English · KJV
H4199

מִזָּה

Mizzâh /miz-zaw'/ Ask about this word
Rootprobably from an unused root meaning to faint with fear
Meaningterror; Mizzah, an Edomite
KJV usageMizzah.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Mizzâh — 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 name Mizzâh, represented by H4199, identifies an Edomite individual. Its base definition is possibly derived from a root meaning "to faint with fear; terror." The name appears 3 times across 3 unique verses, exclusively within genealogical records.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H4199 is used solely to identify a person in the lineage of Esau. Mizzah is consistently listed as one of the sons of Reuel (Genesis 36:13, 1 Chronicles 1:37). The record in Genesis further clarifies his status, naming him as "duke Mizzah" and specifying that he was one of the "dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom" Genesis 36:17. These accounts also identify him as a descendant of Bashemath, Esau's wife (Genesis 36:13, Genesis 36:17).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words and names establish Mizzah's place within the patriarchal lists:

  • H7467 Rᵉʻûwʼêl (friend of God; Reuel): As Mizzah's father, Reuel connects him directly as a son of Esau Genesis 36:10.
  • H5184 Nachath (quiet): One of Mizzah's brothers, Nahath is listed alongside him and also identified as an Edomite duke Genesis 36:17.
  • H2226 Zerach (Zerach, the name of three Israelites, also of an Idumaean and an Ethiopian prince): Another of Mizzah's brothers, Zerah is also named as a duke descended from Reuel Genesis 36:17.
  • H1121 bên (a son): This foundational term for lineage is used in all three occurrences to define Mizzah's relationship as a son of Reuel Genesis 36:13.

Theological Significance

The genealogical significance of H4199 is centered on its role in documenting the structure of the Edomite nation.

  • Edomite Leadership: Mizzah is explicitly identified as a "duke" Genesis 36:17. This title signifies his role as a chieftain or the head of a clan within Edom.
  • Lineage of Esau: His inclusion in the genealogies of Genesis and 1 Chronicles is a key part of the record of Esau's descendants, tracing the line through his son Reuel Genesis 36:17.
  • Matrilineal Identification: The accounts specify that Mizzah and his brothers are the sons of Bashemath, Esau's wife (Genesis 36:13, Genesis 36:17), anchoring this line of Edomite dukes to a specific matriarch.

Summary

In summary, H4199 is the proper name of an Edomite duke. Its importance in scripture is not derived from its etymological meaning of "terror" but from its function within the biblical genealogies. The name Mizzah serves to document a specific leader in the lineage of Esau, contributing to the detailed record of the early clans and chieftains that constituted the nation of Edom.

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 3 occurrences, inflected in 1 grammatical form — 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.

  • מִזָּה

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.

H7467 רְעוּאֵל from the same as רְעוּ and אֵל; friend of God; Reuel, the name of Moses' father-in-law, also of an Edomite and an Israel H5184 נַחַת the same as נַחַת; quiet; Nachath, the name of an Edomite and of two Israelites; Nahath. H2226 זֶרַח the same as זֶרַח; Zerach, the name of three Israelites, also of an Idumaean and an Ethiopian prince; Zarah, Zerah. H1121 בֵּן from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, inclu

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 3 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis (2 verses); never once in the other 37.

2
Genesis
1
1 Chronicles

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.