🔼The name Mibhar: Summary
- Meaning
- Choicest, Best
- Etymology
- From the verb בחר (bahar), to select by preference.
🔼The name Mibhar in the Bible
The name Mibhar occurs only once in the Bible. Mibhar the son of Hagri was one of the mighty-men of David (1 Chronicles 11:38). He plays no further role in the Bible.
🔼Etymology of the name Mibhar
The name Mibhar is identical to the noun מבחר (mibhar), meaning best or choicest, which derives from the verb בחר (bahar), meaning to choose in the sense of to prefer:
בחר
The verb בחר (bahar) means to choose in the sense of to select by preference. That means that any "chosen" people are not the patsies of a sadistic deity but simply the best performing players in the public court of the open market. Obviously, such a high score in a truly open and free market requires great practical wisdom and recognizable virtue.
Nouns בחור (bahur) and בחיר (bahir) mean choice young man or chosen one (because of supreme qualities). Plural noun בחורים (behurim) means youth (choice-hood; one's best years). Nouns מבחר (mibhar) and מבחר (mibhor) mean best or choicest.
🔼Mibhar meaning
For a meaning of the name Mibhar, both NOBSE Study Bible Name List and BDB Theological Dictionary read Choice (and BDB confirms that our name is identical to the noun מבחר (mibhar), meaning best or choicest). Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names proposes Most Choice, and adds "i.e. best".