Hebrew word · H4956

מִשְׂרְפוֹת מַיִם

mayim

Misrephoth-maim

From saraf 'to burn': 'burnings of water'. Proposed meanings include lime-kilns, places for boiling salt from seawater, hot springs, or 'burnings (= kilns) by the water'. Repointing the second word as miyyam gives 'Misrephoth from the sea/west'.

Appears 4 times in 2 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

§ Misrephoth-maim = "burnings of water"

a place in northern Palestine near Sidon

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Joshua 11:8

Range of meaning

From saraf 'to burn': 'burnings of water'. Proposed meanings include lime-kilns, places for boiling salt from seawater, hot springs, or 'burnings (= kilns) by the water'. Repointing the second word as miyyam gives 'Misrephoth from the sea/west'.

Against the English

All the major English versions transliterate it as a proper name. This is right, but the reader gets no hint of what the name pictures.

Used elsewhere in the period

Occurs only here and in Josh 13:6, where it marks the northern limit of 'the Sidonians' whose land remained unconquered. It is often identified with Khirbet el-Musheirefeh near Rosh HaNiqra on the coast. Some, following Aharoni, connect it with the Litani River region. The location is uncertain.

From the study of Joshua 13:6

Range of meaning

A place name, apparently 'burnings of water' (from saraph, 'to burn', and mayim, 'water'). Proposed explanations include lime kilns, salt pans, glass-making sites and hot springs.

Against the English

All English versions transliterate it. None tries to translate it.

Used elsewhere in the period

It is also found in Joshua 11:8 as the furthest point of Joshua's pursuit after the battle at the waters of Merom. It is usually identified with Khirbet el-Musheirefeh near Rosh HaNiqra (Ras en-Naqura). Some identify it with the Litani river region instead.

Where it appears

Joshua · 4

  1. Joshua 11:8 מִשְׂרְפ֣וֹת מַ֔יִם Misrephoth, Maim

    and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who struck them down and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. They struck them down, leaving no survivors.

    Here: First half of a place name meaning something like 'burnings'. It may refer to lime-kilns, salt-works or hot springs. The place lay on or near the northern coast.

  2. Joshua 13:6 מִשְׂרְפֹ֥ת מַ֙יִם֙ Misrephoth, Maim

    All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim—all the Sidonians—I Myself will drive out before the Israelites. Be sure to divide it by lot as an inheritance to Israel, as I have commanded you.

    Here: First half of a place name that probably means 'burnings'. It is usually placed near Rosh HaNiqra on the coast, roughly where the Lebanese–Israeli border runs today.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.