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מִשְׁבָּר

𐤌𐤔𐤁𐤓

mishbâr

H4867 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שבר to break, shatter, burst

Definition

A surge, breaking wave, or billow—refers to the forceful, crashing movement of water, especially in the sea or, metaphorically, to overwhelming calamity or distress. In most contexts, designates a turbulent, breaking wave, often as a poetic metaphor for destructive forces or overwhelming experiences.

Semantic Range

breaking wave, breaker (of the sea), billow, surge, overwhelming crisis (metaphorical), tumultuous force

Root / Etymology

From the root שָׁבַר (sh-b-r), meaning 'to break, shatter.' The noun form מִשְׁבָּר denotes that which breaks or is a breaking, especially with reference to waves or billows. Thus, the term is derived from the concept of breaking, emphasizing the violent or sudden motion typical of storm-driven waves.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מִשְׁבָּר appears primarily in poetic texts (e.g., Psalms, Isaiah, Jonah) where it A) describes literal oceanic waves breaking with force and B) functions as a metaphor for existential or communal crisis, distress, or chaotic turmoil—both physical and emotional. While standard English translations often render it as 'wave' or 'billow,' these may understate the word's typical connotation of a forceful, breaking motion. The term is sometimes juxtaposed with other water-related words (e.g., גַל, 'wave,' or רֶשֶׁף, 'spark/blaze') to highlight the power or danger posed by the sea or divine wrath. In late biblical Hebrew and postbiblical usage, the root's semantic range extends to birth pangs (a different derivative, מַשְׁבֵּר), but the form מִשְׁבָּר in the biblical corpus does not carry this childbirth nuance. The translation 'breaker' (as in 'breakers of the sea') best captures the original semantic force.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׁבַר; a breaker (of the sea); billow, wave.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שבר (sh-b-r) — break, shatter, burst

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4866 מִשְׁבֵּר in the birth-breaking of
H7665 שָׁבַר I will cause to shatter
H7666 שָׁבַר the grain-dealer
H7667 שֶׁבֶר in breaking-of
H7668 שֶׁבֶר in the broken grain

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4867-01 מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥י/ךָ mishebareykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms your breakers your breaking waves 3
H4867-02 מִשְׁבְּרֵי misheberey HNcmpc breakers breakers of 2

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4867-02 2 Samuel 22:5 מִשְׁבְּרֵי misheberey HNcmpc waves of breakers of
H4867-01 Jonah 2:4 מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥י/ךָ mishebareykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms your breakers your breaking waves
H4867-01 Psalms 42:8 מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥י/ךָ mishebareykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms your breakers your breaking waves
H4867-01 Psalms 88:8 מִ֝שְׁבָּרֶ֗י/ךָ mishebareykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms your waves your breaking waves
H4867-02 Psalms 93:4 מִשְׁבְּרֵי misheberey HNcmpc breakers breakers of
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