What does מָצוֹר (māṣwōr) mean in the Bible?
מָצוֹר (māṣwōr): Physical encirclement (siege mounds) metonymically extends to psychological entrapment and finally to fortified refuge itself.
Hebrew · H4692
מָצוֹר
מָצוֹר (māṣwōr): Physical encirclement (siege mounds) metonymically extends to psychological entrapment and finally to fortified refuge itself.
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מָצוֹרH4692
Pronunciationmāṣwōr
What does מָצוֹר (māṣwōr) mean in the Bible?
Full entry for מָצוֹר (H4692) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4692?
The BSB source-word alignment has 25 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include under siege (7), in the siege (4), a fortress (1), as fortified (1), besieged (1).
Where does מָצוֹר (māṣwōr) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 20:19. Its strongest book concentrations include Deuteronomy (5), Ezekiel (5), 2 Chronicles (3), Jeremiah (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 Itunder siege7×2 Kings 24:10, 2 Kings 25:2, 2 Chronicles 32:10, Psalms 31:21
in the siege4×Deuteronomy 28:53, Deuteronomy 28:55, Deuteronomy 28:57, Jeremiah 19:9
a fortress1×Zechariah 9:3
as fortified1×2 Chronicles 8:5
besieged1×Zechariah 12:2
for a siege1×Micah 5:1
for defense1×2 Chronicles 11:5
for the siege1×Nahum 3:14
of the siege1×Ezekiel 5:2
of your siege1×Ezekiel 4:8
siege1×Ezekiel 4:2
siege works1×Deuteronomy 20:20
that you should besiege them1×Deuteronomy 20:19
the ramparts1×Habakkuk 2:1
the siege1×Ezekiel 4:7
to the fortified1×Psalms 60:9
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 20:19בַּמָּצֽוֹר׃tothat you should besiege themPreposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 20:20מָצ֗וֹרtosiege worksNoun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:53בְּמָצוֹר֙toin the siegePreposition-b | Noun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:55בְּמָצוֹר֙toin the siegePreposition-b | Noun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:57בְּמָצוֹר֙toin the siegePreposition-b | Noun - masculine singular2 Kings 24:10בַּמָּצֽוֹר׃tounder siegePreposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular2 Kings 25:2בַּמָּצ֑וֹרtounder siegePreposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular2 Chronicles 8:5מָצ֔וֹרtoas fortifiedNoun - masculine singular2 Chronicles 11:5לְמָצ֖וֹרtofor defensePreposition-l | Noun - masculine singular2 Chronicles 32:10בְּמָצ֖וֹרtounder siegePreposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowDeuteronomy 20:19
Aligned rows25
Books represented10
Deuteronomy52 Kings22 Chronicles3Psalms2Jeremiah3Ezekiel5Micah1Nahum1Habakkuk1Zechariah2
Source forms
בְּמָצוֹר֙4xbə·mā·ṣō·wrDeuteronomy 28:53, Deuteronomy 28:55, Deuteronomy 28:57, Jeremiah 19:9
בַּמָּצ֑וֹר2xbam·mā·ṣō·wr2 Kings 25:2, Jeremiah 52:5
בַּמָּצֽוֹר׃2xbam·mā·ṣō·wrDeuteronomy 20:19, 2 Kings 24:10
מָצ֗וֹר2xmā·ṣō·wrDeuteronomy 20:20, Ezekiel 4:2
מָצ֑וֹר2xmā·ṣō·wrPsalms 60:9, Habakkuk 2:1
מָצ֖וֹר2xmā·ṣō·wrMicah 5:1, Zechariah 9:3
בְּמָצ֖וֹר1xbə·mā·ṣō·wr2 Chronicles 32:10
בַמָּצוֹר֙1xḇam·mā·ṣō·wrEzekiel 4:3
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular9xDeuteronomy 20:20, 2 Chronicles 8:5, Psalms 31:21, Psalms 60:9
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular7xDeuteronomy 20:19, 2 Kings 24:10, 2 Kings 25:2, Jeremiah 10:17
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular5xDeuteronomy 28:53, Deuteronomy 28:55, Deuteronomy 28:57, 2 Chronicles 32:10
Article | Noun - masculine singular1xEzekiel 5:2
Noun - masculine singular construct1xEzekiel 4:7
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular1xEzekiel 4:8
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular1x2 Chronicles 11:5
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical encirclement (siege mounds) metonymically extends to psychological entrapment and finally to fortified refuge itself.
Source Gloss
something hemming in , i.e. (objectively) a mound (of besiegers), (abstractly) a siege , (figuratively) distress ; or (subjectively) a fastness
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical encirclement (siege mounds) metonymically extends to psychological entrapment and finally to fortified refuge itself.
something hemming in, i.e. (objectively) a mound (of besiegers), (abstractly) a siege, (figuratively) distress; or (subjectively) a fastness BDB: siege-enclosure Usage: besieged, bulwark, defence, fenced, fortress, siege, strong (hold), tower.
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.
Biblical Witnesses
Military encirclement and assault by enemy forces upon a city
Active military blockade and assault during Babylonian attack on Jerusalem
Ongoing military encirclement threatening fortified cities and their inhabitants
Prolonged military blockade resulting in city breach and conquest
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 26 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מָצוֹר is built from this root:
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.