בִּצָּרוֹן
𐤁𐤑𐤓𐤅𐤍
bitstsârôwn
H1225 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A fortified place, stronghold, or defensive structure designed for protection or security; used for both literal fortifications such as towers, citadels, or walled enclosures, and metaphorically for safety or security in a broader sense. The term specifically connotes a place of strength and inaccessibility, often in contexts relating to military defense or refuge from enemies.
Semantic Range
fortress, stronghold, fortified place, citadel, metaphorical security, place of defense
Root / Etymology
From the root בָּצַר (batsar), meaning 'to cut off, fortify, make inaccessible.' The noun בִּצָּרוֹן (bitstsârôn) is a morphological derivative, emphasizing the intensive or concrete aspect of the underlying root idea; thus, it refers not merely to defense in general but to a specific, tangible stronghold or fortress.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term בִּצָּרוֹן appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible (notably in Isaiah 17:9, Isaiah 29:7, Judges 6:2), primarily in poetic or prophetic texts, describing literal fortified places (often as something abandoned or destroyed in judgment) or using such imagery figuratively (e.g., of human security that is ultimately fleeting). Compared to related words such as מָעוֹז (ma'oz, 'refuge, fortress') or מִבְצָר (mivtzar, 'fortified city'), בִּצָּרוֹן tends to emphasize the aspect of being cut off or inaccessible more than inhabited urban fortresses. In translation, 'stronghold' often captures the main sense but may obscure the original nuance of isolation or impenetrability. The use of this term remains largely consistent across the periods in which it appears, with little evidence of significant semantic development over time. Later translations and commentaries occasionally render it with terms associated with spiritual safety or security; such renderings should be evaluated in context and not retrojected into earlier usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
masculine intensive from בָּצַר; a fortress; stronghold.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בצר (b-ṣ-r) — cut off, make inaccessible, fortify
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1208 | בָּצוֹר | the fortified one |
| H1210 | בָּצִיר | grape harvest |
| H1219 | בָּצַר | made-inaccessible |
| H1220 | בֶּצֶר | extracted gold |
| H1221 | בֶּצֶר | Fortified-Place |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1225-01 |
לְ/בִצָּר֔וֹן | levitsaron | HR/Ncmsa |
to the stronghold | fortified stronghold | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1225-01 |
Zechariah 9:12 | לְ/בִצָּר֔וֹן | levitsaron | HR/Ncmsa |
to the stronghold | fortified stronghold |