† בַּ֫חַן n.[m.] watch-tower, Is 32:14. H0975
watchtower, siege tower; military structure for observation or assault
A fortification term referring to either a watchtower or siege tower, depending on context. Isaiah mentions 'the hill and the watchtower' (Isaiah 32:14) as abandoned in judgment. The challenging text in Isaiah 23:13 may refer to siege towers erected against Tyre. The word occurs with textual variants (ketiv/qere), complicating precise identification, but the military-architectural meaning is clear. Towers functioned both defensively (observation) and offensively (siege warfare), making context critical for determining which type is meant.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A tower, either for watching (defensive) or for siege (offensive). Isaiah 32:14 refers to 'watchtower' (ophan) as a landmark that will be abandoned. Isaiah 23:13 may describe siege towers ('its towers') raised against Tyre, though the text is difficult. The term appears with ketiv/qere variants, suggesting scribal uncertainty about the exact form. 3×
AR["أَبْرَاجَهَا", "وَ-الْبُرْجُ"]·ben["ও-মিনার", "তার-মিনার"]·DE["[(בחוניו)]", "[[בחיניו]]", "[ובחן]"]·EN["[ketiv]", "and-watchtower", "its-siege-towers"]·FR["[(בחוניו)]", "[[בחיניו]]", "et-éprouver"]·heb["[בחיניו]", "בחוניו", "ו-בחן"]·HI["(उसके-गुम्बद)", "[उसके-गुम्बद]", "और-मीनार"]·ID["dan-menara-pengawal", "menara-menara-pengepungannya"]·IT["[(בחוניו)]", "[[בחיניו]]", "[ובחן]"]·jav["(menara-menaranipun)", "[menara-menaranipun]", "lan-menara-jagi"]·KO["(그의-망대들을)", "[불-망대]", "그리고-망대가"]·PT["(ketiv)", "e-torre", "suas-torres"]·RU["[Kethiv]", "башни-её", "и-сторожевая-башня"]·ES["(sus-torres-de-asedio)", "[sus-torres-de-asedio]", "y-torre"]·SW["(k)", "minara-yake", "na-mnara"]·TR["(kuleleri)", "[k:kuleleri]", "ve-gozzetleme-kulesi"]·urd["(اُس-کے-برج)", "[برج]", "اور-برج"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† בַּ֫חַן n.[m.] watch-tower, Is 32:14.