H4013 H4013
fortress, stronghold, fortified place — a defensive structure or walled city built for military protection
Mivtsar denotes a fortification or stronghold and derives from the root batsar ('to cut off, make inaccessible'). The word's etymology captures the essential idea: a place rendered impregnable by its defenses. Its 37 occurrences cluster in military and prophetic contexts. In Numbers, the scouts report that Canaan's cities are 'fortified and very large' (13:19), and Israel's Transjordanian settlers build 'fortified cities' for their families (32:17, 36). The construct phrase 'ir mivtsar ('fortified city') recurs as a standard military designation (Josh 10:20; 19:29, 35; 2 Kgs 3:19; 10:2; 17:9; 18:8). The prophets transform the fortress into a symbol of false security: Hosea warns that Israel's fortresses will be destroyed (10:14), Nahum mocks Nineveh's defenses as 'fig trees with first-ripe figs' (3:12), and Lamentations mourns that the Lord has 'swallowed up all the fortresses of Judah' (2:2, 5).
Senses
1. fortress, stronghold — A fortified place, defensive stronghold, or walled city designed for military protection and resistance to siege. The characteristic collocation 'ir mivtsar ('fortified city') appears across historical narrative (Josh 10:20; 19:29, 35; 1 Sam 6:18; 2 Kgs 3:19; 17:9; 18:8) and prophetic oracle (Jer 4:5; 5:17; 8:14; 34:7). In prophetic judgment, fortresses become symbols of misplaced trust: God destroys Judah's fortresses (Lam 2:2, 5), and Hosea, Nahum, and Daniel all depict divine overthrow of seemingly impregnable defenses (Hos 10:14; Nah 3:12, 14; Dan 11:15, 24, 39). Spanish 'fortaleza,' French 'forteresse,' and German 'Festung' consistently render the military-architectural sense. 37×
AR["الحِصْنِ", "الـ-حِصْنِ", "المُحَصَّنَةِ", "الْحِصْنُ", "الْحِصْنِ", "الْـ-حِصْنِ", "حَصِينَةٍ", "حُصونِكَ", "حُصُونَكِ", "حُصُونِكَ", "حُصُونِكِ", "حِصنٍ", "حِصْنًا", "حِصْنٍ"]·ben["-দুর্গের", "তোমার-দুর্গগুলি", "তোমার-সুরক্ষিতের", "দুর্গ", "দুর্গের", "দুর্গের-উপরে", "দৃঢ়", "সুরক্ষিত"]·DE["Festung", "der-Festung", "fortress"]·EN["fortress", "the-fortress", "your-fortresses"]·FR["forteresse", "fortress", "le-fortress"]·heb["ה-מבצר", "מבצר", "מבצרייך", "מבצריך"]·HI["अपने-गढ़ों-को", "गढ़", "गढ़-के", "गढ़-तेरे", "गढ़-वाले", "गढ़ों-का", "गढ़ों-तेरे", "तेरे-गढ़", "तेरे-गढ़ों-को"]·ID["benteng", "benteng-bentengmu", "benteng-bentengmu;", "bentengmu", "berbenteng", "yang-berbenteng"]·IT["fortezza", "fortress", "il-fortezza"]·jav["benteng", "benting", "bentèng", "beteng", "beteng-panjenengan", "betèng", "betèng-betèngipun", "bèntèng-bèntèngipun", "bètèng-panjenengan", "kabenteng"]·KO["그-요새의", "너의-요새들-은", "너의-요새들-을", "너의-요새의", "네-요새들을", "네-요새들이", "요새", "요새-를", "요새-의", "요새가", "요새들-너의-를", "요새로", "요새의"]·PT["a-fortaleza", "as-tuas-fortalezas", "fortaleza", "fortalezas-tuas", "fortificada", "tuas-fortalezas"]·RU["крепостей-твоих", "крепости-твои", "крепость", "крепостью", "укрепления-твои", "укреплённого", "укреплённые", "укреплённый", "укреплёнными", "укреплённых"]·ES["fortaleza", "fortalezas-tuyas", "fortalezas-tuyas!", "fortificada", "fortificadas!", "la-fortaleza", "tus-fortalezas"]·SW["kutoka-ngome", "ngome", "ngome-zako", "wenye-ngome", "yenye-ngome", "yenye-ngome-yako"]·TR["-surlu", "kale", "kalelerin-senin", "kalelerini", "kalelerini-senin", "kalelerinin", "kaleli", "kalenin", "müstahkem", "surlu", "tahkimli", "tahkimli-şehirlerinin-senin"]·urd["اپنے-قلعوں-کو", "تیرے-قلعے", "قلعوں-تیرے", "قلعہ", "قلعہ-بند", "قلعہ-بند-تیرے", "قلعہ-بند-کے", "قلعہ-دار", "قلعے", "قلعے-پر"]
Num 13:19, Num 32:17, Num 32:36, Josh 10:20, Josh 19:29, Josh 19:35, 1 Sam 6:18, 2 Sam 24:7, 2 Kgs 3:19, 2 Kgs 8:12, 2 Kgs 10:2, 2 Kgs 17:9 (+25 more)
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×)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×)H3332 2. cast molten metal (18×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מִבְצָר n.m. Is 17:3 fortification—מִבְצָר Nu 32:17 + 18 times; cstr. מִבְצַר Jos 19:29 + 2 times; pl. מִבְצָרִים Nu 13:19 Dn 11:24; מִבְצָרוֹת Dn 11:15; מִבְצְרֵי La 2:2 Dn 11:39; sf. מִבְצָרֶיךָ Ho 10:14 + 2 times; מִבְצָרַיִךְ Na 3:12; מִבְצָרָ֑יִךְ v 14 Je 48:18; מִבְצָרָיו ψ 89:41 La 2:5; מִבְצָרֶיהָ Is 34:13; מִבְצְרֵיהֶם 2 K 8:12;—fortification, especially in phrase (המ׳) מ׳ (ערי) עיר =…