מִשְׁטוֹחַ
a spreading-place
Definition
The Hebrew noun מִשְׁטוֹחַ refers to a 'spreading-place' or a flat, open area used for drying fishing nets. In Ezekiel 26:5 and 26:14, it describes the flat, barren rock surface that the destroyed city of Tyre will become, specifically mentioned as a place where fishermen will spread their nets. In Ezekiel 47:10, the word appears in a positive, prophetic vision, describing the banks of the river flowing from the temple as a place where fishermen will stand and spread their nets, indicating abundance and restoration.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in the book of Ezekiel. Its three occurrences are all within prophetic oracles concerning geography and livelihood. Twice it is used in a judgment context against Tyre (Ezekiel 26:5, 14), portraying desolation. Once it is used in a restoration context for the land of Israel (Ezekiel 47:10), portraying future blessing. In all cases, it is intrinsically linked to the activity of fishing.
Etymology
Derived from the root verb שָׁטַח (shātach, H7849), meaning 'to spread out,' 'to stretch,' or 'to extend.' The noun form מִשְׁטוֹחַ indicates the place or result of that action—a stretched-out or spread-out area. It is a concrete noun built from a common verbal action.
Semantic Range
This word highlights a theme of divine reversal in Ezekiel's prophecy. In the oracles against Tyre, the 'spreading-place' signifies the humbling of a proud commercial empire into a mere utilitarian rock for fishermen. In the temple vision of Ezekiel 47:10, the same 'spreading-place' becomes a symbol of God's life-giving restoration and provision, transforming the Dead Sea with a river of healing. Understanding this term enriches the contrast between judgment and blessing, showing how God repurposes places according to His purposes.
In an ancient Near Eastern context, a 'spreading-place' for nets was a vital part of the fishing industry. Nets, made of linen or other fibers, required drying and mending on flat, clean surfaces to prevent rot and damage. Ezekiel's audience would immediately understand the imagery: a great city reduced to a mundane workstation, and a lifeless sea transformed into a thriving fishing ground. The contrast between a bustling metropolis and a simple fishing spot would have been stark and powerful.
מִשְׁטָח (mishtach, H4894 variant) — An alternate spelling with the same meaning. רְחָבָה (rĕchābâ, H7337) — A broad open place or plaza, more general and often urban, not specifically for spreading nets.
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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