Lexical Summary marah: To rebel, be disobedient, be contentious Original Word: מָרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bitter, change, be disobedient, disobey, grievously, provocation, provokingA primitive root; to be (causatively, make) bitter (or unpleasant); (figuratively) to rebel (or resist; causatively, to provoke) -- bitter, change, be disobedient, disobey, grievously, provocation, provoke(-ing), (be) rebel (against, -lious). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be contentious or rebellious NASB Translation became disobedient (1), bitter (1), disobedient (1), disobeyed (2), provocation (1), rebel (6), rebelled (18), rebellious (12), rebels (2), very rebellious (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מָרָה verb be contentious, refractory, rebellious (Late Hebrew id., Hiph`il; Arabic  III. dispute with; Syriac  Pa`el contend with); — Qal. Perfect3masculine singular מָרָה 1 Kings 13:26; feminine מָֽרְתָה Hosea 14:1; מָרָ֑תָה Jeremiah 4:17; 2masculine singular מָרִיתָ 1 Kings 13:21 11t. perfect; Infinitive absolute מָרוֺ Lamentations 1:20; Participle מֹרֶה 2 Kings 14:26 (but read מר, √ מרר, KmpKau כִּי מַר הוּא); מוֺרֶה Deuteronomy 21:18 3t.; feminine מֹרְאָה Zephaniah 3:1 (read מֹרָה; metaplastic form according to Ges§ 75 R. 22); plural מֹרִים Numbers 20:10; — be disobedient, rebellious: 1 בֵּן סוֺרֵר וּמֹרֶה Deuteronomy 21:18,20 stubborn and rebellious son (towards father). 2 elsewhere towards God: דֹּר סוֺרֵר וּמֹרֶה Psalm 78:8; ׳לֵב סורר ומ Jeremiah 5:23; מוֺרְאָה ונגאלה הָעִיר Zephaniah 3:1; הַמֹּרִים Numbers 20:10 ye rebels (P); absolute Isaiah 50:5; Isaiah 63:10; Lamentations 1:20 (twice in verse); "" מאן Isaiah 1:20; פשׁע Lamentations 3:42; with בְּ person Hosea 14:1; Psalm 5:11, elsewhere accusative of person Jeremiah 4:17; ׳יs words Psalm 105:28; מרה (את) פי Numbers 20:24; Numbers 27:14 (P), 1 Samuel 12:15; 1 Kings 13:21,26 (D2) Lamentations 1:18. — In Hosea 4:4 read perhaps מָרוּ בִי have rebelled against me (for ᵑ0 כִּמְרִיבֵי), so RSProph. iv. n. 8 Che (for other views see ריב). Hiph`il Perfect3masculine plural הִמְרוּ Psalm 106:33; Psalm 107:11; Imperfect יַמְרֶה Joshua 1:18; feminine וַתֶּ֫מֶר Ezekiel 5:6; 2masculine singular תַּמֵּר (as if √ מרר) Exodus 23:21, read תֶּ֫מֶר Di and others; 3 masculine plural יַמְרוּ Psalm 106:43 6t; suffix יַמְרוּהוּ Psalm 78:40; 2masculine plural תַּמְרוּ 1 Samuel 12:14 3t.; Infinitive construct לַמְרוֺת Isaiah 3:8; Psalm 78:17; suffix הַמְּרוֺתָם (Ges§ 20. 2b) Job 17:2; Participle plural מַמְרִים Deuteronomy 9:7 2t.; — shew disobedience, rebelliousness, always toward God: absolute Nehemiah 9:26. ("" מרד), Psalm 106:7; Psalm 106:43; Job 17:2; with בְּ person Exodus 23:21; Ezekiel 20:8,13,21; עִם Deuteronomy 9:7,24; Deuteronomy 31:27; elsewhere accusative of God or his commands: Isaiah 3:8; Ezekiel 5:6; Psalm 78:17; Psalm 78:40; Psalm 78:56; Psalm 107:11; המרה את פי Deuteronomy 1:26,43; Deuteronomy 9:23; Joshua 1:18; 1 Samuel 12:14 (D2), אתרֿוחוֺ Psalm 106:33 (compare Ephr 4:30); perhaps Psalm 139:20 (see אָמַר 1). Topical Lexicon Definition in ContextThough lexically “marah” denotes rebellion, its scriptural portrait goes beyond mere civil insubordination to describe willful, covenant‐breaking defiance against the revealed will of God. Approximately forty-five appearances form a cohesive testimony that links individual hardness of heart with national apostasy, producing a theology of rebellion that threads through the Pentateuch, the historical books, the Psalms, and the Prophets. Usage Overview 1. Personal rebellion against parental or divine authority (Deuteronomy 21:18-20; Job 17:10). Rebellion in the Wilderness The wilderness narratives furnish the earliest and most graphic instances. When the people complained at Meribah, Moses addressed them as “rebels” (Numbers 20:10). The Lord later explained the gravity of that moment: “because you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah” (Numbers 20:24). The event became a paradigm of distrust and disobedience (Psalm 106:33). Even the high point of Sinai revelation is framed by acts of rebellion: “Remember and never forget how you provoked the LORD your God in the wilderness. From the day you left the land of Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebelling against the LORD” (Deuteronomy 9:7). Covenant Implications in Deuteronomy Moses repeatedly warns that rebellion nullifies covenant blessings and invokes covenant curses: • Deuteronomy 1:26-43 – refusal to enter Canaan is labeled rebellion, a direct challenge to divine leadership. The rebellious son legislation (Deuteronomy 21:18-20) shows that marah cannot be tolerated in the household any more than in the nation; domestic order mirrors covenant order. National Rebellion During the Monarchy Samuel’s farewell speech crystallizes the choice before the newly established monarchy: “But if you do not obey the LORD, but rebel against the command of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you” (1 Samuel 12:15). Kings and prophets alike confront the same sin: Jeroboam’s altar incident (1 Kings 13:21, 26) and Amaziah’s pride (2 Kings 14:9-10) disclose hearts bent on marah. The chronic pattern reveals that dynastic strength offers no immunity against covenant rebellion. Prophetic Diagnosis of Rebellion Isaiah laments, “But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword” (Isaiah 1:20). Later he adds a Trinitarian dimension: “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit” (Isaiah 63:10). Ezekiel rehearses Israel’s history with the refrain, “But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness” (Ezekiel 20:13, 21). Rebellion thus becomes the central charge in the covenant lawsuit motif: God’s people have violated their marriage vows (Jeremiah 5:23) and must be summoned to repentance or judgment. Spiritual Anatomy of Rebellion 1. Unbelief – refusal to trust God’s word (Psalm 78:17-22). Consequences of Marah • Exclusion from promise (Numbers 14:23). Yet even in judgment God maintains a remnant, illustrating both His justice and His mercy (Ezekiel 20:38). Pathway to Restoration Confession is the indispensable first step: “We have sinned and rebelled” (Lamentations 3:42). The Psalms turn rebellion into prayer for mercy (Psalm 106:6). Post-exilic reforms under Ezra and Nehemiah show that covenant renewal requires the eradication of rebellion and the embrace of wholehearted obedience (Nehemiah 9:26-29). Christological Fulfillment The Servant of Isaiah embodies perfect obedience, standing as the antithesis to marah. Where Israel rebelled, the Messiah declares, “I delight to do Your will” (Psalm 40:8; cf. Hebrews 10:7). At Calvary He bears the curse incurred by rebels, making possible the new covenant promise: “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes” (Ezekiel 36:27). Ministry Application 1. Preaching – underscore the seriousness of rebellion as willful defiance, not mere weakness. Summary “Marah” reminds every reader that the heart’s natural bent is away from God. Scripture’s consistent witness—spanning desert wanderings, prophetic oracles, and redemptive fulfillment in Christ—declares that rebellion separates from blessing, yet God’s pursuing mercy invites the rebel home. Forms and Transliterations הִמְר֥וּ הַמֹּרִ֔ים המרו המרים וַ֭יַּמְרוּ וַיַּמְר֖וּ וַיַּמְר֨וּ וַיַּמְרוּ־ וַתֶּ֨מֶר וַתַּמְר֕וּ וַתַּמְר֗וּ וַתַּמְרוּ֙ וּ֝בְהַמְּרוֹתָ֗ם וּמְרִיתֶ֑ם וּמְרִיתֶ֖ם וּמָרִ֔ינוּ וּמֹ֫רֶ֥ה וּמֹרֶ֔ה וּמוֹרֶ֑ה וּמוֹרֶ֔ה ובהמרותם וימרו וימרו־ ומורה ומרה ומרינו ומריתם ותמר ותמרו יַמְר֣וּ יַמְר֣וּהוּ יַמְרֶ֣ה ימרה ימרו ימרוהו לַֽמְר֥וֹת לַמְר֖וֹת למרות מְרִיתֶ֥ם מְרִיתֶ֨ם מַמְרִ֤ים מַמְרִ֥ים מָ֙רָה֙ מָ֝ר֗וּ מָ֥רוּ מָר֖וֹ מָר֥וּ מָרְתָ֖ה מָרִ֑יתִי מָרִ֙יתָ֙ מָרָ֖ה מָרָ֖תָה מֹרֶ֣ה ממרים מרה מרו מרית מריתי מריתם מרתה תַמְר֖וּ תמרו ham·mō·rîm hammoRim hammōrîm him·rū himRu himrū lam·rō·wṯ lamRot lamrōwṯ mā·rā·ṯāh mā·rāh mā·rə·ṯāh mā·rî·ṯā mā·rî·ṯî mā·rōw mā·rū mam·rîm mamRim mamrîm marah mārāh maRatah mārāṯāh mareTah mārəṯāh maRita mārîṯā maRiti mārîṯî maRo mārōw Maru mārū mə·rî·ṯem meriTem mərîṯem mō·reh moReh mōreh ṯam·rū tamRu ṯamrū ū·ḇə·ham·mə·rō·w·ṯām ū·mā·rî·nū ū·mə·rî·ṯem ū·mō·reh ū·mō·w·reh ūḇəhammərōwṯām umaRinu ūmārînū umeriTem ūmərîṯem umoReh ūmōreh ūmōwreh uvehammeroTam vaiyamRu vattamRu vatTemer wat·tam·rū wat·te·mer wattamrū wattemer way·yam·rū way·yam·rū- wayyamrū wayyamrū- yam·reh yam·rū yam·rū·hū yamreh yamRu yamrū yamRuhu yamrūhūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 20:10 HEB: שִׁמְעוּ־ נָא֙ הַמֹּרִ֔ים הֲמִן־ הַסֶּ֣לַע NAS: now, you rebels; shall we bring forth KJV: unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch INT: Listen now rebels at the rock Numbers 20:24 Numbers 27:14 Deuteronomy 1:26 Deuteronomy 1:43 Deuteronomy 9:7 Deuteronomy 9:23 Deuteronomy 9:24 Deuteronomy 21:18 Deuteronomy 21:20 Deuteronomy 31:27 Joshua 1:18 1 Samuel 12:14 1 Samuel 12:15 1 Samuel 30:6 1 Kings 13:21 1 Kings 13:26 2 Kings 14:26 Nehemiah 9:26 Job 17:2 Psalm 5:10 Psalm 78:8 Psalm 78:17 Psalm 78:40 Psalm 78:56 45 Occurrences |
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