מָצוֹר
𐤌𐤑𐤅𐤓
Matsor
H4692 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state of being besieged or surrounded—primarily referring to the act or condition of a military siege, including the encompassing of a city or stronghold by hostile forces, and by extension, the distress or hardship resulting from such confinement. It may also denote a physical structure used in siege operations (such as a mound or rampart built against defenses), or figuratively, the condition of severe oppression or constraint.
Semantic Range
siege, act of surrounding, state of being besieged, siegeworks, siege mound, bulwark (in context of siege), distress or hardship (figurative), fastness (rare, by extension)
Root / Etymology
From the root צוּר (tswr), meaning 'to press, bind, enclose, lay siege.' The word מָצוֹר is a noun formation expressing a place, situation, or object relating to surrounding and hemming in. The alternate form מָצוּר reflects the same root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מָצוֹר is most frequently encountered in contexts referring to literal sieges of cities—instances where enemies surround and isolate an urban center, cutting off supplies to force surrender (cf. Deuteronomy 20:19, 2 Kings 25:2, Isaiah 29:3). The word can denote both the event of siege and, sometimes, the engineering tools or constructions (such as siege mounds or ramparts) used during the campaign. Less often, it serves as a figure of severe distress or constriction (e.g., Isaiah 29:7). Standard English translations usually render it as 'siege,' 'bulwark,' 'fortress,' or 'stronghold,' but the term does not refer to permanent fortifications unless in an extended or figurative sense; rather, its core semantic focus is on a temporary, enclosing act or condition. In later periods, especially in prophetic and poetic books, its usage broadens metaphorically to states of hardship or affliction, reflecting the distress associated with siege conditions. The term is distinct from other Hebrew words for fortress or stronghold (e.g., מִבְצָר, עִיר מָצוּרָה), which denote established defensive structures rather than the dynamic act or situation of being surrounded.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or מָצוּר; from צוּר; something hemming in, i.e. (objectively) a mound (of besiegers), (abstractly) a siege, (figuratively) distress; or (subjectively) a fastness; besieged, bulwark, defence, fenced, fortress, siege, strong (hold), tower.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צור (ṣ-w-r) — press, bind, enclose, lay siege
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1049 | בֵּית צוּר | Rock |
| H4693 | מָצוֹר | besieged stronghold |
| H4694 | מְצוּרָה | the fortified places |
| H6676 | צַוַּאר | her nape |
| H6677 | צַוָּאר | in the binding-neck |
Word Forms
8 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4692-05 |
מָצ֗וֹר | matsor | HNcmsa |
siege | siege | 10 |
H4692-02 |
בְּ/מָצוֹר֙ | bematsor | HR/Ncmsa |
in the siege | in a siege | 5 |
H4692-01 |
בַּ/מָּצֽוֹר | bamatsor | HRd/Ncmsa |
under siege | in the siege | 5 |
H4692-08 |
בַ/מָּצוֹר֙ | vamatsor | HRd/Ncmsa |
in-the-siege | in the siege | 2 |
H4692-03 |
הַ/מָּצ֑וֹר | hamatsor | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the siege | the siege | 1 |
H4692-04 |
לְ/מָצ֖וֹר | lematsor | HR/Ncmsa |
for defense | for a siege | 1 |
H4692-06 |
מְצ֤וֹר | metsor | HNcmsc |
siege | siege of | 1 |
H4692-07 |
מְצוּרֶֽ/ךָ | metsurekha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your-siege | your siege | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
26 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4692-01 |
Deuteronomy 20:19 | בַּ/מָּצֽוֹר | bamatsor | HRd/Ncmsa |
in the siege | in the siege |
H4692-05 |
Deuteronomy 20:20 | מָצ֗וֹר | matsor | HNcmsa |
siegeworks | siege |
H4692-02 |
Deuteronomy 28:53 | בְּ/מָצוֹר֙ | bematsor | HR/Ncmsa |
in the siege | in a siege |
H4692-02 |
Deuteronomy 28:55 | בְּ/מָצוֹר֙ | bematsor | HR/Ncmsa |
in-siege | in a siege |
H4692-02 |
Deuteronomy 28:57 | בְּ/מָצוֹר֙ | bematsor | HR/Ncmsa |
in the siege | in a siege |
H4692-01 |
2 Kings 24:10 | בַּ/מָּצֽוֹר | bamatsor | HRd/Ncmsa |
under siege | in the siege |
H4692-01 |
2 Kings 25:2 | בַּ/מָּצ֑וֹר | bamatsor | HRd/Ncmsa |
under siege | in the siege |
H4692-01 |
Jeremiah 10:17 | בַּ/מָּצֽוֹר | bamatsor | HRd/Ncmsa |
in the siege | in the siege |
H4692-02 |
Jeremiah 19:9 | בְּ/מָצוֹר֙ | bematsor | HR/Ncmsa |
in-siege | in a siege |
H4692-01 |
Jeremiah 52:5 | בַּ/מָּצ֑וֹר | bamatsor | HRd/Ncmsa |
into the siege | in the siege |