H1003 H1003
fortresses, citadels; fortified strongholds
A late Hebrew term for fortresses or fortified places, appearing only in Chronicles' accounts of Jehoshaphat's and Jotham's building projects. The plural noun denotes substantial military installations—citadels or fortified strongholds built to secure the kingdom. The word pairs with 'storage cities' and 'towers,' indicating a category of defensive architecture.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Jehoshaphat 'built fortresses and storage cities in Judah' (2 Chronicles 17:12), while Jotham 'built fortresses and towers in the hill country' (27:4). Both texts describe extensive royal building programs establishing military infrastructure throughout Judah's territory. The term represents late Biblical Hebrew vocabulary for permanent fortified installations, distinct from temporary field fortifications. Multilingual glosses render this as 'fortresses/fortalezas' or transliterate it. The Hebrew בִּירָנִיּוֹת appears to derive from בִּירָה (citadel, fortress), itself probably from Akkadian birtu. These were substantial defensive structures, part of the southern kingdom's military defensive network in the hill country and strategic locations. 2×
AR["حُصُونًا", "قِلاَعًا"]·ben["দুর্গ", "দুর্গগুলি"]·DE["[בירניות]"]·EN["fortresses"]·FR["[בירניות]"]·heb["בירניות"]·HI["किले", "गढ़"]·ID["benteng-benteng"]·IT["[בירניות]"]·jav["bètèng-bètèng"]·KO["성쇄들과", "요새들과"]·PT["fortalezas"]·RU["крепости"]·ES["fortalezas"]·SW["ngome"]·TR["kaleler"]·urd["قلعے"]
Related Senses
H1129 1. Qal: build, construct (316×)H2691a 1. court, courtyard, enclosure (142×)G4864 1. synagogue, place of Jewish assembly (56×)G5438 1. prison, place of confinement (41×)H4013 1. fortress, stronghold (37×)H0875 1. well, cistern (dug water source) (35×)H0352b 1. pillar or jamb of gateway (32×)H2474 1. window, opening in wall (32×)H1406 1. roof / rooftop (31×)H4609b 1. steps, stairs, stairway (31×)H1129 2. Nifal: be built, be established (30×)H0361 1. portico, porch (architectural structure) (27×)H1129 3. Qal participle: builder (27×)H1219 1. fortified, inaccessible (25×)H4581 1. fortress, stronghold (25×)H3805 1. capital of a pillar (24×)H4350 1. stand, base, pedestal (24×)H0759 1. palace, royal residence (21×)H4692 1. siege, besiegement (20×)G3618 1. build or construct physically (19×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [בִּירָנִית] n.f. fortress, fortified place (late); only pl. abs. בִּירָנִיּוֹת וְעָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת 2 Ch 17:12 built by Jehoshaphat; בּ׳ וּמִגְדָּלִים 27:4 built by Jotham.