H4026 H4026
Tower, fortified structure; also a place-name element (Migdal) and a raised platform or pulpit
The Hebrew migdal evokes height, strength, and visibility. It names the ambitious tower of Babel (Gen 11:4–5), the defensive towers studding Judah's city walls (2 Chr 26:9–10), the watchman's tower in Isaiah's vineyard parable (Isa 5:2), and — beautifully — the beloved's neck compared to a tower of David hung with shields (Song 4:4). As a place-name element it forms compounds like Migdal-Eder, 'Tower of the Flock' (Mic 4:8). In one striking passage, Ezra reads the Torah from a wooden migdal, a raised platform (Neh 8:4), where the architectural metaphor shifts from military defense to public instruction.
Senses
1. tower, fortified structure — A tall fortified structure for defense, watchkeeping, or urban protection — the primary sense across 44 occurrences. From Babel's hubris (Gen 11:4) to Hezekiah's fortifications (2 Chr 32:5), the tower symbolizes both human ambition and divine refuge (Prov 18:10). Spanish 'torre' and German 'Turm' reflect this consistently. 44×
AR["أَبْرَاجًا","الـ-بُرْج","الْأَبْرَاجَ","الْأَبْرَاجُ","الْأَبْرَاجِ","الْبُرْجِ","بُرْج","بُرْجَ","بُرْجِ","مِنْ-بُرْجِ","وَ-بُرجِ"]·ben["আর-মিনার","থেকে-দুর্গ","দুর্গ","দুর্গগুলিতে","দুর্গের","মিনার","মিনার-থেকে","মিনারগুলোর","মিনারদের","মিনারের"]·DE["Turm","Turm-von","[המגדלים]","[מגדלים]","[ממגדל]","der-Turm","und-von-machte-gross","von-Turm-von","von-machte-gross"]·EN["and-tower-of","from-tower-of","the-tower","the-towers","tower-of","towers"]·FR["[המגדל]","[המגדלות]","[המגדלים]","[ומגדל]","[מגדל]","[מגדלים]","de-tour","de-tour-de","le-tour","tour","tour-de"]·heb["ה-מגדל","ה-מגדלים","ו-מגדל","מ-מגדל","מגדל","מגדלים"]·HI["और-बुर्ज","बुर्जों","मीनार","मीनार-की","मीनार-के","मीनारें","मीनारों","मीनारों-का","से-गुम्मट","से-मीनार","हम्मिग्दाल"]·ID["-menara","dan-menara","dari-menara","menara","menara-menara"]·IT["da-torre-di","e-torre","il-torre","torre","torre-di"]·jav["lan-menara","menara","menara-menara","saking-menara"]·KO["그-망대","그-망대-의","그-망대들","그-망대들을","그-망대에서부터","그리고-망대","망대","망대-","망대-위에","망대들을","망대들이","에서-망대"]·PT["Torre-de","a-torre","as-torres","desde-torre-de","e-torre-de","torre-de","torres"]·RU["башне","башни","башню","башнях","и-башня","от-башни"]·ES["desde-torre-de","la-torre","las-torres","torre-de","torres","y-torre-de"]·SW["hamiּgdaּlwot","kutoka-mnara","kutoka-mnara-wa","kwa-minara","minara","mnara","mnara-wa","na-Mnara-wa"]·TR["de-kulesini","de-kuleyi","kule-o","kuleden","kuleden-","kuleler","kuleleri","kulelerin","kulenin","kulesi","kulesinden-o","kulesini","ve-kulesinin"]·urd["اور-برج","برج","برج-سے","برج-کی۔","برج-کے","برجوں","سے-برج","مینار-کے"]
Gen 11:4, Gen 11:5, Judg 8:9, Judg 8:17, Judg 9:51, Judg 9:52, Judg 9:52, 2 Sam 22:51, 2 Kgs 9:17, 2 Kgs 17:9, 2 Kgs 18:8, 1 Chr 27:25 (+32 more)
2. Migdal (place name element) — The word migdal functioning as part of a proper place name: Migdal-Eder ('Tower of the Flock,' Mic 4:8), Migdal-Gad, Migdal-El. Here the common noun has fossilized into geography. French and Spanish translations often retain the compound ('tour-de-'), preserving the architectural etymology. 5×
AR["بُرْج","بُرْجُ-الْقَطِيعِ","وَ-بُرْج"]·ben["এবং-দুর্গ-","দুর্গ-","দুর্গ-পালের-"]·DE["Turm","Turm-von-","und-Turm-von-"]·EN["and-tower-of-","tower-of-","tower-of-flock"]·FR["et-tour-de-","tour","tour-de-"]·heb["ו-מגדל","מגדל","מגדל-עדר"]·HI["और-मीनार","मीगदल-एदेर","मीनार"]·ID["dan-menara-","menara-","menara-kawanan"]·IT["e-torre-di-","torre","torre-di-"]·jav["Lan-menara-","menara-","menara-pepanthan"]·KO["그리고-망대-","망대-","망대-양떼-의"]·PT["E-torre-de-","Migdal-'Eder","torre-de-"]·RU["Башня-стада","И-башня-","башни-"]·ES["Y-torre-de-","torre-de-","torre-del-rebaño"]·SW["Migdal-Ederi","mnara-wa-","na-mnara-wa-"]·TR["kulesii-sürü'nün","kulesinin","ve-kule"]·urd["اور-برج-","برج-","مینار-ریوڑ-کا"]
3. raised platform, pulpit — A raised wooden platform or podium for public proclamation — used uniquely in Nehemiah 8:4, where Ezra reads Torah to the assembled people. The architectural height of a tower becomes rhetorical elevation. Spanish 'torre de' and the context make clear this is a constructed stage, not a defensive structure. 1×
AR["بُرْجِ-"]·ben["মঞ্চ-"]·DE["von-machte-gross"]·EN["a-tower-of"]·FR["[מגדל]"]·heb["מגדל"]·HI["मंच"]·ID["mimbar-"]·IT["torre"]·jav["panggung"]·KO["망대"]·PT["torre-de-"]·RU["башне"]·ES["torre-de-"]·SW["jukwaa-la"]·TR["kürsüsünün-"]·urd["چبوترا"]
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
† מִגְדָּל n.m. tower, Gn 11:5 + 11 times; cstr. מִגְדַּל Ju 8:17 + 21 times; pl. מִגְדָּלִים 2 Ch 26:9 + 6 times; מִגְדָּלֶיהָ ψ 48:13 Ez 26:4; pl.f. מִגְדָּלוֹת 2 Ch 32:5 + 2 times; cstr. מִגְדְּלוֹת Ct 5:13 (?); sf. מִגְדְּלֹתַיִךְEz 26:9; 27:11;— 1. tower Gn 11:4, 5 Ju 8:9; 9:51(×2), 52(×2) 2 K 9:17; 17:9; 18:8 1 Ch 27:25 2 Ch 14:6; 26:9, 10, 15; 27:4; 32:5 Ne 3:25, 26, 27 Is 2:15; 30:25;…