חָצִיר
𐤇𐤑𐤉𐤓
châtsîyr
H2681 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A courtyard, enclosed space, or open area associated with a dwelling, palace, sanctuary, or other structure. In some contexts, refers to the enclosed area in front of or surrounding a building, including those attached to residences, royal palaces, or temples—especially the outer court of the tabernacle or temple. May sometimes extend to communal or village enclosures.
Semantic Range
courtyard, enclosed area, forecourt, open area around a structure, court attached to temple, royal court, communal enclosure
Root / Etymology
From the root חצר (ḥ-ṣ-r), which carries the sense of 'to surround, enclose, or settle.' חָצִיר (ḥāṣîr) is a noun form denoting the product or result of enclosing—a defined open space or yard, often surrounded by a wall or fence. Distinguished from the root sense meaning 'to settle' or 'to encircle,' the word here designates the specific architectural or spatial entity.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חָצִיר appears in descriptions of residential, royal, and religious architecture throughout the Hebrew Bible. In the wilderness narratives and the accounts of the tabernacle or temple, it typically refers to a sacred enclosure or forecourt, with the sanctuary proper being further enclosed by an inner court or structure. In urban and domestic contexts, it may indicate the open yard surrounded by buildings, walls, or fences, sometimes used for gatherings or activities. The term is distinct from חָצֵר (ḥāṣēr), though the two are closely related; חָצֵר more generally denotes an entire village, settlement, or enclosure for animals, as opposed to the court or yard of a residence or sanctuary designated by חָצִיר. In most English translations, 'court' or 'courtyard' is employed, but these terms do not always capture the range of usages found in the Hebrew text. Over time, the meaning of such spaces shifted from more open village enclosures to defined architectural courts, reflecting evolving settlement patterns and building practices.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a collateral form of חָצֵר; a court or abode; court.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חצר (ḥ-ṣ-r) — to surround, enclose, settle
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1178 | בַּעַל חָצוֹר | Hazor Enclosed-Settlement |
| H2674 | חָצוֹר | in Hazor |
| H2682 | חָצִיר | field herbage |
| H2689 | חֲצֹצְרָה | in the silver trumpets |
| H2690 | חָצַר | the trumpet-sounding ones |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2681-01 |
חָצִ֖יר | chatsir | HNcmsa |
a-court | enclosed courtyard | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2681-01 |
Isaiah 34:13 | חָצִ֖יר | chatsir | HNcmsa |
a-court | enclosed courtyard |