What does אָסַר (ʾāsar) mean in the Bible?
אָסַר (ʾāsar): Binding action that moves from physical restraint (yoking animals) to martial engagement and imprisonment.
Hebrew · H631
אָסַר
To yoke or hitch ; by analogy, to fasten in any sense, to join battle
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אָסַר H631
Pronunciation ʾāsar
What does אָסַר (ʾāsar) mean in the Bible?
אָסַר (ʾāsar): Binding action that moves from physical restraint (yoking animals) to martial engagement and imprisonment.
Full entry for אָסַר (H631) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H631?
The BSB source-word alignment has 71 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (4), bound (3), she has bound (3), you can be tied up (3), and bound him (2).
Where does אָסַר (ʾāsar) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 39:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Judges (15), Numbers (11), Genesis (9), 2 Kings (7).
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 . . . 4× Judges 15:13, Judges 16:11, 2 Kings 7:10, Ecclesiastes 4:14
bound 3× 2 Samuel 3:34, Jeremiah 40:1, Jeremiah 52:11
she has bound 3× Numbers 30:4, Numbers 30:5, Numbers 30:11
you can be tied up 3× Judges 16:6, Judges 16:10, Judges 16:13
and bound him 2× 2 Chronicles 36:6, Jeremiah 39:7
bound him 2× 2 Kings 25:7, 2 Chronicles 33:11
Harness 2× 2 Kings 9:21, Jeremiah 46:4
has bound 2× Numbers 30:6, Numbers 30:7
they tie me up 2× Judges 16:7, Judges 16:11
to the prisoners 2× Isaiah 49:9, Isaiah 61:1
- 1× Numbers 30:4
an obligation 1× Numbers 30:10
and fastens 1× Job 12:18
and had him bound 1× Genesis 42:24
and put him 1× 2 Kings 17:4
and she tied him up 1× Judges 16:8
and they harnessed 1× 2 Kings 9:21
and you will be bound 1× Ezekiel 3:25
Bind 1× Psalms 118:27
captured 1× Isaiah 22:3
has made 1× Numbers 30:8
He binds them 1× Job 36:13
He ties 1× Genesis 49:11
Hitch 1× 1 Samuel 6:7
hitched them 1× 1 Samuel 6:10
imprisoned Jehoahaz 1× 2 Kings 23:33
is captured 1× Song Of Solomon 7:5
men are bound 1× Job 36:8
of your brothers in custody 1× Genesis 42:19
or obligates herself 1× Numbers 30:3
pledges to fulfill 1× Numbers 30:9
Prepare [your chariot] 1× 1 Kings 18:44
prepared 1× Genesis 46:29
prisoners 1× Genesis 39:20
So [Pharaoh] prepared 1× Exodus 14:6
So they bound him 1× Judges 15:13
strapped 1× Nehemiah 4:18
tethered 1× 2 Kings 7:10
the prisoners {free} 1× Psalms 146:7
tied him up 1× Judges 16:12
to arrest 1× Judges 15:10
to arrest you 1× Judges 15:12
to bind 1× Psalms 149:8
to instruct 1× Psalms 105:22
to obligate 1× Numbers 30:2
to put them in bondage 1× Hosea 10:10
to tie him up 1× Judges 16:5
was confined 1× Genesis 40:3
we will tie you up securely 1× Judges 15:13
went 1× 2 Chronicles 13:3
were being held 1× Genesis 40:5
were captured 1× Isaiah 22:3
were confined 1× Genesis 39:20
where he was bound 1× Judges 16:21
will be confined 1× Genesis 42:16
will start 1× 1 Kings 20:14
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 39:20 אֲסוּרִ֑ים to prisoners Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural Genesis 39:20 אֲסוּרֵי to were confined Noun - masculine plural construct Genesis 40:3 אָס֥וּר to was confined Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Genesis 40:5 אֲסוּרִ֖ים to were being held Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural Genesis 42:16 הֵאָ֣סְר֔וּ to will be confined Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine plural Genesis 42:19 יֵאָסֵ֖ר to of your brothers in custody Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 42:24 וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ר to and had him bound Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 46:29 וַיֶּאְסֹ֤ר to prepared Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 49:11 אֹסְרִ֤י to He ties Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct Exodus 14:6 וַיֶּאְסֹ֖ר to So [Pharaoh] prepared Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 39:20
Aligned rows 71
Books represented 18
Genesis 9 Exodus 1 Numbers 11 Judges 15 1 Samuel 2 2 Samuel 1 1 Kings 2 2 Kings 7 2 Chronicles 3 Nehemiah 1 Job 3 Psalms 4 Ecclesiastes 1 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 4 Jeremiah 4 Ezekiel 1 Hosea 1
Source forms
אָסְרָ֥ה 6x ’ā·sə·rāh Numbers 30:4, Numbers 30:5, Numbers 30:7, Numbers 30:9
אָס֥וּר 2x ’ā·sūr Genesis 40:3, Song Of Solomon 7:5
אֲסוּרִ֥ים 2x ’ă·sū·rîm Nehemiah 4:18, Job 36:8
אָסְרָ֖ה 2x ’ā·sə·rāh Numbers 30:6, Numbers 30:8
וַיֶּאְסֹ֖ר 2x way·ye’·sōr Exodus 14:6, 2 Kings 9:21
וַיַּאַסְרֵ֙הוּ֙ 2x way·ya·’as·rê·hū 2 Kings 25:7, Jeremiah 39:7
לֶאְסֹ֣ר 2x le’·sōr Psalms 105:22, Psalms 149:8
אָס֤וֹר 1x ’ā·sō·wr Judges 16:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular 9x Numbers 30:4, Numbers 30:5, Numbers 30:6, Numbers 30:7
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 6x Genesis 42:24, Genesis 46:29, Exodus 14:6, 2 Kings 9:21
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular 6x 2 Kings 17:4, 2 Kings 23:33, 2 Kings 25:7, 2 Chronicles 36:6
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural 5x Genesis 39:20, Genesis 40:5, Nehemiah 4:18, Job 36:8
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 5x Genesis 40:3, 2 Kings 7:10, Song Of Solomon 7:5, Jeremiah 40:1
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct 4x Numbers 30:2, Judges 15:10, Psalms 105:22, Psalms 149:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular 3x Judges 15:13, Judges 16:21, 2 Chronicles 33:11
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 3x Judges 16:6, Judges 16:10, Judges 16:13
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Binding action that moves from physical restraint (yoking animals) to martial engagement and imprisonment.
Strong's H631
Lexical occurrences 73 verses Word forms 3 forms 36 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Genesis 42:18-38 Source Gloss
to yoke or hitch ; by analogy, to fasten in any sense, to join battle
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Binding action that moves from physical restraint (yoking animals) to martial engagement and imprisonment.
to yoke or hitch; by analogy, to fasten in any sense, to join battle BDB: tie Usage: bind, fast, gird, harness, hold, keep, make ready, order, prepare, prison(-er), put in bonds, set in array, tie.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 3 Aligned forms 36
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 29×
Participle passive 2Kgs 7:10 · 2Sam 3:34 · Gen 39:20 · Gen 40:3 · Gen 40:5 · Jer 40:1 · Job 36:8 · Neh 4:12 · Ps 146:7 · Song 7:6 12×
Perfect Num 30:5 · Num 30:6 · Num 30:7 · Num 30:8 · Num 30:9 · Num 30:10 · Num 30:11 · Num 30:12 9×
Sequential imperfect 1Kgs 18:44 · 2Kgs 9:21 · Jer 46:4 · Ps 118:27 4×
Infinitive absolute Judg 15:13 · Judg 16:11 2×
Imperfect 1Kgs 20:14 1×
Participle active Gen 49:11 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 5×
Imperfect Judg 16:6 · Judg 16:10 · Judg 16:13 · Gen 42:19 4×
Sequential imperfect Gen 42:16 1×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 2×
Perfect Isa 22:3 2×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
to bind or imprison someone, hold in custody or captivity
Showing 1 selected witness from 73 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
אָסַר is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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