בָּצַר
𐤁𐤑𐤓
bâtsar
H1219 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
To cut off, prune, or harvest, especially in reference to gathering grapes at vintage. In extended usage, to make inaccessible through fortifying, securing, or enclosing. Occasionally, to withhold or restrain access. The term can refer both to the agricultural action of grape-picking and to rendering a place strong or unapproachable by fortification.
Semantic Range
to gather (especially grapes), to harvest, to cut off, to prune, to fortify, to make inaccessible, to restrain, to withhold
Root / Etymology
From the root בצר meaning 'to cut off, harvest, make inaccessible.' The verb form primarily denotes actions of cutting or gathering, particularly during the grape harvest, but by metaphorical extension also describes making something inaccessible or fortified. There is a denominative connection to בָּצִיר (bâtsîr, 'vintage, grape harvest').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In pre-exilic Israelite society, בָּצַר commonly appears in agricultural contexts, specifically regarding grape-harvest (Isaiah 5:2, Judges 9:27). The root concept of 'cutting off' leads to its use in military or defensive scenarios—especially in the sense of fortifying city walls, making towns or strongholds inaccessible by height or strength (Deuteronomy 3:5). This metaphoric extension develops particularly in monarchic and exilic literature. The noun derivative בִּצָּרוֹן (bitsaron) for 'stronghold' shares this sense of firmness or inaccessibility. Standard English translations 'gather,' 'fortify,' or 'make inaccessible' only partially express the semantic range; the term's agricultural and military connotations reflect a common biblical pattern of root extension. Post-exilic usage tends to favor derivatives rather than the verb form. The term should not be confused with other verbs for 'fortify' (e.g., חזק), which often imply strengthening rather than enclosing or making inaccessible by separation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to clip off; specifically (as denominative from בָּצִיר); to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e. inaccessible by height or fortification); cut off, (de-) fenced, fortify, (grape) gather(-er), mighty things, restrain, strong, wall (up), withhold.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בצר (b-ṣ-r) — cut off, harvest, make inaccessible
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1208 | בָּצוֹר | the fortified one |
| H1210 | בָּצִיר | grape harvest |
| H1220 | בֶּצֶר | extracted gold |
| H1221 | בֶּצֶר | Fortified-Place |
| H1222 | בְּצַר | gold |
Word Forms
16 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1219-02 |
בְּצֻר֤וֹת | betsurot | HAafpa |
fortified | fortified ones | 9 |
H1219-05 |
הַ/בְּצֻר֖וֹת | habetsurot | HTd/Aafpa |
the fortified | the fortified ones | 7 |
H1219-11 |
וּ/בְצוּרֹ֖ת | uvetsurot | HC/Aafpa |
and fortified | and fortified ones (feminine) | 3 |
H1219-01 |
בְּצוּרָה֙ | betsurah | HAafsa |
fortified | made-inaccessible | 3 |
H1219-15 |
יִבָּצֵ֣ר | yibatser | HVNi3ms |
can-be-thwarted | he will be made inaccessible | 2 |
H1219-03 |
בֹּֽצְרִים֙ | botserim | HVqrmpa |
grape-gatherers | grape-harvesters | 2 |
H1219-10 |
תִבְצֹ֑ר | tivetsor | HVqi2ms |
you gather | you harvest | 2 |
H1219-14 |
בְצוּרָֽה | vetsurah | HAafsa |
fortified | fortified one | 2 |
H1219-13 |
וְ/הַ/בְּצֻר֔וֹת | vehabetsurot | HC/Td/Aafpa |
and-the-fortified | and the fortified ones | 1 |
H1219-07 |
לְ/בַצֵּ֖ר | levatser | HR/Vpc |
to fortify | to harvest fully | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
38 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1219-15 |
Genesis 11:6 | יִבָּצֵ֣ר | yibatser | HVNi3ms |
will be restrained | he will be made inaccessible |
H1219-10 |
Leviticus 25:5 | תִבְצֹ֑ר | tivetsor | HVqi2ms |
you shall gather | you harvest |
H1219-09 |
Leviticus 25:11 | תִבְצְר֖וּ | tivetseru | HVqi2mp |
you-shall-gather | you will harvest |
H1219-02 |
Numbers 13:28 | בְּצֻר֤וֹת | betsurot | HAafpa |
fortified | fortified ones |
H1219-11 |
Deuteronomy 1:28 | וּ/בְצוּרֹ֖ת | uvetsurot | HC/Aafpa |
and fortified | and fortified ones (feminine) |
H1219-02 |
Deuteronomy 3:5 | בְּצֻר֛וֹת | betsurot | HAafpa |
fortified | fortified ones |
H1219-11 |
Deuteronomy 9:1 | וּ/בְצֻרֹ֖ת | uvetsurot | HC/Aafpa |
and fortified | and fortified ones (feminine) |
H1219-10 |
Deuteronomy 24:21 | תִבְצֹר֙ | tivetsor | HVqi2ms |
you gather | you harvest |
H1219-13 |
Deuteronomy 28:52 | וְ/הַ/בְּצֻר֔וֹת | vehabetsurot | HC/Td/Aafpa |
and-the-fortified | and the fortified ones |
H1219-02 |
Joshua 14:12 | בְּצֻר֔וֹת | betsurot | HAafpa |
fortified | fortified ones |