H4581 H4581
Fortress, stronghold; refuge or place of safety (often of God); strength or protective power as abstract quality.
The Hebrew noun maoz (from the root meaning 'to be strong' or 'to seek refuge') spans the spectrum from physical citadel to theological metaphor. In its most frequent use, it names literal fortresses and strongholds -- the fortified place Gideon was to build on (Judg 6:26), the citadels of Tyre that the LORD commands destroyed (Isa 23:11), and Daniel's mysterious 'fortresses of a foreign god' (Dan 11:38-39). Yet the Psalms transform maoz into one of Scripture's most intimate metaphors for divine protection: 'The LORD is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life' (Ps 27:1). Spanish fortaleza, French forteresse, and German Festung all preserve the architectural metaphor, while Hindi and Arabic shift toward abstract 'refuge' vocabulary when the referent is clearly God rather than stone walls. A thin third sense abstracts the word entirely -- Nehemiah's declaration that 'the joy of the LORD is your strength' (Neh 8:10) uses maoz for protective power rather than place.
Senses
1. fortress, stronghold — A physical fortress, stronghold, or fortified place -- a military or architectural structure providing defense. This primary sense (25 occurrences) encompasses Gideon's altar-stronghold (Judg 6:26), the fortresses of Tyre and Sidon (Isa 23:11, 14), the military strongholds in Daniel's apocalyptic visions (Dan 11:10, 38-39), and the celebratory 'God is our fortress' in Psalm 108:8 where the metaphor retains architectural concreteness. Spanish fortaleza, French forteresse, and German Festung converge on the fortification reading. 25×
AR["(حِصْنِهِ)","الْحِصُونِ","الْحِصْنَ","الْحِصْنِ","بِـ-حِصْنِ","حِصن","حِصْنًا","حِصْنٌ","حِصْنَ","حِصْنَهُمْ","حِصْنُ","حِصْنُ-","حِصْنُكُمْ","حِصْنِهِ","وَ-لِـ-حِصْنٍ","وَ-مَعْقِلٌ","وَحِصْنٌ"]·ben["-দুর্গ","-দুর্গে","[তার-দুর্গ]","এই-দুর্গের","এবং-দুর্গ","ও-দুর্গ-রূপে","তার-দুর্গের","তোমাদের-দুর্গ","দুর্গ","দুর্গ-","দুর্গ-তাদের","দুর্গগুলির","দুর্গে-","সুরক্ষিত"]·DE["Festung","[ומעוז]","der-Festung","der-stronghold-von","in-der-Festung","ist-der-stronghold-von-","und-Festung","und-der-Zuflucht-von","von-Kraft"]·EN["[ketiv:his-fortress]","a-stronghold","and-stronghold","and-the-refuge-of","and-to-be-a-fortress","fortresses","his-refuge","in-fortress-of","in-the-refuge","is-the-stronghold-of-","stronghold-of","strongholds","the-fortress","the-refuge","the-stronghold","the-stronghold-of","their-stronghold","your-stronghold"]·FR["dans-forteresse","de-forteresse","et-de-forteresse","et-refuge","forteresse","le-forteresse","refuge","מעוז"]·heb["[מעוזה]","ב-מעוז","ה-מעוז","ו-ל-מעוז","ו-מעוז","וּ-מעוֹז","מעוז","מעוז-","מעוזו","מעוזים","מעוזכן","מעוזם"]·HI["[उसके-गढ़]","उसके-गढ़-के","और-गढ़","और-गढ़-","और-गढ़-के-लिए","गढ़","गढ़-","गढ़-की","गढ़ों-के","तुम्हारा-गढ़","दृढ़-स्थान","में-गढ़"]·ID["Perlindungan","[bentengnya]","benteng","benteng-benteng","dalam-perlindungan","dan-benteng","dan-untuk-menjadi-benteng","ke-dalam-benteng","kubu","kubu-pertahanan-mereka","kubumu","perlindungan","pertahanan","pertahanannya"]·IT["da-Gaza","e-fortezza","e-rifugio","fortezza","il-stronghold","rifugio","un-stronghold"]·jav["beteng","beteng-","beteng-beteng","beteng-ipun","beteng-panjenengan-sedaya","betengipun","bènteng-piyambakipun-sedaya","bètèng","dhateng-beteng-ipun","ing-beteng","kuwating","lan-benteng","lan-betèng","lan-kangge-nulungi"]·KO["[신명기]","그-요새를","그들의-요새를","그리고-에-요새로","그리고-요새-가-되시리라","그리고-요새-이시라","그의-요새의","너희의-요새가","에-요새에","요새","요새-이다","요새-이시라","요새가","요새들을","요새들의","요새의"]·PT["Fortaleza","[sua-fortaleza]","a-fortaleza","e-a-fortaleza-de","e-fortaleza","e-para-fortaleza","em-fortaleza-de","fortaleza","fortaleza-de","fortaleza-do","fortalezas","fortes","na-fortaleza-do","sua-fortaleza","vossa-fortaleza","é-a-fortaleza-de","é-a-força"]·RU["[кере]","в-крепость","в-убежище-","и-для-опоры","и-крепость","и-укрепление","крепостей","крепость","крепость-","крепость-ваша","крепостью","твердынь","твердыню","твердыня","убежища-его","убежище-","укрепления"]·ES["[fortaleza-su]","en-fortaleza-de","en-la-fortaleza-de","fortaleza","fortaleza-de","fortaleza-de-ellos","fortalezas","la-fortaleza","su-fortaleza","vuestra-fortaleza","y-fortaleza","y-fortaleza-de","y-para-fortaleza"]·SW["[ngome-yake]","katika-ngome","na-kumlinda","na-ngome","na-ngome-ya","ngome","ngome-ya","ngome-yao","ngome-yenu","wa-ngome","ya-ngome-yake","za-ngome"]·TR["[kalesine]","al","be-kalesine","ha-kaleyi","kale","kalelerin","kalelerini","kaleniz","kalesi","kalesinde","kalesinin","sığınağı-","ve-kale","ve-le-sığınak","ve-sığınak"]·urd["[قدیم]","اور-قلعہ-ہے","اور-پناہ-گاہ","اور-کو-پناہ-گاہ","اُس-کی-پناہ-کے","تمہارا-قلعہ","قلعوں-کے","قلعہ","قلعہ-اُن-کا","قلعے-میں","قلعے-کو","قلعے-کی","قوت-ہے","مضبوط","میں-قلعے","پناہ"]
2. refuge, place of safety — A place of refuge or safety, used metaphorically of God as a personal shelter and protector for the righteous. Ten occurrences cluster in the Psalms: 'The LORD is my fortress' (Ps 31:2, 4), 'He is a stronghold for the oppressed' (Ps 37:39), 'You are my God of refuge' (Ps 43:2), and the foundational confession in 2 Sam 22:33. Spanish mi fortaleza, French ma forteresse, and German mein Zuflucht shift from architectural to personal-relational vocabulary. The distinction from sense 1 is the shift from a defensible place to a trustworthy Person. 10×
AR["بِحِصْنِي","حِصْني","حِصْنَهُ","حِصْنُهُم","حِصْنِكِ","مَعْقِلِي","مَلْجَأً","مَلْجَأٍ","مَلْجَأِي","وَ-حِصْنِي"]·ben["আমার-আশ্রয়","আমার-দুর্গ","আমার-দুর্গে","আর-আমার-দুর্গ","আশ্রয়","আশ্রয়-আমার","আশ্রয়-তার","তাদের-আশ্রয়","তোমার-আশ্রয়ের","দুর্গ"]·DE["Festung","ihr-Zuflucht","mein-Zuflucht","mein-refuge","sein-Zuflucht","sind-mein-Zuflucht","stronghold","und-Festung","von-Kraft"]·EN["a-refuge","and-my-fortress","are-my-refuge","his-refuge","my-refuge","of-My-refuge","stronghold","their-refuge","your-refuge"]·FR["de-forteresse","et-forteresse","forteresse","mon-refuge","refuge"]·heb["ב-מעוזי","ו-מעוזי","מעוז","מעוז-ו","מעוז-י","מעוז-ם","מעוזך"]·HI["और-मेरा-गढ़","गढ़","गढ़-उनका","गढ़-मेरी-को","तेरे-गढ़-के","मेरा-गढ़","शरण-अपनी","शरण-मेरी-की","शरणस्थान","शरणस्थान-मेरा"]·ID["dan-benteng-ku","kekuatanku","pada-perlindungan-Ku","perlindungan","perlindunganmu"]·IT["e-fortezza","fortezza","il-mio-rifugio","mio-rifugio","rifugio"]·jav["badhé-nyepeng","benteng-kula","beteng-panjenengan","ing-pangayoman-Kawula","lan-bètèng-Kawula","pangayoman","pangayoman-kula","pangayoman-tiyang-punika","pangungsen"]·KO["그-의-요새-로","그들-의-요새-가","그리고-내-요새이시여","나-의-요새","나의-요새","나의-요새를","내-요새-의","너의-요새의","요새","요새-를"]·PT["como-sua-fortaleza","e-minha-fortaleza","em-Minha-fortaleza","minha-fortaleza","refúgio","sua-fortaleza","tua-fortaleza","és-minha-fortaleza"]·RU["за-убежище-Моё","и-твердыня-моя","крепости","крепости-моей","крепость-их","крепость-моя","крепостью-своей","убежища-твоего","убежище"]·ES["a-mi-fortaleza","fortaleza","fortaleza-mía","mi-fortaleza","mi-refugio","refugio","su-fortaleza","tu-refugio","y-fortaleza-mi"]·SW["kimbilio","na-ngome-yangu","ngome-yake","ngome-yangu","ngome-yao","wa-ngome-yako"]·TR["siginiagima","siginigin","sığınak","sığınakları","sığınağı","sığınağım","sığınağımsın","sığınağımın","ve-kalem"]·urd["اور-میرا-قلعہ","اُن-کی-پناہ","اپنی-پناہ","اپنی-پناہ-کی","میری-پناہ-کا","میری-پناہ-گاہ","میری-پناہ-گاہ-ہے","میرے-قلعے-کو","پناہ","پناہ-گاہ"]
3. strength, protection — Abstract strength or protective power, emphasizing might and capability rather than a physical location or a personal refuge. Only 2 occurrences carry this purely abstract reading: Nehemiah's declaration 'the joy of the LORD is your strength' (Neh 8:10), and the affirmation of Psalm 60:7 where maoz names God's sovereign protective power over his people. Spanish fortaleza de vosotros and German Stronghold-von shift toward 'strength' rather than 'fortress,' confirming the abstraction. 2×
AR["حِصنُ","قُوَّتُكُمْ"]·ben["তোমাদের-শক্তি","দুর্গ"]·DE["[מעזכם]","ist-der-stronghold-von"]·EN["is-the-stronghold-of","is-your-strength"]·FR["[מעזכם]","de-forteresse"]·heb["מעוז","מעזכם-כם"]·HI["टोप","तुम्हारी-शक्ति"]·ID["kekuatanmu"]·IT["[מעזכם]","rifugio"]·jav["Panjenengan","kakiyatan-panjenengan-sadaya"]·KO["너희의-요새","보호하는"]·PT["fortaleza-de-vós","força-de"]·RU["крепость","укрепление-ваше"]·ES["fortaleza-de","fortaleza-de-vosotros"]·SW["ngao","nguvu-yenu"]·TR["gücünüzdür","kale-"]·urd["تمہاری-قوت","قِلعہ"]
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×)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
† מָעוֹז n.m. Ju 6:26 place or means of safety, protection (MT sfs. as if from עזז, but prob. erron., cf. BuhlLex 13 Ges§ 85 k);—מ׳ abs. Ju 6:26 +, cstr. Is 30:2 +; sf. מָעוּזִי 2 S 22:33 (but read הַמְּאַזְּרֵנִי as ‖ ψ 18:33), מָעוּזִּי ψ 31:5 +, מָעֻזּי Is 27:5 +, מָעוּזּוֹ ψ 52:9 +, מָעֻזֹּה Dn 11:10, etc. (read proposes מְעוֹזִי, etc.); pl. מָעֻזִּים v 38, 39, sf. מָעֻזְּנֶיהָ Is 23:11, read…