מִקְוָה
a collection, i.e. (of water) a reservoir
Definition
The Hebrew noun מִקְוָה (miqvâh) refers to a collection or gathering of water, specifically a reservoir or pool. Its single biblical occurrence in Isaiah 22:11 describes a 'reservoir between the two walls' in Jerusalem, likely a strategic water storage facility for the city's defense. The word is the feminine form of מִקְוֶה (miqveh, H4723), which more broadly means 'hope' or 'something waited for,' but in this specific construction, it denotes a collected body of water. This highlights how the term can imply a place where water is gathered and held in expectation of future need.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Isaiah 22:11. The context is a prophetic rebuke where Isaiah criticizes Jerusalem's inhabitants for preparing their defenses, including building a reservoir, but failing to look to God who planned the crisis. The usage is concrete and practical, describing a man-made water collection point for a besieged city, with no other metaphorical or varied applications found in the biblical text.
Etymology
מִקְוָה (miqvâh) is the feminine noun form derived from the root קָוָה (qavah, H6960), meaning 'to wait for, to hope.' The masculine form, מִקְוֶה (miqveh, H4723), carries the primary meaning of 'hope' or 'something waited for.' The feminine form here specializes to mean a 'collection,' particularly of water—essentially a place where water is gathered or 'awaited.' This shows a semantic development from the abstract idea of 'expectation' to a concrete place where a vital resource is stored.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is a mundane term for a reservoir, its sole biblical context in Isaiah 22:11 carries theological weight. The prophet contrasts human engineering—digging a reservoir between two walls—with the failure to look to the Maker of all things. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading by highlighting the irony: the people trusted in their collected water supply but did not trust in God, the true source of living water (cf. Jeremiah 2:13). Thus, the physical reservoir becomes a symbol of misplaced reliance.
In ancient Near Eastern city fortifications, secure water sources were critical for surviving sieges. A 'reservoir between the two walls' (Isaiah 22:11) was a common defensive feature, often a cistern or pool protected within the city's double walls. This was a practical engineering solution to store rainwater or channel spring water. The modern reader might simply see a 'ditch' (as in the KJV) or pool, but its strategic military importance for survival in warfare would have been immediately understood by the original audience.
בּוֹר (bor, H953) — a cistern or pit, often for water storage but sometimes a dungeon. בְּאֵר (be'er, H875) — a well, a source of spring water. אֲגַם (agam, H98) — a pool or pond, typically natural or marshy.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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