מְגוּרָה
𐤌𐤂𐤅𐤓𐤄
mᵉgûwrâh
H4035 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place of storage, especially for grain; by extension, sometimes used to denote a barn or granary. In other contexts, the word denotes dread, terror, or fearful anxiety. The primary lexical sense relates to either a physical repository for grain or an abstract experience of fearful emotion, dependent on context.
Semantic Range
storehouse, granary, barn; dread, fear, terror, anxiety
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root גּוּר (gur), which carries core senses of 'to sojourn' or 'to dwell as a temporary resident,' but is also associated by extension with the concept of fear or apprehension due to the unsettled nature of sojourning. The word מְגוּרָה (megûrâh) is formed as a feminine noun, signifying either a place of storage (granary, barn) or, in some instances, a state or place of fear.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מְגוּרָה appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and is notable for its dual meanings. In some texts, particularly in the former prophets and Ketuvim, it refers concretely to a storehouse or collection area for agricultural produce (see Joel 1:17). Elsewhere, particularly in poetic contexts (e.g., Isaiah 23:11), it denotes the state or experience of terror or anxiety. This duality may originate from the idea that sojourning (גּוּר) carries inherent insecurity (hence 'dread') and also reflects a mobile community's need for safe storage of food (hence 'granary'). English translations often select one sense or the other based on context, but may not capture the term's full semantic range. The association with 'fear' in some translations is informed by its cognate forms and context. There are other Hebrew words for storehouse (אָצָר, מַאֲסֵף) and for fear (פַּחַד, אֵימָה), but מְגוּרָה uniquely bridges the two senses through its root associations. The usage does not appear to shift dramatically in post-exilic literature, though the word itself is rare.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of מָגוֹר or of מָגוּר; a fright; also a granary; barn, fear.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גור (g-w-r) — to sojourn, dwell temporarily, fear, be apprehensive
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1481 | גּוּר | I will sojourn |
| H1482 | גּוּר | Sojourn! |
| H1483 | גּוּר | Gur |
| H1484 | גּוֹר | his den-dwelling cubs |
| H1616 | גֵּר | in the resident-foreigner |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4035-02 |
וּ/מְגֽוּרֹתָ/ם֙ | umegurotam | HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp |
their fears | their granaries | 1 |
H4035-01 |
בַּ/מְּגוּרָ֔ה | bamegurah | HRd/Ncfsa |
in the barn | in the granary | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4035-02 |
Isaiah 66:4 | וּ/מְגֽוּרֹתָ/ם֙ | umegurotam | HC/Ncfpc/Sp3mp |
their fears | their granaries |
H4035-01 |
Haggai 2:19 | בַּ/מְּגוּרָ֔ה | bamegurah | HRd/Ncfsa |
in the barn | in the granary |