The Hebrew word Miçpâr, represented by H4558, identifies a specific Israelite man. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible. The name itself is defined as Mispar, an Israelite, and is related to the Hebrew word for number.
The single biblical appearance of H4558 is in a list of notable individuals who returned from the Babylonian exile. In Ezra 2:2, Mispar is named as one of the men who came with Zerubbabel. This places him as part of the leadership or a significant figure in the restoration of the people of Israel to their land. The verse immediately follows this list of names by stating, "The number of the men of the people of Israel," directly connecting the individual to the larger national census.
Several related words from its context illuminate the significance of Mispar's inclusion in this record:
- H4557 miçpâr (a number): This word, nearly identical to the name Mispar, means a number, definite or indefinite. It is used to describe God's works as being "without number" Job 5:9 and to refer to the promised abundance of the children of Israel Hosea 1:10.
- H3478 Yisrâʼêl (Israel): This defines the national and covenantal identity of the group Mispar belongs to. Israel is God's chosen people, with whom He promises to make a new covenant Jeremiah 31:33.
- H582 ʼĕnôwsh (a man in general): Mispar is counted among "the men of the people of Israel," highlighting his identity as a mortal within the larger community. The word is often used to refer to humanity in a general sense Psalms 8:4.
- H5971 ʻam (a people): This term describes Israel as a congregated unit. God's redemptive plan often focuses on His relationship with His people as a whole, whom He promises to gather and restore Ezekiel 34:13.
- H935 bôwʼ (to go or come): This word describes the action of Mispar and the others who came back to their land. This same verb is used prophetically to describe God bringing his people back to their own land Ezekiel 34:13.
While only a name in a list, the context of H4558 carries theological weight related to God's faithfulness.
- Individual Recognition: Mispar's inclusion by name demonstrates that God's restoration of Israel was not an abstract event but one that involved specific individuals whom He knew and recorded.
- Covenant Fulfillment: The return from exile, which Mispar was a part of, represents the tangible fulfillment of God's promises to gather His people (H5971) and bring (H935) them back to the land of Israel (H3478) Ezekiel 34:13.
- Divine Accounting: The name Mispar is closely related to the word for "number" (H4557), and his appearance in a verse that initiates a census underscores the theme of God's precise accounting and sovereign control over the remnant of His people.
In summary, H4558 Miçpâr is more than just a name in a genealogy. As an Israelite who returned from exile, his mention is a historical marker of God's faithfulness. The name's connection to the Hebrew word for "number" serves as a subtle reminder that God is meticulously involved in the lives of His people, accounting for each one in the fulfillment of His redemptive plan for Israel.
TRV