Hebrew word · H4013

מִבְצָר

mivtzar

fortification

“Fortification, stronghold, fortified place.” It comes from the root b-ṣ-r, “to be inaccessible, cut off,” and is related to bāṣûr, “fortified” (Deut 3:5; 28:52). “Cities of fortification” (ʿārê hammibṣār) is the fixed phrase for walled towns (Josh 19:35; 2 Kgs 17:9; Jer 8:14; 34:7).

Appears 37 times in 37 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

fortification, fortress, fortified city, stronghold

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Jeremiah 4:5

Range of meaning

“Fortification, stronghold, fortified place.” It comes from the root b-ṣ-r, “to be inaccessible, cut off,” and is related to bāṣûr, “fortified” (Deut 3:5; 28:52). “Cities of fortification” (ʿārê hammibṣār) is the fixed phrase for walled towns (Josh 19:35; 2 Kgs 17:9; Jer 8:14; 34:7).

Against the English

“Fortified cities” (BSB, WEB, NIV, ESV), “defenced cities” (KJV), “fenced city” (YLT, which wrongly makes it singular). The meaning comes through well; “defenced/fenced” is just old-fashioned.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deut 28:52 warns that an enemy will besiege Israel “until your high and fortified walls, in which you trust, come down.” Jer 5:17 says the invader “will shatter your fortified cities in which you trust.” Jer 34:7 records that, near the end, “Lachish and Azekah… were the only fortified cities of Judah that remained.” Archaeology (Lachish Level II, the Lachish ostraca) confirms that this network was destroyed by Babylon.

From the study of Hosea 10:14

Range of meaning

A fortified place: a walled city, stronghold or citadel. It comes from a root meaning 'to cut off, make inaccessible', so the picture is of walls no one can get through.

Against the English

'Fortresses' is accurate. The Hebrew can include whole walled towns and not only military forts.

Used elsewhere in the period

Hosea 8:14: 'Judah has multiplied fortified cities, but I will send fire upon his cities.' Numbers 32:17 and Joshua 10:20 use it for walled towns. Isaiah 17:3 says 'the fortress will disappear from Ephraim'.

From the study of Amos 5:9

Range of meaning

A fortification or fortified city: a walled place made inaccessible. From bāṣar, 'cut off, make unreachable'; compare ʿîr bəṣûrāh, 'fortified city'.

Against the English

'Fortress' or 'stronghold' is accurate. English readers may picture a single castle. In Iron Age Israel the word usually meant a walled city or a fortified royal or administrative center.

Used elsewhere in the period

Num 32:17; Josh 19:29; 2 Kgs 17:9 ('from watchtower to fortified city', meaning everywhere); Isa 17:3; Jer 34:7 (Lachish and Azekah as the last ʿārê mivṣār holding out). Excavations show heavy fortifications at Samaria, Hazor and Megiddo in the 8th century.

Similar words

Where it appears

Numbers · 3

  1. Numbers 13:19 בְּמִבְצָרִֽים׃ in fortresses

    Is the land where they live good or bad? Are the cities where they dwell open camps or fortifications?

  2. Numbers 32:17 הַמִּבְצָ֔ר <the> fortification

    But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our little ones will remain in the fortified cities for protection from the inhabitants of the land.

  3. Numbers 32:36 מִבְצָ֖ר fortification

    Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran as fortified cities, and they built folds for their flocks.

Joshua · 3

  1. Joshua 10:20 הַמִּבְצָֽר׃ <the> fortification

    So Joshua and the Israelites continued to inflict a terrible slaughter until they had finished them off, and the remaining survivors retreated to the fortified cities.

    Here: "The fortress". The phrase 'cities of the fortress' means walled, defensible towns, places a pursuing army cannot simply run into.

  2. Joshua 19:29 מִבְצַר־ fortification of

    The border then turned back toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah, and came out at the Sea in the region of Achzib,

    Here: A fortified place, from a root meaning 'cut off, make inaccessible'. It fits Tyre, whose main city stood on an island fortress and was famous for being nearly impossible to take.

  3. Joshua 19:35 מִבְצָ֑ר fortification

    The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,

1 Samuel · 1

  1. 1 Samuel 6:18 מִבְצָ֔ר fortification

    The number of gold rats also corresponded to the number of Philistine cities belonging to the five rulers—the fortified cities and their outlying villages. And the large rock on which they placed the ark of the LORD stands to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh.

2 Samuel · 1

  1. 2 Samuel 24:7 מִבְצַר־ [the] fortress of

    They went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to the Negev of Judah, to Beersheba.

2 Kings · 5

  1. 2 Kings 3:19 מִבְצָר֙ fortification

    And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”

  2. 2 Kings 8:12 מִבְצְרֵיהֶ֞ם fortifications their

    “Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.”

    Here: Walled, fortified towns: a region's military strongpoints and refuges. The noun is placed before its verb, so each line opens with the victim: 'their fortresses…'.

  3. 2 Kings 10:2 מִבְצָ֖ר fortification

    “When this letter arrives, since your master’s sons are with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weaponry,

  4. 2 Kings 17:9 מִבְצָֽר׃ fortification

    The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities.

  5. 2 Kings 18:8 מִבְצָֽר׃ פ fortification

    He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its borders, from watchtower to fortified city.

2 Chronicles · 1

  1. 2 Chronicles 17:19 הַמִּבְצָ֖ר <the> fortification

    These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.

Psalms · 2

  1. Psalm 89:40 מִבְצָרָ֣יו strongholds his

    You have broken down all his walls; You have reduced his strongholds to rubble.

  2. Psalm 108:10 מִבְצָ֑ר fortification

    Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

Isaiah · 3

  1. Isaiah 17:3 מִבְצָר֙ fortress

    The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the sovereignty from Damascus. The remnant of Aram will be like the splendor of the Israelites,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

    Here: A walled, hard-to-reach stronghold. It can stand for a single fortress or for fortified places in general. Either Ephraim's own defences are meant, or Damascus as Ephraim's protective wall (see debates).

  2. Isaiah 25:12 וּמִבְצַ֞ר and [the] fortification of

    The high-walled fortress will be brought down, cast to the ground, into the dust.

  3. Isaiah 34:13 בְּמִבְצָרֶ֑יהָ [will be] on fortifications its

    Her towers will be overgrown with thorns, her fortresses with thistles and briers. She will become a haunt for jackals, an abode for ostriches.

Jeremiah · 7

  1. Jeremiah 1:18 מִבְצָ֜ר fortification

    Now behold, this day I have made you like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.

    Here: "Of fortification." Together with 'ir it is the standard phrase for a garrisoned city with strong walls, built to hold out against a siege, like Lachish and Azekah in Jeremiah 34:7.

  2. Jeremiah 4:5 הַמִּבְצָֽר׃ <the> fortification

    Announce in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: “Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land. Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves and let us flee to the fortified cities.’

    Here: “The fortification.” “Cities of the fortification” is the Hebrew way of saying “fortified cities”: walled towns with gates and towers, built to hold out under siege.

  3. Jeremiah 5:17 מִבְצָרֶ֗יךָ fortifications your

    They will devour your harvest and food; they will consume your sons and daughters; they will eat up your flocks and herds; they will feed on your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.”

    Here: Strongholds, fortified places. 'Cities of your fortifications' means your walled cities, such as Lachish and Azekah, Judah's military backbone.

  4. Jeremiah 6:27 מִבְצָ֑ר fortification

    “I have appointed you to examine My people like ore, so you may know and try their ways.

  5. Jeremiah 8:14 הַמִּבְצָ֖ר <the> fortification

    Why are we just sitting here? Gather together, let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has doomed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

    Here: 'The fortification.' 'Cities of the fortification' means fortified towns such as Lachish, Azekah and Jerusalem, built to hold out against a siege.

  6. Jeremiah 34:7 מִבְצָֽר׃ פ fortification

    as the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and the remaining cities of Judah—against Lachish and Azekah. For these were the only fortified cities remaining in Judah.

  7. Jeremiah 48:18 מִבְצָרָֽיִךְ׃ strongholds your

    Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground, O daughter dwelling in Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come against you; he has destroyed your fortresses.

Lamentations · 2

  1. Lamentations 2:2 מִבְצְרֵ֥י [the] fortifications of

    Without pity the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob. In His wrath He has demolished the fortified cities of the Daughter of Judah. He brought to the ground and defiled her kingdom and its princes.

    Here: Walled strongholds, built to be cut off from attack. They were Judah's defence network (Lachish, Azekah and others), and all of them were levelled.

  2. Lamentations 2:5 מִבְצָרָ֑יו fortifications its

    The Lord is like an enemy; He has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for the Daughter of Judah.

    Here: Strongholds and fortified towns, the defensive network of Judah. 'His' (masculine) most naturally refers back to Israel. The switch from 'her' to 'his' is in the Hebrew, and many translations smooth it away.

Daniel · 3

  1. Daniel 11:15 מִבְצָר֑וֹת fortifications

    Then the king of the North will come, build up a siege ramp, and capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will not stand; even their best troops will not be able to resist.

  2. Daniel 11:24 מִבְצָרִ֛ים strongholds

    In a time of peace, he will invade the richest provinces and do what his fathers and forefathers never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will plot against the strongholds—but only for a time.

  3. Daniel 11:39 לְמִבְצְרֵ֤י to [the] fortresses of

    He will attack the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over many and distributing the land for a price.

    Here: 'To/for the fortresses of'. This is the ordinary word for a walled, fortified town or citadel. Here it is joined to the next word.

Hosea · 1

  1. Hosea 10:14 מִבְצָרֶ֣יךָ fortresses your

    the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be demolished as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces along with their children.

    Here: Fortified cities and strongholds, the walls Israel relied on. They answer the 'multitude of your mighty men' Israel trusted in (v. 13).

Amos · 1

  1. Amos 5:9 מִבְצָ֥ר a fortress

    He flashes destruction on the strong, so that fury comes upon the stronghold.

    Here: A walled, fortified place. It comes from a root meaning 'cut off, make inaccessible', so it is a place built to be out of reach. Here it is the city defenses Israel relied on.

Micah · 1

  1. Micah 5:11 מִבְצָרֶֽיךָ׃ fortresses your

    I will remove the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds.

Nahum · 2

  1. Nahum 3:12 מִבְצָרַ֔יִךְ fortifications your

    All your fortresses are fig trees with the first ripe figs; when shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater!

  2. Nahum 3:14 מִבְצָרָ֑יִךְ fortifications your

    Draw your water for the siege; strengthen your fortresses. Work the clay and tread the mortar; repair the brick kiln!

Habakkuk · 1

  1. Habakkuk 1:10 מִבְצָ֣ר fortress

    They scoff at kings and make rulers an object of scorn. They laugh at every fortress and build up siege ramps to seize it.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.