H4869a H4869a
A high refuge, stronghold — an elevated place of safety, used overwhelmingly as a metaphor for God as protector.
Denotes an elevated, inaccessible fortress or refuge, derived from the root sagav ('to be high, exalted'). While it can describe a physical stronghold — Isaiah calls Moab's fortified walls a misgav that will be brought low (Isa 25:12) — its dominant use is metaphorical: the Psalms apply it to God as the believer's high refuge no fewer than twelve times. The word appears in dense clusters of trust language alongside terms like 'rock,' 'fortress,' and 'shield,' most notably in Psalm 18:2 (= 2 Sam 22:3) and the refrain of Psalms 46 and 59. Its doubling in Psalm 9:9 — 'The LORD is a misgav for the oppressed, a misgav in times of trouble' — makes it a signature term of the Psalter's theology of divine protection. Spanish 'refugio-alto/baluarte,' French 'citadelle,' and German 'Festung' all capture the sense of elevated security.
Senses
1. high refuge, fortress — An elevated stronghold or high refuge, used literally for a physical fortress (Isa 25:12; 33:16) but overwhelmingly as a metaphor for God's protective shelter. The Psalms employ it as a title for God in trust poetry: 'The LORD is a high refuge for the oppressed' (Ps 9:9), and it appears alongside 'rock,' 'fortress,' and 'shield' in David's thanksgiving (2 Sam 22:3; Ps 18:2). The refrain 'the God of Jacob is our misgav' anchors Psalms 46:7, 11 and echoes through Psalms 59:9, 16–17; 62:2, 6; 94:22; 144:2. Spanish 'refugio-alto/baluarte' and French 'citadelle' reflect the elevated-refuge metaphor. 16×
AR["حِصْنًا", "مَلجَأً", "مَلجَأُ-العالي", "مَلْجَأً", "مَلْجَأُنا", "مَلْجَأُهُ", "مَلْجَأِ", "مَلْجَأِي"]·ben["আমার-উঁচু-দুর্গ", "আমার-উচ্চ-দুর্গ", "আমার-উচ্চ-স্থান", "উচ্চ", "উচ্চ-দুর্গ", "উচ্চ-স্থান-আমার", "তার-গড়", "দুর্গ-", "প্রতি-দুর্গ"]·DE["[משגב]", "[משגבו]", "ein-Festung", "ein-Zuflucht", "ein-stronghold", "ist-mein-Festung", "mein-Festung", "mein-stronghold", "wie-ein-stronghold"]·EN["a-fortress", "a-refuge", "a-stronghold", "as-a-stronghold", "his-refuge", "is-my-fortress", "my-fortress", "my-stronghold", "of-the-height"]·FR["[משגב]", "[משגבו]", "de-citadelle", "mon-forteresse", "à-citadelle"]·heb["ל-משגב", "משגב", "משגב-", "משגב-י", "משגבו", "משגבי", "משגבי-"]·HI["उसका-शरणस्थान-होगा", "ऊंचाई-की", "के-लिए-ऊँचा-गढ़", "गढ़", "मेरा-ऊँचा-गढ़", "मेरा-ऊंचा-गढ़", "मेरा-गढ़", "मेरी-ऊँचाई", "शरण-के-रूप-में", "शरण-हमारी", "शरणस्थान"]·ID["benteng", "kubu-yang-tinggi", "perlindungannya", "tempat-berlindung", "tempat-perlindunganku-yang-tinggi", "tempat-tinggi-ku"]·IT["[משגב]", "[משגבו]", "a-fortezza", "fortezza", "la-mia-fortezza", "mio-fortezza"]·jav["Panjenengan-badhé-moyok-moyoki", "benteng-inggil", "bumi", "bètèng-ingkang-inggil", "lan", "pangauban-kula", "pangayoman", "pangayoman-ingkang-inggil-kawula", "pangayomanipun", "pangungsian", "pangungsian-kula", "papan-dhuwur-kula"]·KO["-요새-로", "그의-높은-곣이요", "나-의-요새-이시도다", "나의-높은-요새", "나의-높은-피난처시라", "높은-요새-가", "높은-요새-로", "높은-요새여", "높이의", "요새-가"]·PT["altura-de", "como-refúgio", "fortaleza", "meu-alto-refúgio", "minha-fortaleza", "minha-torre-alta", "por-fortaleza", "refúgio", "seu-refúgio"]·RU["высота-моя", "высоты", "как-крепость", "крепость-", "прибежищем", "твердыней", "твердыня-моя", "убежище-его", "убежище-мое"]·ES["baluarte-de", "baluarte-mío", "como-refugio-alto", "mi-altura", "mi-baluarte", "mi-fortaleza", "mi-refugio-alto", "por-baluarte", "refugio", "refugio-alto", "refugio-alto-", "su-refugio"]·SW["kimbilio-lake", "kimbilio-langu", "kuwa-ngome", "ngome", "ngome-yangu", "ngome-yetu", "ya-juu"]·TR["kale", "kalem", "siginiagi", "sığınak", "sığınak-", "sığınak-olarak", "sığınağım", "yuksekligini", "yükseğim"]·urd["اونچا-قلعہ", "اونچی", "اُس-کی-پناہ", "قلعہ", "قِلعہ", "قِلعہ-میرا", "میری-پناہ", "میری-پناہ-گاہ", "پناہ-کے-طور-پر", "پناہ-گاہ"]
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
† I. מִשְׂגָּב n.[m. AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 60] secure height, retreat;—מ׳ ψ 9:10 +; cstr. מִשְׂגַּב Is 25:12; sf. מִשְׂגַּבִּי ψ 18:3 +, etc.;— 1. a. = stronghold, מִבְצַר מ׳ חֹמֹתֶיךָ Is 25:12. b. fig. of security Is 33:16. 2. fig. of God as refuge ψ 9:10(×2), 18:3 = 2 S 22:3, ψ 46:8, 12; 48:4; 59:10, 17, 18; 62:3, 7; 94:22; 144:2.