcfsa`	a chariot	riding-chariot
`H4818-04`	1 Kings 7:33	הַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֑ה	hamerekavah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the chariot	the chariot
`H4818-11`	1 Kings 10:29	מֶרְכָּבָ֤ה	merekavah	`HNcfsa`	chariot	riding-chariot
`H4818-01`	1 Kings 12:18	בַּ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֔ה	bamerekavah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	the chariot	in the chariot
`H4818-04`	1 Kings 20:33	הַ/מֶּרְכָּבָֽה	hamerekavah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the-chariot	the chariot
`H4818-01`	1 Kings 22:35	בַּ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֖ה	bamerekavah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in his chariot	in the chariot
`H4818-04`	2 Kings 5:21	הַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֛ה	hamerekavah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the chariot	the chariot
`H4818-12`	2 Kings 5:26	מֶרְכַּבְתּ֖/וֹ	merekaveto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his chariot	his chariot
`H4818-04`	2 Kings 9:27	הַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֗ה	hamerekavah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the chariot	the chariot
`H4818-04`	2 Kings 10:15	הַ/מֶּרְכָּבָֽה	hamerekavah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the chariot	the chariot
`H4818-07`	2 Kings 23:11	מַרְכְּב֥וֹת	marekevot	`HNcfpc`	chariots	chariots of
`H4818-05`	Isaiah 2:7	לְ/מַרְכְּבֹתָֽי/ו	lemarekevotayv	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3ms`	to-his-chariots	to his chariots
`H4818-07`	Isaiah 22:18	מַרְכְּב֣וֹת	marekevot	`HNcfpc`	chariots	chariots of
`H4818-08`	Isaiah 66:15	מַרְכְּבֹתָ֑י/ו	marekevotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	his chariots	his chariots
`H4818-08`	Jeremiah 4:13	מַרְכְּבוֹתָ֔י/ו	marekevotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	his chariots	his chariots
`H4818-06`	Joel 2:5	מַרְכָּב֗וֹת	marekavot	`HNcfpa`	of chariots	chariots
`H4818-04`	Micah 1:13	הַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֛ה	hamerekavah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the chariot	the chariot
`H4818-10`	Micah 5:9	מַרְכְּבֹתֶֽי/ךָ	marekevoteykha	`HNcfpc/Sp2ms`	your chariots	your chariots
`H4818-14`	Nahum 3:2	וּ/מֶרְכָּבָ֖ה	umerekavah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and chariot	and chariot
`H4818-10`	Habakkuk 3:8	מַרְכְּבֹתֶ֖י/ךָ	marekevoteykha	`HNcfpc/Sp2ms`	your-chariots	your chariots
`H4818-11`	Haggai 2:22	מֶרְכָּבָה֙	merekavah	`HNcfsa`	chariot	riding-chariot
`H4818-06`	Zechariah 6:1	מַרְכָּבוֹת֙	marekavot	`HNcfpa`	chariots	chariots
`H4818-01`	Zechariah 6:2	בַּ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֥ה	bamerekavah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the first chariot	in the chariot
`H4818-15`	Zechariah 6:2	וּ/בַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֥ה	uvamerekavah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and in the chariot	and in the chariot
`H4818-15`	Zechariah 6:3	וּ/בַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֥ה	uvamerekavah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and-in-the-chariot	and in the chariot
`H4818-15`	Zechariah 6:3	וּ/בַ/מֶּרְכָּבָה֙	uvamerekavah-2	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and-in-the-chariot	and in the chariot
`H4818-07`	Song of Songs 6:12	מַרְכְּב֖וֹת	marekevot	`HNcfpc`	chariots	chariots of
`H4818-04`	1 Chronicles 28:18	הַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֗ה	hamerekavah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the-chariot	the chariot
`H4818-11`	2 Chronicles 1:17	מֶרְכָּבָה֙	merekavah	`HNcfsa`	chariot	riding-chariot
`H4818-13`	2 Chronicles 9:25	וּ/מַרְכָּב֔וֹת	umarekavot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and chariots	and chariots
`H4818-01`	2 Chronicles 10:18	בַּ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֔ה	bamerekavah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	the chariot	in the chariot
`H4818-13`	2 Chronicles 14:8	וּ/מַרְכָּב֖וֹת	umarekavot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and chariots	and chariots
`H4818-01`	2 Chronicles 18:34	בַּ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֛ה	bamerekavah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in his chariot	in the chariot
`H4818-04`	2 Chronicles 35:24	הַ/מֶּרְכָּבָ֗ה	hamerekavah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the chariot	the chariot

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