מִסְתּוֹר
𐤌𐤎𐤕𐤅𐤓
miçtôwr
H4563 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A shelter or place of concealment, primarily signifying a hiding place or protective cover from danger, threat, or unfavorable environmental conditions. The term denotes both physical locations used for hiding (such as caves or dense vegetation) and metaphorical security or protection.
Semantic Range
shelter, place of concealment, hiding place, protective cover, refuge, covert, metaphoric security
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root סתר (samekh-tav-resh), which means 'to hide, conceal, cover.' The word מִסְתּוֹר (mistor) is a noun formation referring to a place or means of hiding or concealment. The connection between the root and the noun emphasizes the aspect of providing shelter from sight or harm.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מִסְתּוֹר appears in poetic and prophetic texts (e.g., Isaiah, Jeremiah) often in contexts of seeking safety from enemies or adverse conditions. It may denote any form of cover—natural or constructed—such as a cave, rock formation, thicket, or sheltering structure. It stands in contrast to related terms like מַחֲסֶה (maḥăseh, 'refuge') or סֵתֶר (seter, 'hiding place'), which may emphasize either the act of taking refuge or the experience of secrecy and protection, respectively. The nuance of מִסְתּוֹר tends toward the physical or environmental dimension of a hiding spot. In post-exilic and later literature, its explicit use declines, and synonyms or derivatives may appear. English translations may render it as 'shelter,' 'covert,' or 'hiding place,' but none necessarily captures its full range from immediate physical cover to broader senses of security.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from סָתַר; a refuge; covert.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
סתר (s-t-r) — hide, conceal, cover, keep secret
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4564 | מַסְתֵּר | and as a hiding-place of |
| H4565 | מִסְתָּר | in the hiding-place |
| H5639 | סְתוּר | Hidden One |
| H5641 | סָתַר | I will conceal |
| H5642 | סְתַר | he concealed him |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4563-01 |
וּ/לְ/מִסְתּ֔וֹר | ulemisetor | HC/R/Ncmsa |
and for a shelter | and for a hiding place | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4563-01 |
Isaiah 4:6 | וּ/לְ/מִסְתּ֔וֹר | ulemisetor | HC/R/Ncmsa |
and for a shelter | and for a hiding place |