### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mappuach**, represented by `{{H4647}}`, is the term for **bellows**, the tool used for blowing air into a forge. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Derived from a root meaning to blow, this word is used specifically in the context of a metalworker's forge, describing the blower that intensifies the fire for refining.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its sole biblical occurrence, `{{H4647}}` is central to a powerful prophetic metaphor in the book of Jeremiah. The verse describes a failed metallurgical process where the very instruments of purification are rendered useless. The **bellows** are burned and the lead is consumed by the fire, but the founder's efforts to melt and refine are in vain because the wicked are not removed [[Jeremiah 6:29]]. This imagery illustrates a futile attempt at spiritual purification due to the people's ingrained corruption.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context in [[Jeremiah 6:29]] illuminate the meaning of this scene:
* `{{H6884}}` **tsâraph** (to fuse (metal), i.e. refine): This word for the "founder" who "melteth" describes the act of refining. It is often used figuratively for God's process of purifying His people, such as in a refiner's fire [[Malachi 3:2]].
* `{{H7723}}` **shâvᵉʼ** (uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain)): This term emphasizes the complete futility of the refining effort. All the work is done "in vain," a concept also seen in laboring without the LORD's blessing [[Psalms 127:1]].
* `{{H7451}}` **raʻ** (bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)): This word identifies the "wicked" who cannot be separated by the fire. It is a broad term for evil, from personal affliction [[Psalms 34:19]] to a nation's "wicked ways" [[2 Chronicles 7:14]].
* `{{H5423}}` **nâthaq** (to tear off): This word, translated as "plucked away," signifies separation. Its failure in this context is critical; elsewhere it is used for breaking bonds and setting free [[Psalms 107:14]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4647}}` is tied entirely to its singular, dramatic use. It symbolizes a point of no return in judgment.
* **Failed Purification:** The image of the burned bellows highlights a spiritual state beyond cleansing. The tools of refinement are themselves consumed, yet the wickedness remains, signifying a corruption so deep that it resists the very process of purification [[Jeremiah 6:29]].
* **Symbol of Futile Works:** The entire scene, centered on the useless bellows, serves as a metaphor for judgment on an unrepentant people. While fire is often a symbol of divine testing [[Zechariah 13:9]], here the outcome is failure, indicating the people are like worthless dross.
* **Ingrained Wickedness:** The purpose of the bellows is to fan the fire to separate impurities. When the bellows are destroyed but the "wicked{H7451} are not plucked away{H5423}," it paints a picture of evil that is inseparable from the people, making the entire redemptive effort "in vain{H7723}" [[Jeremiah 6:29]].
### Summary
In summary, though `{{H4647}}` is a rare word, its role in [[Jeremiah 6:29]] is pivotal. It functions not just as a literal object but as a powerful symbol of a failed spiritual process. The image of the burned **mappuach** provides a stark illustration of divine judgment, where a people's sin is so profound that the very means of purification are destroyed to no effect, leaving them utterly unrefined.
TRV