מַעְצָר
𐤌𐤏𐤑𐤓
maʻtsâr
H4623 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A means or characteristic of restraint, control, or restriction; the quality of holding back, restraining, or governing. In context, denotes the exercise of control or restraint, either personally (self-control) or imposed by an outside authority (rule, governance).
Semantic Range
restraint, control, self-control, holding back, rule, restriction, governance (in the sense of exercising restraint)
Root / Etymology
From the root עָצַר (ʿ-ṣ-r), meaning 'to restrain, to hold back, to withhold.' מַעְצָר (maʻtsâr) is a noun formation indicating the state, quality, or means of restraining or controlling.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term מַעְצָר appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, and its meanings are drawn heavily from its root association as well as parallel usage in related Semitic languages. In biblical contexts, the word is most often associated with the act or quality of restraining or holding back—whether applied to self (self-control) or as a description of governance or ruling authority. The semantic breadth makes it different from other Hebrew terms for 'rule' or 'authority,' such as מֶמְשָׁלָה (memshalah, 'dominion') or שָׁלָטוֹן (shalton, 'rulership'), which denote established or formalized rule. מַעְצָר is more focused on the action or capacity of restraint than on structured authority. Standard English translations may render it as 'control,' 'restraint,' or less often 'rule,' but usually lack the nuance of internal versus external control implied in the Hebrew. The term does not carry political or judicial connotations inherent in some other words for rule but leans more toward the idea of detaining, restraining, or exercising measured authority. Usage does not significantly shift between pre-exilic and post-exilic periods; the word's core connotation of restraint remains constant.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עָצָר; subjectively, control; rule.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עצר (ʿ-ṣ-r) — to restrain, to withhold, to prevent, to hold back
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4622 | מַעְצוֹר | hindrance |
| H6113 | עָצָר | he restrained |
| H6114 | עֶצֶר | restraint |
| H6115 | עֹצֶר | from restraint |
| H6116 | עֲצָרָה | festival convocation |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4623-01 |
מַעְצָ֣ר | maetsar | HNcmsa |
control | restraining control | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4623-01 |
Proverbs 25:28 | מַעְצָ֣ר | maetsar | HNcmsa |
control | restraining control |