קִיר
𐤒𐤉𐤓
Qir
H7024 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun referring to a fortified city or region named Qîyr, mentioned in prophetic texts as both an origin and destination for exiles and as a location in Moab. In these contexts, it denotes either an Assyrian location associated with Arameans, or a principal city of Moab. The term can also be used more broadly for places marked by fortification, but as a proper name it remains specifically tied to these two geographic entities.
Semantic Range
fortress, walled city, Kir as a proper name for an Assyrian/Aramean city, Kir as a chief city of Moab, fortified place, region of exile or origin, potentially distinct sites in different contexts
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root קיר (q-y-r), meaning 'wall' or 'fortress'. The term as a proper noun appears to use this base meaning to designate a specific walled city or fortified region, either Assyrian (often considered Aramean) or Moabite in varying biblical contexts.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Qîyr (קִיר) appears in the Hebrew Bible notably in prophecies concerning the fate of Aram-Damascus (e.g., Amos 1:5; 9:7; Isaiah 22:6), where it is understood as a place of exile or origin for Arameans, likely situated in the region beyond the Euphrates under Assyrian rule. In Isaiah 15:1 and related passages, Qîyr is referenced as a principal stronghold of Moab (sometimes specified as קִיר־מוֹאָב, 'Kir-Moab'). The term draws upon the general meaning of 'wall' or 'fortified city,' but its biblical usage is always as a proper name tied to specific geopolitical settings. Later tradition (Septuagint, Vulgate, KJV) often renders it simply as 'Kir,' sometimes with geographical explanations. The modern term 'fortified city' captures part of the sense but loses the specificity of the proper noun in the Hebrew context. There is no evidence the term refers to 'Jew(s)' or 'Judean(s)' at any stage; in the Hebrew Bible, it is always a place name, never an ethnonym. Compare קִיר חֶרֶשׂ (Qîyr Chéresh), a distinct but possibly related Moabite city.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as קִיר; fortress; Kir, a place in Assyrian; also one in Moab; Kir. Compare קִיר חֶרֶשׂ.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
קיר (Qir) — wall, fortification, enclose
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7024-03 |
קִ֑ירָ/ה | qirah | HNp/Sd |
to Kir | Qir (Fortress-city) | Qir | 2 |
H7024-01 |
מִ/קִּֽיר | miqir | HR/Np |
from Kir | from Qir | from Qir | 1 |
H7024-02 |
קִיר | qir | HNp |
Kir | wall of | Qir | 1 |
H7024-04 |
וְ/קִ֥יר | veqir | HC/Np |
And Kir | and Qir-fortress | and Qir | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7024-03 |
2 Kings 16:9 | קִ֑ירָ/ה | qirah | HNp/Sd |
to Kir | Qir (Fortress-city) | Qir |
H7024-02 |
Isaiah 15:1 | קִיר | qir | HNp |
Kir | wall of | Qir |
H7024-04 |
Isaiah 22:6 | וְ/קִ֥יר | veqir | HC/Np |
And Kir | and Qir-fortress | and Qir |
H7024-03 |
Amos 1:5 | קִ֖ירָ/ה | qirah | HNp/Sd |
to Kir | Qir (Fortress-city) | Qir |
H7024-01 |
Amos 9:7 | מִ/קִּֽיר | miqir | HR/Np |
from Kir | from Qir | from Qir |