The Hope of Israel

To eagerly wait

The Hebrew word for “hope” is mikveh מִקְוֶה from the root KVH קוה meaning “to wait for eagerly”. Being patient and waiting for God’s salvation is a central virtue in the Bible. As we read in Psalm 27, “be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Ps. 27:14). It is therefore fitting that one of God’s biblical titles is Mikveh Yisrael (“Hope of Israel”), as found in the Book of Jeremiah. 

The Waters of Hope

The Hebrew word mikveh also means a “pool of water” as seen in the story of creation, “God called the waters gathered together (mikveh mayim) Seas” (Gen. 1:10). The connection is clear. Water is the most abundant resource on earth and the basis of all life. God, the origin of all life on Earth, is at once the giver of our most cherished “wellspring” and the receiver of our deepest “hopes”. 
  

Discover the True Living Waters

In these troubled times, we should all be comforted by the assurance that the promises of “the Hope of Israel” are waiting. On the final page of the Bible, God gives us assurance of eternal life: the “water of life” is a gift available to anyone, “let everyone who is thirsty come” (Rev. 22:17). The authentic water of life can be found in the original words of the Hebrew Bible. Enroll in our live online Biblical Hebrew course and quench your spiritual thirst.