What does מְצוּרָה (māṣôr) mean in the Bible?
מְצוּרָה (māṣôr): Fortified enclosure functioning ambivalently as either siege weapon or protective rampart depending on perspective
Hebrew · H4694
מְצוּרָה
A hemming in, i.e. (objectively) a mound (of siege), or (subjectively) a rampart (of protection), (abstractly) fortification
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מְצוּרָה H4694
Pronunciation māṣôr
What does מְצוּרָה (māṣôr) mean in the Bible?
מְצוּרָה (māṣôr): Fortified enclosure functioning ambivalently as either siege weapon or protective rampart depending on perspective
Full entry for מְצוּרָה (H4694) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4694?
The BSB source-word alignment has 8 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the fortified (4), fortified (1), siege works (1), the fortress (1), their fortifications (1).
Where does מְצוּרָה (māṣôr) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 2 Chronicles 11:10. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Chronicles (6), Isaiah (1), Nahum (1).
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 the fortified 4× 2 Chronicles 11:10, 2 Chronicles 11:23, 2 Chronicles 12:4, 2 Chronicles 21:3
fortified 1× 2 Chronicles 14:6
siege works 1× Isaiah 29:3
the fortress 1× Nahum 2:1
their fortifications 1× 2 Chronicles 11:11
Show sample aligned rows
2 Chronicles 11:10 מְצֻרֽוֹת׃ to the fortified Noun - feminine plural 2 Chronicles 11:11 הַמְּצֻר֑וֹת to their fortifications Article | Noun - feminine plural 2 Chronicles 11:23 הַמְּצֻר֔וֹת to the fortified Article | Noun - feminine plural 2 Chronicles 12:4 הַמְּצֻר֖וֹת to the fortified Article | Noun - feminine plural 2 Chronicles 14:6 מְצוּרָ֖ה to fortified Noun - feminine singular 2 Chronicles 21:3 מְצֻר֖וֹת to the fortified Noun - feminine plural Isaiah 29:3 מְצֻרֹֽת׃ to siege works Noun - feminine plural Nahum 2:1 מְצֻרָ֑ה to the fortress Noun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 2 Chronicles 11:10
Aligned rows 8
Books represented 3
2 Chronicles 6 Isaiah 1 Nahum 1
Source forms
הַמְּצֻר֑וֹת 1x ham·mə·ṣu·rō·wṯ 2 Chronicles 11:11
הַמְּצֻר֔וֹת 1x ham·mə·ṣu·rō·wṯ 2 Chronicles 11:23
הַמְּצֻר֖וֹת 1x ham·mə·ṣu·rō·wṯ 2 Chronicles 12:4
מְצוּרָ֖ה 1x mə·ṣū·rāh 2 Chronicles 14:6
מְצֻרָ֑ה 1x mə·ṣu·rāh Nahum 2:1
מְצֻר֖וֹת 1x mə·ṣu·rō·wṯ 2 Chronicles 21:3
מְצֻרֽוֹת׃ 1x mə·ṣu·rō·wṯ 2 Chronicles 11:10
מְצֻרֹֽת׃ 1x mə·ṣu·rōṯ Isaiah 29:3
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - feminine plural 3x 2 Chronicles 11:11, 2 Chronicles 11:23, 2 Chronicles 12:4
Noun - feminine plural 3x 2 Chronicles 11:10, 2 Chronicles 21:3, Isaiah 29:3
Noun - feminine singular 2x 2 Chronicles 14:6, Nahum 2:1
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Fortified enclosure functioning ambivalently as either siege weapon or protective rampart depending on perspective
Source Gloss
a hemming in, i.e. (objectively) a mound (of siege), or (subjectively) a rampart (of protection), (abstractly) fortification
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Fortified enclosure functioning ambivalently as either siege weapon or protective rampart depending on perspective
a hemming in, i.e. (objectively) a mound (of siege), or (subjectively) a rampart (of protection), (abstractly) fortification BDB: siege-works Usage: fenced (city, fort, munition, 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
Encirclement or fortified attack.
Showing 1 selected witness from 8 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
Why This Word Matters
Expresses the intensity of covenant judgment. Isaiah 29:1-8
Canonical Themes
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