What does מִבְצָר (mibṣār) mean in the Bible?
מִבְצָר (mibṣār): Literal fortress or stronghold that becomes figurative refuge or divine protector in covenantal language.
Hebrew · H4013
מִבְצָר
A fortification , castle , or fortified city; figuratively, a defender
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מִבְצָרH4013
Pronunciationmibṣār
What does מִבְצָר (mibṣār) mean in the Bible?
מִבְצָר (mibṣār): Literal fortress or stronghold that becomes figurative refuge or divine protector in covenantal language.
Full entry for מִבְצָר (H4013) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4013?
The BSB source-word alignment has 37 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the fortified (7), fortified (4), your fortresses (4), a fortified (2), fortress (2).
Where does מִבְצָר (mibṣār) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Numbers 13:19. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (7), 2 Kings (5), Daniel (3), Isaiah (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthe fortified7×Joshua 10:20, Joshua 19:29, Joshua 19:35, 1 Samuel 6:18
fortified4×2 Kings 3:19, 2 Kings 17:9, 2 Kings 18:8, Jeremiah 34:7
your fortresses4×Jeremiah 48:18, Hosea 10:14, Nahum 3:12, Nahum 3:14
a fortified2×2 Kings 10:2, Daniel 11:15
fortress2×Isaiah 25:12, Habakkuk 1:10
in the fortified2×Numbers 32:17, 2 Chronicles 17:19
as fortified1×Numbers 32:36
fortifications1×Numbers 13:19
her fortresses1×Isaiah 34:13
her strongholds1×Lamentations 2:5
his strongholds1×Psalms 89:40
like a fortified1×Jeremiah 1:18
like ore1×Jeremiah 6:27
the fortified cities1×Lamentations 2:2
The fortress1×Isaiah 17:3
the strongest fortresses1×Daniel 11:39
the stronghold1×Amos 5:9
the strongholds1×Daniel 11:24
to the fortified1×Psalms 108:10
to their fortresses1×2 Kings 8:12
toward the fortress1×2 Samuel 24:7
your strongholds1×Micah 5:11
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 13:19בְּמִבְצָרִֽים׃tofortificationsPreposition-b | Noun - masculine pluralNumbers 32:17הַמִּבְצָ֔רtoin the fortifiedArticle | Noun - masculine singularNumbers 32:36מִבְצָ֖רtoas fortifiedNoun - masculine singularJoshua 10:20הַמִּבְצָֽר׃tothe fortifiedArticle | Noun - masculine singularJoshua 19:29מִבְצַר־tothe fortifiedNoun - masculine singular constructJoshua 19:35מִבְצָ֑רtoThe fortifiedNoun - masculine singular1 Samuel 6:18מִבְצָ֔רtothe fortifiedNoun - masculine singular2 Samuel 24:7מִבְצַר־totoward the fortressNoun - masculine singular construct2 Kings 3:19מִבְצָר֙tofortifiedNoun - masculine singular2 Kings 8:12מִבְצְרֵיהֶ֞םtoto their fortressesNoun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowNumbers 13:19
Aligned rows37
Books represented16
Numbers3Joshua31 Samuel12 Samuel12 Kings52 Chronicles1Psalms2Isaiah3Jeremiah7Lamentations2Daniel3Hosea1Amos1Micah1Nahum2Habakkuk1
Source forms
מִבְצָ֑ר3xmiḇ·ṣārJoshua 19:35, Psalms 108:10, Jeremiah 6:27
הַמִּבְצָ֖ר2xham·miḇ·ṣār2 Chronicles 17:19, Jeremiah 8:14
הַמִּבְצָֽר׃2xham·miḇ·ṣārJoshua 10:20, Jeremiah 4:5
מִבְצָ֖ר2xmiḇ·ṣārNumbers 32:36, 2 Kings 10:2
מִבְצָר֙2xmiḇ·ṣār2 Kings 3:19, Isaiah 17:3
מִבְצַר־2xmiḇ·ṣar-Joshua 19:29, 2 Samuel 24:7
מִבְצָֽר׃פ2xmiḇ·ṣār2 Kings 18:8, Jeremiah 34:7
בְּמִבְצָרֶ֑יהָ1xbə·miḇ·ṣā·re·hāIsaiah 34:13
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular14xNumbers 32:36, Joshua 19:35, 1 Samuel 6:18, 2 Kings 3:19
Article | Noun - masculine singular5xNumbers 32:17, Joshua 10:20, 2 Chronicles 17:19, Jeremiah 4:5
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular3xJeremiah 48:18, Nahum 3:12, Nahum 3:14
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular3xJeremiah 5:17, Hosea 10:14, Micah 5:11
Noun - masculine plural2xDaniel 11:15, Daniel 11:24
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular2xPsalms 89:40, Lamentations 2:5
Noun - masculine singular construct2xJoshua 19:29, 2 Samuel 24:7
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct1xIsaiah 25:12
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Literal fortress or stronghold that becomes figurative refuge or divine protector in covenantal language.
Source Gloss
a fortification , castle , or fortified city; figuratively, a defender
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Literal fortress or stronghold that becomes figurative refuge or divine protector in covenantal language.
a fortification, castle, or fortified city; figuratively, a defender BDB: fortification Usage: (de-, most) fenced, fortress, (most) strong (hold).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Stronghold or defensive city.
Showing 1 selected witness from 37 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מִבְצָר is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Fortification proves powerless before divine judgment.Isaiah 17:1-3
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.