### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **yâvên**, represented by `{{H3121}}`, refers to **mire** or **mud**. According to its base definition, it properly means dregs, as in something that effervesces. This term is used sparingly in the scriptures, appearing only **2 times** in **2 unique verses**, but it carries a powerful figurative weight in both instances.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H3121}}` consistently portrays a state of deep distress and helplessness. In [[Psalms 69:2]], the psalmist cries out, "I sink in deep **mire**, where there is no standing." This passage links the word to the experience of being overwhelmed, lacking a foothold, and being inundated by deep waters and floods. Similarly, [[Psalms 40:2]] describes being brought up "out of an horrible pit, out of the **miry** clay." Here, the mire is a place of entrapment from which divine rescue is necessary to establish one's footing on a solid rock.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help to clarify the context and meaning of being in the mire:
* `{{H2883}}` **ṭâbaʻ** (to sink): This verb describes the action that occurs within the mire. It is used to express the feeling of being helplessly submerged, as seen when the psalmist declares "I **sink** in deep mire" [[Psalms 69:2]].
* `{{H2916}}` **ṭîyṭ** (mud or clay; figuratively, calamity): This word is a close synonym and is used directly with `{{H3121}}` in the phrase "miry **clay**" [[Psalms 40:2]]. Its definition explicitly includes the figurative meaning of calamity, reinforcing the metaphorical use of mire for desperate situations.
* `{{H5553}}` **çelaʻ** (a craggy rock): This term serves as a direct contrast to the instability of the mire. Deliverance is described as being lifted from the mire and having one's feet set upon a **rock**, signifying a transition from peril to security [[Psalms 40:2]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H3121}}` is centered on its use as a powerful metaphor for human suffering and divine salvation.
* **Symbol of Helplessness:** The mire represents a situation of profound trouble where an individual cannot save themself. It is a place of sinking with no solid ground, a "horrible pit" from which escape is impossible through personal effort ([[Psalms 40:2]], [[Psalms 69:2]]).
* **A State of Calamity:** The word is not used to describe literal mud but rather a state of overwhelming distress or calamity. The physical properties of mire—its stickiness and depth—vividly depict the nature of a trial that entraps and overwhelms a person.
* **The Need for Divine Intervention:** In both its occurrences, the mire is a condition from which God alone provides rescue. The deliverance from the mire to the stability of a rock illustrates the theological concept of salvation as an act of God lifting the helpless out of their despair and establishing them in a place of safety and security [[Psalms 40:2]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3121}}` is a potent and descriptive term for mire that, while rare, provides a visceral image of being hopelessly stuck. It functions as a metaphor for deep personal crisis and overwhelming calamity. Its biblical context emphasizes a state of sinking and helplessness, highlighting that salvation and stability are found not in self-reliance but in being lifted out by God and placed upon the solid ground of His deliverance.
TRV