What does מָעוֹז (maoz) mean in the Bible?
מָעוֹז (maoz): God alone as humanity's unshakeable refuge; shifts from physical stronghold to divine protection.
Hebrew · H4581
מָעוֹז
A fortified place; figuratively, a defence
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מָעוֹז H4581
Pronunciation maoz
What does מָעוֹז (maoz) mean in the Bible?
מָעוֹז (maoz): God alone as humanity's unshakeable refuge; shifts from physical stronghold to divine protection.
Full entry for מָעוֹז (H4581) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4581?
The BSB source-word alignment has 36 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a stronghold (4), fortress (2), is My helmet (2), protection (2), the stronghold (2).
Where does מָעוֹז (maoz) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Judges 6:26. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (10), Psalms (9), Daniel (7), Ezekiel (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It a stronghold 4× Psalms 28:8, Isaiah 25:4, Joel 3:16, Nahum 1:7
fortress 2× 2 Samuel 22:33, Daniel 11:31
is My helmet 2× Psalms 60:7, Psalms 108:8
protection 2× Isaiah 30:2, Isaiah 30:3
the stronghold 2× Isaiah 23:4, Ezekiel 30:15
. . . 1× Daniel 11:39
[He is] their stronghold 1× Psalms 37:39
a refuge 1× Isaiah 25:4
and my fortress 1× Jeremiah 16:19
and protect 1× Daniel 11:1
are my refuge 1× Psalms 31:4
far as his fortress 1× Daniel 11:10
his fortress 1× Daniel 11:7
his refuge 1× Psalms 52:7
is a refuge 1× Proverbs 10:29
is the stronghold 1× Psalms 27:1
of fortresses 1× Daniel 11:38
of my refuge 1× Psalms 43:2
of refuge 1× Psalms 31:2
of your refuge 1× Isaiah 17:10
refuge 1× Nahum 3:11
stronghold 1× Judges 6:26
the strongholds 1× Isaiah 23:11
their strong 1× Isaiah 17:9
their stronghold 1× Ezekiel 24:25
to My protection 1× Isaiah 27:5
toward the fortresses 1× Daniel 11:19
your harbor 1× Isaiah 23:14
your strength 1× Nehemiah 8:10
Show sample aligned rows
Judges 6:26 הַמָּע֛וֹז to stronghold Article | Noun - masculine singular 2 Samuel 22:33 מָעוּזִּ֖י to fortress Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Nehemiah 8:10 מָֽעֻזְּכֶֽם׃ to your strength Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural Psalms 27:1 מָֽעוֹז־ to is the stronghold Noun - masculine singular construct Psalms 28:8 וּמָ֘ע֤וֹז to a stronghold Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct Psalms 31:2 מָ֭עוֹז to of refuge Noun - masculine singular Psalms 31:4 מָֽעוּזִּֽי׃ to are my refuge Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Psalms 37:39 מָֽ֝עוּזָּ֗ם to [He is] their stronghold Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Psalms 43:2 מָֽעוּזִּי֮ to of my refuge Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Psalms 52:7 מָֽע֫וּזּ֥וֹ to his refuge Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Judges 6:26
Aligned rows 36
Books represented 11
Judges 1 2 Samuel 1 Nehemiah 1 Psalms 9 Proverbs 1 Isaiah 10 Jeremiah 1 Ezekiel 2 Daniel 7 Joel 1 Nahum 2
Source forms
מָע֣וֹז 4x mā·‘ō·wz Psalms 60:7, Psalms 108:8, Proverbs 10:29, Ezekiel 30:15
מָע֥וֹז 4x mā·‘ō·wz Isaiah 23:4, Isaiah 25:4, Isaiah 30:3
בְּמָע֣וֹז 1x bə·mā·‘ō·wz Isaiah 30:2
בְּמָעוֹז֙ 1x bə·mā·‘ō·wz Daniel 11:7
בְּמָעוּזִּ֔י 1x bə·mā·‘ūz·zî Isaiah 27:5
הַמָּע֛וֹז 1x ham·mā·‘ō·wz Judges 6:26
הַמָּעוֹז֙ 1x ham·mā·‘ō·wz Daniel 11:31
וּלְמָע֖וֹז 1x ū·lə·mā·‘ō·wz Daniel 11:1
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular construct 6x Psalms 27:1, Psalms 60:7, Psalms 108:8, Isaiah 23:4
Noun - masculine singular 5x Psalms 31:2, Proverbs 10:29, Isaiah 25:4, Nahum 3:11
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular 3x 2 Samuel 22:33, Psalms 31:4, Psalms 43:2
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular 3x Psalms 52:7, Isaiah 17:9, Daniel 11:10
Article | Noun - masculine singular 2x Judges 6:26, Daniel 11:31
Noun - masculine plural 2x Daniel 11:38, Daniel 11:39
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural 2x Psalms 37:39, Ezekiel 24:25
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct 2x Isaiah 30:2, Daniel 11:7
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. God alone as humanity's unshakeable refuge; shifts from physical stronghold to divine protection.
Source Gloss
a fortified place; figuratively, a defence
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
God alone as humanity's unshakeable refuge; shifts from physical stronghold to divine protection.
a fortified place; figuratively, a defence BDB: place Usage: force, fort(-ress), rock, strength(-en), (× most) strong (hold).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Fortified refuge or strong place.
Fortified refuge or defense.
fortress, refuge, or place of strength
Stronghold; fortress; a place of safety and protection; a functional defense during an attack
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 37 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מָעוֹז is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
The metaphor highlights the protective nature of God's ways. Isaiah 23:1-7
The destruction of the stronghold exposes false security. Isaiah 25:1-5
God himself functions as protective security for the needy. Proverbs 10:29
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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain