Lexical Summary mizraq: Bowl, Basin Original Word: מִזְרָק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bason, bowl From zaraq; a bowl (as if for sprinkling) -- bason, bowl. see HEBREW zaraq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom zaraq Definition bowl, basin NASB Translation basin (1), basins (8), bowl (13), bowls (9), sacrificial bowls (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מִזְרָק noun masculineNumbers 7:84 bowl, bason (properly vessel for throwing or tossing a liquid); ׳מ Numbers 7:13 13t., plural מִזְרָקִים Zechariah 14:20, construct מִזְרְקֵי Numbers 7:84 2t., מִזְרָקוֺת Nehemiah 7:70 9t., מִזְרָקֹת Exodus 38:3 2t., suffix מִזְרְקֹתָיו Exodus 27:3; — 1 bowl for wine Amos 6:6. 2 elsewhere for use in ritual of sacrifice: a. for use at altar Exodus 27:3; Exodus 38:3; Numbers 4:14 (all P), 1 Kings 7:40,45; Jeremiah 52:18; Zechariah 9:15; Zechariah 14:20. b. given by the princes full of flour mingled with oil for a מנחה Numbers 7:13,19,25,31,37,43,49,55,61,67,73,79,84,85 (P). c. golden basons for use in the temple 1 Kings 7:50; 2 Kings 12:14; 2 Kings 25:15; 1 Chronicles 28:17; 2Chronicles 4:8,11,22; Jeremiah 52:19. d. golden basons for the second temple Nehemiah 7:70. Topical Lexicon Overview of the MizraqThe mizraq is a bowl- or basin-shaped vessel assigned to Israel’s sacrificial system. Its principal purpose was to receive and dispense the blood of the sacrificial victim, or in some contexts to hold wine or oil that accompanied offerings. Because it mediated matters of atonement and fellowship between God and His people, the mizraq is consistently presented as a sanctified article, set apart for use at the altar and never for common purposes. Material and Craftsmanship In the Tabernacle period the mizraq was forged of bronze (Exodus 27:3), a durable alloy well suited to the fiery environment of the altar court. When Solomon’s Temple was erected, the basins were fashioned of gold (2 Chronicles 4:8) to reflect the heightened glory of that permanent dwelling. Their number increased as the sacrificial system expanded: the chronicler notes “a hundred gold basins” (2 Chronicles 4:8), demonstrating both royal generosity and the heavy daily demand of temple worship. Cultic Function in Sacrificial Worship 1. Blood application Leviticus prescribes the sprinkling or pouring of blood around the altar for burnt, peace, sin, and guilt offerings. Though the verb “sprinkle” often appears without naming the vessel, the mizraq supplied that blood. Exodus 29:16 connects the act to consecration: “You are to take the ram’s blood and sprinkle it on all sides of the altar”. The basin therefore became an emblem of substitutionary atonement. 2. Grain and drink offerings Numbers 7 records twelve leaders presenting offerings, each including “one silver sprinkling bowl of seventy shekels, … filled with fine flour mixed with oil” (Numbers 7:13). The mizraq thus also served the bloodless tribute that accompanied fellowship meals, portraying the completeness of devotion—life (blood) and sustenance (grain and oil) alike belong to the LORD. Association with Holiness and Purity Only sanctified hands could handle these basins. Aaronic priests washed continually, underscoring the principle that holy vessels demand holy service. Zechariah extends the picture to the eschaton: “In that day ‘HOLY TO THE LORD’ will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the pots in the house of the LORD will be like the sprinkling bowls before the altar” (Zechariah 14:20). What was once limited to priestly use will one day characterize all creation—a universal holiness secured through the greater, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ. Historical Narrative • Plunder and exile When Babylon razed Jerusalem, “the commander of the guard took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes, and all the bronze articles used in temple service” (Jeremiah 52:18). The loss of the basins symbolized the suspension of Israel’s sacrificial ministry and the covenant curses of Deuteronomy coming to bear. • Restoration under Cyrus and Ezra Cyrus returned “thirty gold bowls, four hundred ten silver bowls of a second kind” (Ezra 1:10), a tangible pledge that God had not abandoned His covenant people. Ezra later conveyed “twenty gold bowls of one thousand darics” to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:27), entrusting them to priests whose faithfulness mirrored the sanctity of the vessels they carried. • Reformation under Hezekiah and Josiah Royal reforms included fashioning or purifying mizraqim (2 Chronicles 29:18, implicit) as part of larger efforts to restore proper worship. The basins stand as silent witnesses to every revival—true reform always renews the blood-sprinkled way to God. Prophetic and Typological Significance Zechariah 9:15 portrays Judah in a future deliverance: “They will be filled like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar”. The imagery envisions God’s people saturated with His saving power, analogous to an altar-basin brimming with sacrificial blood. Typologically, the mizraq anticipates Jesus Christ, whose blood was “poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Hebrews 9:22 affirms, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness,” echoing the basin’s perpetual testimony. Spiritual Lessons for the Church Today 1. The necessity of blood atonement The unbroken Old Testament emphasis on mizraq-mediated blood underscores that sin’s penalty is death; only shed blood can cleanse. Christians treasure the fulfillment of this pattern in the cross (1 Peter 1:18-19). 2. Holiness of worship implements Because God is holy, the items dedicated to His service must be holy. The believer, now a “vessel for honorable use” (2 Timothy 2:21), is called to moral purity befitting one who carries the message of the cross. 3. Stewardship of sacred trust The exilic plundering and post-exilic restoration of the basins teach that God both judges unfaithfulness and preserves His redemptive program. Churches and individual believers must guard the gospel with similar care, recognizing that ministry resources are gifts to be kept undefiled. Key Old Testament References Exodus 27:3; 38:3 Numbers 4:14; 7:13-14, 19, 31, 43, 55, 67, 79, 85-86 2 Chronicles 4:8, 11, 22; 24:14 Ezra 1:10; 8:27 Zechariah 9:15; 14:20 From Sinai’s bronze altar to Zechariah’s millennial vision, the mizraq traces a line of crimson grace culminating in Christ, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Forms and Transliterations בְּמִזְרְקֵי֙ במזרקי הַמִּזְרָ֣ק הַמִּזְרָק֑וֹת הַמִּזְרָק֗וֹת הַמִּזְרָק֜וֹת הַמִּזְרָקֹ֔ת הַמִּזְרָקֹ֣ת המזרק המזרקות המזרקת וְהַמִּזְרָק֛וֹת וּמִזְרְקֹתָ֔יו והמזרקות ומזרקתיו כַּמִּזְרָ֔ק כַּמִּזְרָקִ֖ים כמזרק כמזרקים מִֽזְרְקֵי־ מִזְרְקֵ֥י מִזְרָ֤ק מִזְרָק֣וֹת מִזְרָקוֹת֙ מזרק מזרקות מזרקי מזרקי־ bə·miz·rə·qê bemizreKei bəmizrəqê ham·miz·rā·qō·wṯ ham·miz·rā·qōṯ ham·miz·rāq hammizRak hammizraKot hammizrāq hammizrāqōṯ hammizrāqōwṯ kam·miz·rā·qîm kam·miz·rāq kammizRak kammizraKim kammizrāq kammizrāqîm miz·rā·qō·wṯ miz·rāq miz·rə·qê miz·rə·qê- mizRak mizrakOt mizrāq mizrāqōwṯ mizrekei mizrəqê mizrəqê- ū·miz·rə·qō·ṯāw umizrekoTav ūmizrəqōṯāw vehammizraKot wə·ham·miz·rā·qō·wṯ wəhammizrāqōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 27:3 HEB: לְדַשְּׁנ֔וֹ וְיָעָיו֙ וּמִזְרְקֹתָ֔יו וּמִזְלְגֹתָ֖יו וּמַחְתֹּתָ֑יו NAS: and its shovels and its basins and its forks KJV: and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, INT: removing shovels basins forks firepans Exodus 38:3 Numbers 4:14 Numbers 7:13 Numbers 7:19 Numbers 7:25 Numbers 7:31 Numbers 7:37 Numbers 7:43 Numbers 7:49 Numbers 7:55 Numbers 7:61 Numbers 7:67 Numbers 7:73 Numbers 7:79 Numbers 7:84 Numbers 7:85 1 Kings 7:40 1 Kings 7:45 1 Kings 7:50 2 Kings 12:13 2 Kings 25:15 1 Chronicles 28:17 2 Chronicles 4:8 2 Chronicles 4:11 32 Occurrences |
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