Word Study for H4009 (מִבְטָח)

mibṭâch /mib-tawkh'/ Ask about this word

Meaningproperly, a refuge, i.e. (objective) security, or (subjective) assurance

KJV usageconfidence, hope, sure, trust.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mibṭâch — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word mibṭâch, represented by H4009, denotes a refuge, security, assurance, confidence, hope, or trust. It is derived from the root word for trust, בָּטַח (bâṭach). It appears 15 times across 15 unique verses, highlighting its specific and significant role in describing the foundation of one's security.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In Scripture, H4009 is used to draw a sharp contrast between legitimate and illegitimate sources of security. The LORD is presented as the only true object of hope Jeremiah 17:7 and trust Psalms 40:4. In contrast, placing confidence in foreign nations like Egypt is shown to lead to a "remembrance of iniquity" Ezekiel 29:16, and trust in idols like Chemosh results in shame Jeremiah 48:13. The word also describes the practical outcome of true faith, where God's people will live in "sure dwellings" Isaiah 32:18. Conversely, confidence in an unfaithful person is compared to a "broken tooth" and a "foot out of joint" Proverbs 25:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of biblical trust:

H982 bâṭach: This is the primitive root from which mibṭâch is derived. It means to trust or be confident, often used in direct commands to trust in the LORD with all one's heart Proverbs 3:5.
H4268 machăçeh: Meaning a shelter or place of refuge, this word often appears alongside terms of trust. It highlights God as a physical and spiritual safe haven, with Proverbs 14:26 stating that strong confidence H4009 in the LORD provides a place of refuge H4268 for one's children.
H5797 ʻôz: This term for strength is directly connected to confidence. God is described as our strength Psalms 46:1, and a wise man can cast down the strength H5797 of a city's confidence H4009 Proverbs 21:22.
H3689 keçel: This word can mean hope or confidence, but also folly. It is used in parallel with mibṭâch when Job speaks of making gold his hope H3689 or confidence H4009 Job 31:24.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4009 is centered on the object of one's faith.

The Divine Source of Trust: Scripture repeatedly identifies God as the only proper foundation for confidence. He is the confidence of all the ends of the earth Psalms 65:5, and the man who makes the LORD his trust is blessed Psalms 40:4. In the Psalms, David declares God to be his trust from his youth Psalms 71:5.
The Danger of Misplaced Confidence: The Bible warns that any confidence placed outside of God is futile. The Lord rejects the "confidences" of those who look to other sources, ensuring they will not prosper Jeremiah 2:37. This misplaced trust is likened to a fragile "spider's web" Job 8:14 and is ultimately rooted out and brought to ruin Job 18:14.
Assurance as a Result of Fear of the Lord: True, "strong confidence" is a direct result of the "fear of the LORD" Proverbs 14:26. This establishes a clear spiritual principle: reverent awe and obedience to God produce a profound sense of security and assurance.

Summary

In summary, H4009 functions as a crucial theological term that defines the very nature of faith. It moves beyond a simple feeling of hope to an objective declaration of where one's security is placed. Whether used to describe the assurance found in God or the folly of trusting in man, wealth, or nations, mibṭâch consistently forces a choice, illustrating that the foundation of one's trust determines one's ultimate spiritual destiny.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 15 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מִבְטַח
מִבְטַחִים
מִבְטַחַיִ
מִבְטָח

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 15 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs (4 verses); never once in the other 33.

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.