4713. Mitsri
Lexical Summary
Mitsri: Egyptian

Original Word: מִצְרִי
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: Mitsriy
Pronunciation: mits-REE
Phonetic Spelling: (mits-ree')
KJV: Egyptian, of Egypt
NASB: Egyptian, Egyptians, Egyptian's, Egypt
Word Origin: [from H4714 (מִצרַיִם - Egypt)]

1. a Mitsrite, or inhabitant of Mitsrajim

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Egyptian, of Egypt

From Mitsrayim; a Mitsrite, or inhabitant of Mitsrajim -- Egyptian, of Egypt.

see HEBREW Mitsrayim

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as Mitsrayim
Definition
inhab. of Eg.
NASB Translation
Egypt (1), Egyptian (18), Egyptian's (4), Egyptians (7).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מִצְרִי adjective, of a people Egyptian; — masculine singular ׳מ Genesis 39:1 16t.; feminine singular מִעְרִית Genesis 16:1 3t.; masculine plural מִצְרִים Genesis 12:12 5t.; feminine plural מִצְרִיֹּת Exodus 1:19; —

1 adjective ׳אִישׁ מ = an Egyptian Genesis 39:1; Exodus 2:11,19; Leviticus 24:10; 1 Samuel 30:11; 2 Samuel 23:30; ׳הָאִישׁ הַמּ 1 Chronicles 11:23; ׳נָעָר מ 1 Samuel 30:13, ׳עֶבֶד מ 1 Chronicles 2:34; שִׁפְחָה מִצְרִית Genesis 16:1, כַּנָּשִׁים הַמִּצְרִיֹּת Exodus 1:19.

2 with article = substantive the Egyptian Genesis 39:2,5; Exodus 2:12,14; 2 Samuel 23:30 (twice in verse); 1 Chronicles 11:23 (twice in verse); so once without article מִצְרִי Deuteronomy 23:8; הַמִּצְרִי once (late) collective= the Egyptians Ezra 9:1 (where with Canaanitish peoples); plural = the Egyptians, הַמִּצְרִים Genesis 12:12,14; Genesis 43:22; Deuteronomy 26:6; Joshua 24:7; feminine singular הָגָּר הַמִּצְרִית Hagar the Egyptian woman Genesis 16:3; Genesis 21:9; Genesis 25:12.

[מְצֻרָה] see [ מְצוּרָה] below I. צור.

מַצְרֵף vide צרף. [מַצֻּת] see מַצּוּת below נצה.

מַק, מָק see מקק. I, II. מַקֶּ֫בֶת see נקב.

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Mitsri designates an individual or group native to the land of Egypt. Appearing approximately ninety-seven times in the Hebrew Scriptures, its range of usage spans from the Patriarchal narratives in Genesis to post-exilic prophecy in Zechariah. Whether describing slave-masters, royal alliances, military foes, refugees, or future worshipers of the LORD, the term functions as a theological signpost that highlights God’s redemptive dealings with both Israel and the nations.

Ethnic and Geographic Identity

1. Children of Ham: Genesis traces Egypt’s ancestry to Ham’s son Mizraim (Genesis 10:6, 13), locating the Mitsri within the Table of Nations.
2. Nile Culture: Repeated references to chariots (Exodus 14:7; 1 Kings 10:28-29) and river dependence (Exodus 7:18-21; Isaiah 19:5-10) portray a technologically advanced but spiritually idolatrous civilization.
3. Bordering Superpower: For Israel, Egypt stands at the southwest frontier, tempting kings and pilgrims alike to look “to horses and chariots” instead of to the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 31:1).

Major Biblical Contexts

1. Patriarchal Period
• Hagar the Egyptian (Genesis 16:1) illustrates God’s care for foreigners.
• Joseph, sold into Egypt (Genesis 37:28), later rescues the house of Jacob, turning Mitsri provisions into instruments of covenant preservation (Genesis 50:20).

2. Exodus and Wilderness
• Bondage: “Now a new king arose over Egypt… So the Egyptians set taskmasters over them” (Exodus 1:8, 11).
• Deliverance: The term punctuates every plague narrative—“The LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:29).
• Remembrance: Annual Passover liturgy calls Israel to recall what the LORD “did to the Egyptians” (Deuteronomy 6:22).

3. Covenant Legislation
• Compassion: “You shall not despise an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land” (Deuteronomy 23:7).
• Equality under Law: The half-Israeli, half-Egyptian blasphemer receives judgment like any Israelite (Leviticus 24:10-16), affirming one standard of holiness.

4. United and Divided Monarchy
• Political Marriage and Military Aid: Solomon’s Egyptian wife (1 Kings 3:1) and chariot imports (1 Kings 10:28) foreshadow later prophetic rebuke.
• Shishak’s Invasion: “In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up” (1 Kings 14:25), warning of covenant breach.

5. Prophetic Announcements
• Warnings against Alliances: “Woe to those… who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of chariots of Egypt” (Isaiah 31:1).
• Judgments: Ezekiel 29–32 details the downfall of Pharaoh, likening him to a monster in the Nile.
• Eschatological Hope: “In that day Israel will join a triad with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth” (Isaiah 19:24).

6. Post-Exilic Setting
• Flight to Egypt: Jeremiah 42–44 records Judean refugees becoming “sojourners in the land of Egypt,” repeating earlier unbelief.
• Zechariah’s Pilgrimage Vision: “If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter to worship, then no rain will fall on them” (Zechariah 14:18), anticipating universal feast-keeping.

Spiritual Themes

1. Bondage versus Freedom

Mitsri embodies slavery to sin; the Exodus motif undergirds New Testament soteriology (cf. Romans 6:17-18).

2. Worldly Dependence versus Divine Trust

Alliances with Egypt symbolize self-reliance. Kings who “returned to Egypt” (Deuteronomy 17:16) expose the perennial temptation to abandon faith in God’s sufficiency.

3. Judgment and Mercy toward the Nations

Even as Egypt is judged, the prophetic hope foretells Egyptians speaking “the language of Canaan” and swearing fidelity to the LORD (Isaiah 19:18-22). Grace extends beyond ethnic Israel.

4. Evangelistic Impulse

The mixed multitude exiting Egypt (Exodus 12:38) and the invitation in Isaiah 19 encourage modern missions, demonstrating God’s desire to incorporate every people group into His kingdom.

Key Representative Passages

Genesis 41:56-57; 42:6
Exodus 3:21-22; 12:30-36
Deuteronomy 10:19
1 Kings 11:1-5
2 Kings 18:21, 24
Psalm 80:8
Isaiah 19:1-25; 31:1-3
Jeremiah 46:13-26
Ezekiel 30:1-9
Hosea 11:1
Zechariah 14:18-19

Ministry Applications

1. Discipleship and Sanctification

Believers are called to “leave Egypt” daily, rejecting the bondage of former lifestyles (1 Corinthians 10:6-11 as Exodus commentary).

2. Leadership Cautions

Pastors and elders must resist pragmatic alliances that compromise reliance on God, heeding prophetic critiques of trusting in Egyptian power.

3. Gospel Witness to Unreached Peoples

Since Scripture envisions Egyptians among future worshipers, contemporary mission strategy includes North Africa and Middle East outreach with confidence in prophetic fulfillment.

4. Worship and Remembrance

The Lord’s Supper echoes Passover deliverance from Egyptian tyranny, prompting gratitude and vigilance against returning to slavery.

Conclusion

Mitsri serves as more than a national label; it is a theological mirror reflecting humanity’s bondage, God’s redemptive power, and the ultimate inclusion of the nations in covenant blessing. From Hagar’s wilderness cry to Isaiah’s vision of an altar in Egypt, the biblical portrait of the Egyptian invites believers to celebrate divine deliverance, avoid misplaced trust, and anticipate the day when “the LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt My people’” (Isaiah 19:25).

Forms and Transliterations
בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם בְּמִצְרָֽיִם בְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙ במצרים הַמִּצְרִ֑י הַמִּצְרִ֔י הַמִּצְרִ֔ים הַמִּצְרִ֖י הַמִּצְרִ֖ים הַמִּצְרִ֗ים הַמִּצְרִ֛ית הַמִּצְרִ֜י הַמִּצְרִ֤י הַמִּצְרִֽי׃ הַמִּצְרִי֙ הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת הַמִּצְרִים֙ הַמִּצְרִית֙ המצרי המצרי׃ המצרים המצרית וְלַמִּצְרִ֞ים וּמִצְרַ֖יִם וּמִצְרַ֣יִם ולמצרים ומצרים לְמִצְרַ֔יִם לְמִצְרָ֑יִם לְמִצְרָֽיִם׃ למצרים למצרים׃ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם מִצְרִ֔י מִצְרִ֖י מִצְרִ֖ית מִצְרִ֜י מִצְרִ֣י מִצְרִי֙ מִצְרַ֔יִם מִצְרַ֖יִם מִצְרַ֗יִם מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ מִצְרַ֛יִם מִצְרַ֜יִם מִצְרַ֣יִם ׀ מִצְרַ֥יִם מִצְרַ֨יִם מִצְרַיִם֒ מִצְרָ֑יִם מִצְרָֽיִם׃ ממצרים מצרי מצרים מצרים׃ מצרית bə·miṣ·ra·yim bə·miṣ·rā·yim ḇə·miṣ·ra·yim bəmiṣrayim bəmiṣrāyim ḇəmiṣrayim bemitzRayim ham·miṣ·rî ham·miṣ·rî·yōṯ ham·miṣ·rîm ham·miṣ·rîṯ hammiṣrî hammiṣrîm hammiṣrîṯ hammiṣrîyōṯ hammitzRi hammitzRim hammitzRit hammitzriYot lə·miṣ·ra·yim lə·miṣ·rā·yim ləmiṣrayim ləmiṣrāyim lemitzRayim mim·miṣ·ra·yim mimitzRayim mimmiṣrayim miṣ·ra·yim miṣ·rā·yim miṣ·rî miṣ·rîṯ miṣrayim miṣrāyim miṣrî miṣrîṯ mitzRayim mitzRi mitzRit ū·miṣ·ra·yim ūmiṣrayim umitzRayim velammitzRim vemitzRayim wə·lam·miṣ·rîm wəlammiṣrîm
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 12:12
HEB: יִרְא֤וּ אֹתָךְ֙ הַמִּצְרִ֔ים וְאָמְר֖וּ אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ
NAS: and when the Egyptians see
KJV: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see
INT: and when see the Egyptians will say This his wife

Genesis 12:14
HEB: מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיִּרְא֤וּ הַמִּצְרִים֙ אֶת־ הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה
NAS: into Egypt, the Egyptians saw
KJV: into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld
INT: Egypt saw the Egyptians the woman for

Genesis 16:1
HEB: וְלָ֛הּ שִׁפְחָ֥ה מִצְרִ֖ית וּשְׁמָ֥הּ הָגָֽר׃
NAS: him no [children], and she had an Egyptian maid
KJV: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name
INT: had borne maid had an Egyptian name was Hagar

Genesis 16:3
HEB: אֶת־ הָגָ֤ר הַמִּצְרִית֙ שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ מִקֵּץ֙
NAS: Hagar the Egyptian, her maid,
KJV: her maid the Egyptian, after
INT: Abram Hagar the Egyptian her maid after

Genesis 21:9
HEB: בֶּן־ הָגָ֧ר הַמִּצְרִ֛ית אֲשֶׁר־ יָלְדָ֥ה
NAS: of Hagar the Egyptian, whom
KJV: of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born
INT: the son of Hagar the Egyptian whom had borne

Genesis 25:12
HEB: יָלְדָ֜ה הָגָ֧ר הַמִּצְרִ֛ית שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרָ֖ה
NAS: whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's maid,
KJV: whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's
INT: bore Hagar the Egyptian maid Sarah's

Genesis 39:1
HEB: הַטַּבָּחִים֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מִיַּד֙ הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים
NAS: and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer
INT: of the bodyguard an Egyptian of the hands the Ishmaelites

Genesis 39:2
HEB: בְּבֵ֥ית אֲדֹנָ֖יו הַמִּצְרִֽי׃
NAS: of his master, the Egyptian.
KJV: of his master the Egyptian.
INT: the house of his master the Egyptian

Genesis 39:5
HEB: אֶת־ בֵּ֥ית הַמִּצְרִ֖י בִּגְלַ֣ל יוֹסֵ֑ף
NAS: blessed the Egyptian's house
KJV: blessed the Egyptian's house
INT: the LORD house the Egyptian's account of Joseph

Genesis 41:55
HEB: פַּרְעֹ֤ה לְכָל־ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְכ֣וּ אֶל־
INT: and Pharaoh to all Egyptian Go to

Genesis 41:56
HEB: בָּהֶם֙ וַיִּשְׁבֹּ֣ר לְמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָֽרָעָ֖ב
INT: the storehouses and sold Egyptian was severe and the famine

Genesis 43:32
HEB: וְלָהֶ֣ם לְבַדָּ֑ם וְלַמִּצְרִ֞ים הָאֹכְלִ֤ים אִתּוֹ֙
NAS: and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate
KJV: And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat
INT: himself themselves and the Egyptians ate by

Genesis 43:32
HEB: לֹ֨א יוּכְל֜וּן הַמִּצְרִ֗ים לֶאֱכֹ֤ל אֶת־
NAS: because the Egyptians could
KJV: which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might
INT: not could the Egyptians eat the Hebrews

Genesis 43:32
HEB: תוֹעֵבָ֥ה הִ֖וא לְמִצְרָֽיִם׃
INT: is loathsome he the Egyptians

Genesis 45:2
HEB: בִּבְכִ֑י וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע בֵּ֥ית
INT: overflowing heard Egyptian heard and the household

Genesis 46:34
HEB: כִּֽי־ תוֹעֲבַ֥ת מִצְרַ֖יִם כָּל־ רֹ֥עֵה
INT: for is loathsome Egyptian every shepherd

Genesis 47:15
HEB: וַיָּבֹאוּ֩ כָל־ מִצְרַ֨יִם אֶל־ יוֹסֵ֤ף
INT: came all Egyptian to Joseph

Genesis 47:20
HEB: כִּֽי־ מָכְר֤וּ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ אִ֣ישׁ שָׂדֵ֔הוּ
INT: because sold Egyptian another his field

Genesis 50:3
HEB: וַיִּבְכּ֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ מִצְרַ֖יִם שִׁבְעִ֥ים יֽוֹם׃
INT: are embalmed wept Egyptian seventy days

Genesis 50:11
HEB: כָּבֵ֥ד זֶ֖ה לְמִצְרָ֑יִם עַל־ כֵּ֞ן
INT: grievous This Egyptian and after that

Exodus 1:13
HEB: וַיַּעֲבִ֧דוּ מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶת־ בְּנֵ֥י
INT: to labor Egyptian the sons of Israel

Exodus 1:19
HEB: לֹ֧א כַנָּשִׁ֛ים הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־
NAS: the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women;
KJV: women [are] not as the Egyptian women; for they [are] lively,
INT: not women as the Egyptian the Hebrew Because

Exodus 2:11
HEB: וַיַּרְא֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מַכֶּ֥ה אִישׁ־
NAS: and he saw an Egyptian beating
INT: saw an Egyptian beating a

Exodus 2:12
HEB: וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־ הַמִּצְרִ֔י וַֽיִּטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בַּחֽוֹל׃
NAS: [around], he struck down the Egyptian and hid
KJV: he slew the Egyptian, and hid
INT: one struck the Egyptian and hid the sand

Exodus 2:14
HEB: הָרַ֖גְתָּ אֶת־ הַמִּצְרִ֑י וַיִּירָ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙
NAS: me as you killed the Egyptian? Then Moses
KJV: me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses
INT: you killed Egyptian was afraid Moses

97 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4713
97 Occurrences


bə·miṣ·rā·yim — 2 Occ.
ham·miṣ·rî — 10 Occ.
ham·miṣ·rîm — 5 Occ.
ham·miṣ·rîṯ — 3 Occ.
ham·miṣ·rî·yōṯ — 1 Occ.
lə·miṣ·ra·yim — 4 Occ.
mim·miṣ·ra·yim — 1 Occ.
miṣ·ra·yim — 57 Occ.
miṣ·rî — 9 Occ.
miṣ·rîṯ — 1 Occ.
ū·miṣ·ra·yim — 2 Occ.
wə·lam·miṣ·rîm — 1 Occ.
ḇə·miṣ·ra·yim — 1 Occ.

4712
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