Lexical Summary
marpes: Resting place, support, or relief.
Original Word: מִרְפָשׂ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mirpas
Pronunciation: mar-PES
Phonetic Spelling: (meer-paws')
KJV: that whichhave fouled
NASB: what you foul
Word Origin: [from H7515 (רָפַשׂ - To trample)]
1. muddled water
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
muddled water
From raphas; muddled water -- that which...have fouled.
see HEBREW raphas
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
raphasDefinition(water) befouled
NASB Translationwhat you foul (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[?] (water) (by trampling); — construct
Ezekiel 34:19.
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and ImageThe term מִרְפָשׂ (mirpās) paints a picture of water or wine that has been trodden underfoot until it is thick with sediment and unfit to drink. Within the pastoral world of the Ancient Near East, such fouled liquid vividly symbolized the selfish conduct of those who ruin what was once pure for others.
Occurrence
The word appears once, in Ezekiel 34:19, where the Lord confronts the unfaithful shepherds of Israel:
“And must My flock feed on what your feet have trampled, and drink what your feet have muddied?” (Ezekiel 34:19).
Prophetic Context
Ezekiel 34 indicts Israel’s leaders for exploiting the flock instead of serving it. The fouled water (mirpās) is one of four charges (verses 18–19):
1. Eating the good pasture.
2. Trampling the rest.
3. Drinking clear water.
4. Muddying the remainder.
The leaders’ greed leaves God’s people with only corrupted leftovers, mirroring social injustice and spiritual neglect.
Theological Significance
1. Holiness and Purity
God intends His blessings to remain untainted. Mirpās testifies that sin not only defiles the sinner but degrades the community (Isaiah 1:21-23; Hebrews 12:15).
2. Stewardship of Resources
Water often symbolizes life (Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:14). Turning life-giving water into mirpās is the antithesis of godly stewardship (1 Corinthians 4:2).
3. Accountability of Leaders
The image anticipates God’s promise to remove false shepherds and place “one Shepherd” over His flock (Ezekiel 34:23), finding ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ (John 10:11).
Historical Setting
Shepherds watered flocks at wells or streams. If the dominant animals entered first and churned the shallows, those arriving later drank only sludge. Mirpās therefore reflects a recognizable agrarian abuse, reinforcing the credibility and impact of Ezekiel’s oracle.
Ministry Applications
• Pastoral Care — Elders and ministry leaders are warned against consuming the best spiritual resources while leaving congregations with leftovers (1 Peter 5:2-3).
• Social Ethics — Mirpās challenges believers to guard economic and environmental resources for the vulnerable (Proverbs 14:31; James 5:1-5).
• Personal Conduct — Every Christian is called to ensure his influence leaves others closer to Christ, not mired in confusion or bitterness (Romans 14:13-19).
Christological Reflection
Where Israel’s shepherds produced mirpās, Jesus offers “living water” (John 7:37-38). His ministry reverses the damage: cleansing the polluted, refreshing the weary, and leading to pastures where nothing is fouled (Revelation 7:17).
Related Themes and References
• Pure versus polluted worship – Malachi 1:7; Matthew 21:13
• Responsibility toward the weak – Deuteronomy 24:19-22; Romans 15:1
• Divine recompense to oppressors – Isaiah 3:14-15; 2 Thessalonians 1:6
Mirpās thus serves as a single, vivid word that summons leaders to faithful service, believers to considerate living, and all to cherish the purity that God intends for His people.
Forms and Transliterations
וּמִרְפַּ֥שׂ ומרפש ū·mir·paś umirPas ūmirpaś
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