Hebrew word · H5470

סֹ֫הַר

hasohar

prison

A prison or place of confinement. It appears only in Genesis 39:20–23 and 40:3, 5. Its origin is uncertain. Others suspect an Egyptian loanword or a technical term.

Appears 8 times in 6 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) house of roundness, roundhouse, prison

1a) name of a prison

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 Genesis 39:23

Range of meaning

A prison or place of confinement. It appears only in Genesis 39:20–23 and 40:3, 5. Its origin is uncertain. Many link it to a root s-h-r meaning 'round' (compare śahărōnîm, crescent-shaped ornaments, Judg 8:21; Isa 3:18; and ʾaggan hassahar, 'rounded bowl', Song 7:2[3]), which would make it a 'round-house', a tower or fortified enclosure. Others suspect an Egyptian loanword or a technical term.

Against the English

'prison' (most versions); 'round-house' (YLT, from the root theory); KJV 'keeper of the prison' for the official. In 40:15 and 41:14 Joseph and the narrator call the same place a bôr, 'pit' or 'dungeon'.

How it drifted

English 'prison' suggests a modern penitentiary where people serve fixed sentences. Ancient Near Eastern confinement was mainly custody: holding people awaiting a ruler's decision, along with forced labour. See the setting section.

Used elsewhere in the period

Only in Gen 39–40. The Septuagint uses desmōtērion ('place of bonds'), and the chief official is the archidesmophylax ('chief guard of prisoners'). Egyptian Middle Kingdom records mention a 'Great Prison' (ḫnrt wr) at Thebes that handled detainees and labour conscripts (e.g. Papyrus Brooklyn 35.1446). This is general background, not a direct match.

From the study of Genesis 39:21

Range of meaning

Found only in Genesis 39:20–23 and 40:3, 5, always in the phrase bêt hassōhar. It is usually connected to a root meaning 'round' (compare ʾaggan hassahar, 'a round bowl,' Song 7:2 [Heb 7:3]). Hence 'round-house,' fortress or tower prison. An Egyptian loanword has been proposed, but no Egyptian source word is agreed.

Against the English

Most versions simply say 'prison.' YLT 'round-house' keeps the oddity of the word. The narrator himself defines it for readers in v. 20: 'the place where the king's prisoners were confined.'

Used elsewhere in the period

Outside Genesis 39–40 the word appears nowhere in Hebrew. Elsewhere Joseph calls the same place a bôr, a 'pit' or 'dungeon' (40:15; 41:14), the same word as the dry cistern his brothers threw him into (37:24). Egyptian documents such as Papyrus Brooklyn 35.1446 (Middle Kingdom) attest a state 'Great Prison' that kept registers of detainees and forced laborers.

Where it appears

Genesis · 8

  1. Genesis 39:20 הַסֹּ֔הַר הַסֹּֽהַר׃ the prison

    So Joseph’s master took him and had him thrown into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined. While Joseph was there in the prison,

  2. Genesis 39:21 הַסֹּֽהַר׃ the prison

    the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

    Here: A rare word found only in Genesis 39–40, probably meaning a round, fortified building (YLT: 'round-house'). Verse 20 explains it as the place where the king's prisoners were held.

  3. Genesis 39:22 הַסֹּ֙הַר֙ הַסֹּ֑הַר the prison

    And the warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care, so that he was responsible for all that was done in the prison.

  4. Genesis 39:23 הַסֹּ֗הַר the prison

    The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

    Here: A rare word, used only in Genesis 39–40, for the state lock-up where 'the king's prisoners' were held (39:20). It probably refers to a fortified enclosure. YLT's 'round-house' follows one theory about where the word comes from.

  5. Genesis 40:3 הַסֹּ֑הַר the prison

    and imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard, the same prison where Joseph was confined.

  6. Genesis 40:5 הַסֹּֽהַר׃ the prison

    both of these men—the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker, who were being held in the prison—had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning.

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