← H611 H613 →

אֵסוּר

𐤀𐤎𐤅𐤓

ʼêçûwr

H612 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אסר to bind, tie, restrain, enchain

Definition

A binding, restraint, or fetter; refers specifically to physical means of restraining a person, such as bonds, cords, or shackles, often used for prisoners, captives, or those in custody. In some contexts, denotes the state of being bound or confined, either literally or as a figure of captivity or restraint.

Semantic Range

bond, fetter, manacle, restraint, shackle, means of binding for prisoners or captives; state of being bound or kept in restraint; occasionally, by extension, a place of restraint (prison) but primarily the instrument rather than the institution

Root / Etymology

From the root אָסַר (ʼasar), meaning 'to bind, tie, fetter.' The noun אֵסוּר (ʼêsûr) is a derivative of this root, denoting an object or condition enacted by the root action (i.e., something which binds; a restraint or bond).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אֵסוּר regularly appears in legal and narrative contexts concerning imprisonment, apprehension, or custody (e.g., fetters placed upon captives or prisoners). The term is more concrete than the related noun מַאַסֵּר (ma'ăsēr) or מַסְגֵּר (masgēr), which can carry broader or more institutional connotations (like 'prison' or 'jail'). While English translations often render אֵסוּר as 'bond' or 'fetters,' these translations can obscure the word’s specificity as the implements or symbols of captivity, rather than general imprisonment. In postexilic periods, terminology for prisons and imprisonment evolves, but אֵסוּר preserves its concrete association with restraints. In some passages, the plural may reflect not only multiple bonds but the concept or state of bondage more generally, crossing into metaphor for enforced constraint. The equivalent Greek term in the Septuagint is often δεσμός (desmos, 'bond, chain'). Later Jewish/Hebrew literature expands metaphorical uses, but biblical usage remains primarily physical.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָסַר; a bond (especially manacles of a prisoner); band, [phrase] prison.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

אסר (ʾ-s-r) — bind, tie, restrain, enchain

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4149 מוֹסֵרָה in Binding-places
H4562 מָסֹרֶת in a binding-cord of
H613 אֱסוּר binding-shackle
H615 אָסִיר your bound ones
H616 אַסִּיר bound one

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H612-02 אֱסוּרָ֖י/ו esurayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his bonds his fetters 1
H612-01 אֲסוּרִ֣ים asurim HNcmpa bound ones 1
H612-03 הָ/אֵס֗וּר haesur HTd/Ncmsa of confinement the fetter 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H612-02 Judges 15:14 אֱסוּרָ֖י/ו esurayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his bonds his fetters
H612-03 Jeremiah 37:15 הָ/אֵס֗וּר haesur HTd/Ncmsa of confinement the fetter
H612-01 Ecclesiastes 7:26 אֲסוּרִ֣ים asurim HNcmpa bound ones
← H611 Hebrew Lexicon H613 →