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;…