H4679 H4679
A mountain stronghold or fortress; a defensive refuge in rocky, inaccessible terrain used for military or survival shelter.
Refers to a fortified place of refuge, typically situated in rugged, mountainous terrain. In the period of the Judges, Israelites hid from Midianite raiders in such mountain fastnesses (Judg 6:2), and David famously sheltered from Saul in the strongholds of the Judean wilderness (1 Sam 23:14, 29). The English "stronghold" and Spanish "fortaleza" both capture the defensive character, while the construct phrase with "rocks" (Is 33:16) emphasizes the natural, cliff-hewn nature of these refuges. The term also designates the Jebusite citadel that David captured and made his capital (1 Chr 11:7).
Senses
1. stronghold, fortress — A naturally fortified position in mountainous or rocky terrain used as a place of military refuge or hiding. The wilderness strongholds where David evaded Saul (1 Sam 23:14, 19) and the mountain caves of Judges 6:2 are paradigmatic examples. English glosses like 'strongholds' and Spanish 'fortalezas' consistently render this as a defensive shelter. The construct with 'rocks' (Is 33:16) underscores the geological character of these fastnesses, while the citadel of Jerusalem (1 Chr 11:7) represents a more urban, permanent fortification. 10×
AR["الحِصْن", "الْمَعاقِلَ", "حُصُونُ", "فِي-الحِصْن", "فِي-الْحُصُونِ", "فِي-حُصُونِ", "لِلْحِصْن", "وَالْحُصُونُ"]·ben["-দুর্গে", "এবং-দুর্গগুলি", "দুর্গগুলি", "দুর্গগুলিতে", "দুর্গগুলো", "দুর্গগুলোতে", "দুর্গে"]·DE["[במצד]", "[במצדות]", "[והמצדות]", "[למצד]", "[מצדות]", "der-Festungen", "in-der-strongholds", "in-strongholds-von"]·EN["and-the-strongholds", "in-strongholds-of", "in-the-fortress", "in-the-strongholds", "strongholds", "the-stronghold", "the-strongholds", "to-the-stronghold"]·FR["[במצד]", "[במצדות]", "[והמצדות]", "[למצד]", "[מצדות]", "dans-le-strongholds", "dans-strongholds-de", "le-strongholds"]·heb["ב-ה-מצדות", "ב-מצד", "ב-מצדות", "ה-מצדות", "ו-ה-מצדות", "ל-מצד", "מצדות"]·HI["और-गढ़", "गढ़", "गढ़-के-लिए", "गढ़-में", "गढ़ियाँ", "गढ़ों-में"]·ID["benteng", "dan-kubu-kubu-pertahanan", "di-kubu-kubu", "di-kubu-kubu-pertahanan", "di-kubu-pertahanan", "ke-kubu-pertahanan", "kubu-kubu", "kubu-pertahanan"]·IT["[במצד]", "[במצדות]", "[והמצדות]", "[למצד]", "[מצדות]", "il-strongholds", "in-fortezze-di", "in-il-fortezze"]·jav["benteng", "bètèng", "ing-betèng-betèng", "ing-bètèng", "ing-bètèng-bètèng", "lan-bèntèng-bèntengipun"]·KO["그-요새", "그리고-요새들이", "에-그-요새", "에-요새-에서", "에-요새들에서", "요새들에", "요새들에서", "요새들을", "요새들이"]·PT["a-fortaleza", "as-fortalezas", "e-as-fortalezas", "fortalezas-de", "na-fortaleza", "nas-fortalezas", "nas-fortalezas-de", "para-a-fortaleza"]·RU["в-крепости", "в-крепость", "в-крепостях", "в-убежищах", "и-твердыни", "крепости", "крепости-", "укрепления"]·ES["a-la-fortaleza", "en-fortalezas-de", "en-la-fortaleza", "en-las-fortalezas", "fortalezas-de", "la-fortaleza", "las-fortalezas", "y-las-fortalezas"]·SW["katika-ngome", "katika-ngome-za", "kwa-ngome", "na-ngome", "ngome"]·TR["-kalelerde", "de-kaleleri", "kalede", "kalelerde", "kaleleri", "kaleye", "ve-kaleler"]·urd["اور-قلعے", "قلعوں", "قلعوں-میں", "قلعے", "قلعے-میں", "قلعے-کو"]
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
† מְצָד, מְצַד n.f. Je 48:41 fastness, stronghold (prop. hunting-place?);—abs. מְצָד 1 Ch 11:7; 12:6, מְצַד 12:8; pl. abs. מְצָדוֹת 1 S 23:14 +, cstr. id. v 29 (Gi, 24:1 van d. H. Baer), Is 33:16;— 1. mountain-fastness Ju 6:2 1 S 23:14, 19, 19 (v. supr.), Ez 33:27; 1 Ch 12:8(9), 16(17); מְצָדוֹת סְלָעִים Is 33:16. 2. more gen., stronghold Je 48:41; 51:30; Ez 19:9 (Baer Gi van d. H. מְצֹדוֹת id.…