מָצוֹר
𐤌𐤑𐤅𐤓
Matsor
H4693 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place under siege, siege itself, or a fortified stronghold; also used as a designation for Egypt, likely due to its border or boundary associations. In general, the term can refer to either the act of laying siege, the state of being besieged, or the structures associated with fortification and defense. In certain contexts, it is employed as a proper name for Egypt, relating to its boundary position relative to the land of Canaan.
Semantic Range
siege, besieged place, state of siege, stronghold, fortification, boundary, border; as a toponym: Egypt (in its sense as a bordering/boundary land)
Root / Etymology
From the root צור (צ-ו-ר), meaning 'to bind, confine, enclose, press in, besiege.' The noun מָצוֹר is derived from this root and originally denotes 'siege,' 'enclosure,' or 'fortress.' When applied as a toponym, it refers to Egypt, likely due to its geographic role as a boundary or border nation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In its primary sense, מָצוֹר is used in biblical texts to refer to sieges or the act of besieging cities (e.g., Ezekiel 4:2, Isaiah 29:3). The word emphasizes the sense of confinement and pressure characteristic of a siege operation. In prophetic and poetic passages, מָצוֹר also comes to designate Egypt, particularly in texts where Egypt's position as the southern neighbor (and border) to Canaan is the focus (e.g., Isaiah 19:6; 37:25), often reflecting a sense of geographical or political boundary. When used as a toponym for Egypt, English translations sometimes render this as 'Egypt,' though the underlying Hebrew retains an association with fortification or boundary. The use of מָצוֹר distinguishes itself from מִצְרַיִם (Miṣrayim), the standard ethnonym for Egypt, by emphasizing this border/fortress nuance. No evidence suggests the term explicitly referred to Egypt's fortifications or walls during the biblical period; rather, the sense is metaphorical or geographic. Later Jewish traditions sometimes blend the usages but in biblical context, they should be distinguished. Use shifts from primarily a military term (monarchic period) to a geographical designation (prophetic and exilic/post-exilic texts).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as מָצוֹר in the sense of a limit; Egypt (as the border of Palestine); besieged places, defense, fortified.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צור (ṣ-w-r) — bind, press in, enclose, besiege
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1049 | בֵּית צוּר | Rock |
| H4692 | מָצוֹר | in the siege |
| H4694 | מְצוּרָה | the fortified places |
| H6676 | צַוַּאר | her nape |
| H6677 | צַוָּאר | in the binding-neck |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4693-01 |
מָצֽוֹר | matsor | HNp |
of Egypt | besieged stronghold | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4693-01 |
2 Kings 19:24 | מָצֽוֹר | matsor | HNp |
of Egypt | besieged stronghold |
H4693-01 |
Isaiah 19:6 | מָצ֑וֹר | matsor | HNp |
of Egypt | besieged stronghold |
H4693-01 |
Isaiah 37:25 | מָצֽוֹר | matsor | HNp |
of Egypt | besieged stronghold |
H4693-01 |
Micah 7:12 | מָצוֹר֙ | matsor-2 | HNp |
Egypt | besieged stronghold |