The Hebrew word miphsâʻâh, represented by H4667, refers to the buttocks. It is derived from a root meaning a stride and is used as a euphemism for the crotch. This term is exceptionally rare, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire biblical text.
The single appearance of H4667 occurs in a narrative of profound political and personal humiliation. In 1 Chronicles 19:4, Hanun, king of the Ammonites, seizes the servants of David. In an act of extreme disrespect, Hanun has the men shaved and their garments cut off in the middle, exposing their buttocks H4667. This public shaming was intended as a grave insult to King David and his kingdom, turning a mission of goodwill into an act of provocation.
Several related words from this account provide a fuller picture of the event:
- H2586 Chânûwn (Hanun): The Ammonite king who perpetrated the insult. His name ironically means "favored," yet his actions made him "odious to David" 1 Chronicles 19:6.
- H1548 gâlach (shave): This action was part of the humiliation inflicted on David's servants. Shaving, particularly the beard, was a sign of deep mourning or disgrace.
- H3772 kârath (to cut off): This verb describes the cutting of the garments, an act designed to expose and dishonor the men.
- H4063 medev (garment): The item that was cut. Clothing signifies dignity and status, and its destruction was a key part of the public shaming.
While anatomically specific, the use of H4667 in this context carries significant weight concerning honor, shame, and divine justice.
- Symbol of Deep Humiliation: The act of exposing the buttocks was not merely a prank but a deliberate and severe political insult, designed to strip David's emissaries of their dignity and publicly shame their king 1 Chronicles 19:4.
- Provocation for War: The dishonoring of David's servants H5650 was a direct affront to the king himself. This act of disgrace was the catalyst for war between Israel and the Ammonites 1 Chronicles 19:6.
- Offense Against Representatives: The servants were acting as official representatives of King David H1732. An attack on a designated servant or messenger was considered an attack on the one who sent them, a principle with deep theological resonance for God's relationship with His own servants Isaiah 42:1.
In summary, H4667 is a term whose significance is defined entirely by its singular, dramatic context. While it simply means buttocks, its use in 1 Chronicles 19:4 serves as a powerful illustration of public dishonor in the ancient world. The word marks the central point of an insult so profound that it led to war, demonstrating how an act of physical humiliation against a king's servants was understood as an indefensible offense against the king himself.
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