מִיכָל
properly, a container, i.e. a streamlet
Definition
The Hebrew word מִיכָל (mîykâl) refers to a small, flowing body of water, specifically a 'brook' or 'streamlet.' It derives from a root meaning 'to contain,' suggesting a channel that holds water. In its single biblical occurrence (2 Samuel 17:20), it describes a specific watercourse where David's spies hid, contrasting with a 'well' (בְּאֵר, be'er). This usage highlights a natural, likely seasonal, water source in the landscape.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the historical narrative of 2 Samuel 17:20. It appears in a context of evasion and secrecy, where a woman tells Absalom's men that David's spies have crossed 'the brook of water' (מִיכַל הַמָּיִם). The word specifies the type of water feature they supposedly passed, distinguishing it from other sources like a well or river, and grounds the story in a tangible geographic detail.
Etymology
מִיכָל (mîykâl) is a noun derived from the root יָכֹל (yākōl, H3201), which primarily means 'to be able' or 'to prevail,' but in certain forms can relate to 'containing' or 'holding.' The development to mean a 'brook' likely stems from the idea of a channel that contains or channels water. It is a rare word, with no widely attested direct cognates in other Semitic languages for this specific meaning.
Semantic Range
In the ancient Near Eastern context, identifying specific types of water sources was crucial for travel, survival, and military strategy. A 'brook' (מִיכָל) would typically be a smaller, possibly intermittent stream, as opposed to a perennial river (נָהָר, nāhār). Its mention in 2 Samuel 17:20 provides a realistic, localized detail, reflecting how the landscape's features were used for concealment and played a role in narrative accounts of conflict and pursuit.
נַחַל (nakhal, H5158) — a more common term for a valley, wadi, or stream, often larger or seasonal. בְּאֵר (be'er, H875) — a well or pit, a dug-out source of water, not a natural surface stream.
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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