### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mishbêr**, represented by `{{H4866}}`, literally refers to the "breaking forth" point of birth. Derived from a root meaning to break, it signifies the orifice of the womb from which a fetus emerges. It appears only **3 times** across **3 unique verses**, where it is used not to describe a literal birth but as a powerful metaphor for a moment of critical and perilous transition.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H4866}}` illustrates a state of crisis where a resolution is near but seemingly impossible to achieve. In a desperate plea, King Hezekiah uses the term to describe a day of "trouble `{{H6869}}`, and of rebuke `{{H8433}}`, and blasphemy `{{H5007}}`". The situation is dire because "the children `{{H1121}}` are come to the birth `{{H4866}}`, and there is not strength `{{H3581}}` to bring forth `{{H3205}}`" ([[2 Kings 19:3]]; [[Isaiah 37:3]]). Similarly, the prophet Hosea describes Ephraim as an "unwise `{{H2450}}` son" who dangerously lingers "in the place of the breaking forth `{{H4866}}` of children" [[Hosea 13:13]], signifying a foolish hesitation at a pivotal moment.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words illuminate the context of crisis surrounding `{{H4866}}`:
* `{{H3581}}` **kôach**: This word for **strength**, **might**, or **power** is precisely what is lacking in Hezekiah's predicament. Its absence turns the potential joy of birth into a life-threatening emergency [[Isaiah 37:3]].
* `{{H6869}}` **tsârâh**: Defined as **trouble**, **distress**, and **anguish**, this word sets the scene for the use of the `{{H4866}}` metaphor. The day is one of immense trouble, symbolized by the stalled birth [[2 Kings 19:3]].
* `{{H1121}}` **bên**: Meaning **son** or children, this word represents that which is ready to be born. The "children `{{H1121}}`" have reached the point of "birth `{{H4866}}`," making the lack of strength to deliver them all the more desperate [[Hosea 13:13]].
* `{{H3205}}` **yâlad**: The verb **to bear young** or **bring forth** is the action that cannot be completed. It is the intended outcome of arriving at the `{{H4866}}`, and the failure to do so defines the crisis [[Isaiah 37:3]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4866}}` is found in its powerful metaphorical application. It conveys several critical themes:
* **Crisis at the Climax:** The term is used to depict a situation that has reached its ultimate crisis point. It is not a distant threat but an immediate one, where the process of deliverance has begun but is stalled at the final, most crucial stage [[2 Kings 19:3]].
* **Human Helplessness:** The imagery of arriving at the moment of birth without the "strength `{{H3581}}` to bring forth" powerfully illustrates a state of complete impotence and the desperate need for divine intervention.
* **The Folly of Hesitation:** In Hosea, the metaphor shifts to highlight the foolishness of failing to act at God's appointed time. The "unwise `{{H2450}}` son" who will not pass through the `{{H4866}}` represents a people who refuse the path to their own salvation or restoration [[Hosea 13:13]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4866}}` is a rare but vivid term that uses the visceral imagery of childbirth to define a moment of extreme national distress. Though it literally means "breaking forth," its scriptural function is to symbolize a pivotal crisis where a new reality is ready to be born but is prevented by a lack of strength or by foolish delay. It serves as a stark illustration of human limitation and the gravity of a nation's choices at a decisive moment.
TRV