English · KJV
H4071

מְדוּרָה

mᵉdûwrâh /med-oo-raw'/ Ask about this word
Rootor מְדֻרָה · from דּוּר in the sense of accumulation
Meaninga pile of fuel
KJV usagepile (for fire).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mᵉdûwrâh — 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 mᵉdûwrâh, represented by H4071, refers to a pile of fuel, specifically for a fire. Derived from a root word meaning accumulation, it appears 2 times in 2 unique verses, highlighting its specific application in contexts of judgment and divine action.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical appearances, H4071 is used exclusively in prophetic contexts of divine judgment. In Ezekiel, the Lord GOD declares he will make the pile for fire great as a woe upon the bloody city Ezekiel 24:9. Similarly, Isaiah describes a massive pile of fire and wood in Tophet, prepared for a king and kindled by the very breath of the LORD Isaiah 30:33. Both instances depict a structure built for intense, divinely initiated fire.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of fiery judgment:

  • H784 'êsh (fire): This is the essential element for which the pile is made. It is used literally as a consuming force and figuratively, such as in the refining process Zechariah 13:9 and to describe God's powerful word Jeremiah 23:29.
  • H6086 ʻêts (wood): This word, meaning tree or wood, identifies the fuel that makes up the pile Isaiah 30:33. It is a common term used for everything from living trees to the timber used for construction or burning.
  • H1197 bâʻar (to kindle, i.e. consume): This verb describes the action taken upon the pile. In Isaiah 30:33, it is the breath of the LORD that does "kindle" the fire. It is also used to describe God's word as a "burning" fire within the prophet Jeremiah 20:9.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H4071 is centered on the execution of God's judgment.

  • An Instrument of Judgment: H4071 is consistently linked to divine retribution. It represents the prepared fuel for God's fiery judgment against a "bloody city" Ezekiel 24:9 and in the place of judgment known as Tophet Isaiah 30:33.
  • Sovereign Preparation: The pile is not a random occurrence but is deliberately constructed. It is "prepared" by God for the king Isaiah 30:33 and made "great" by the Lord GOD himself Ezekiel 24:9, emphasizing that judgment is an intentional and ordered divine act.
  • The Power of God's Breath: The ignition of the pile is attributed directly to God's power. In a vivid depiction, it is the "breath of the LORD" that kindles the fire, demonstrating that the execution of judgment is a supernatural event fueled by divine will Isaiah 30:33.

Summary

In summary, H4071 mᵉdûwrâh carries a focused and potent meaning. Though appearing only twice, it functions as a powerful symbol of prepared judgment. It is not merely a stack of wood but a divinely constructed pile for a fire of retribution, established by God's sovereign will and ignited by His own power. The word serves as a stark illustration of the concrete and terrible means through which divine judgment is executed in scripture.

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 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

  • מְּדוּרָה
  • מְדֻרָתָ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H784 אֵשׁ a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively); burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot. H6086 עֵץ from עָצָה; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks); [phrase] carpenter, gallows, helve, [phrase] pine, H1197 בָּעַר a primitive root; also as denominative from בַּעַר; to kindle, i.e. consume (by fire or by eating); to be(-come) brutis

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah and Ezekiel (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Isaiah
1
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.