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בׇּצְרָה

𐤁𐤑𐤓𐤄

botsrâh

H1223 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בצר to cut off, to fortify, to enclose, to gather (especially grapes)

Definition

A proper noun designating Bozrah, a fortified city, primarily in Edom, and in some instances a term referring to an enclosure for livestock. Its primary usage is as a place name, though secondarily it can refer to a fortified enclosure or sheepfold.

Semantic Range

Bozrah (fortified city in Edom), a fortified city elsewhere, an enclosure for livestock, a sheepfold, a stronghold

Root / Etymology

From the root בָּצַר (b-ts-r), meaning 'to cut off, to fortify, to gather grapes'. The form בׇּצְרָה derives from this root, indicating a place that is 'fortified' or 'enclosed', hence a fortified settlement or an enclosure.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, בׇּצְרָה chiefly refers to the Edomite city of Bozrah, a major regional center in the territory of Edom (see Isaiah 34:6; Jeremiah 49:13, 22; Amos 1:12). In some contexts (e.g., Micah 2:12), the term may be used generically for a sheepfold or enclosure, drawing on the root sense of being enclosed or fortified. The term also appears as a place name in northern Transjordan (Gilead), which has led some scholars to posit more than one Bozrah in the biblical world. English translations frequently render the term as 'Bozrah' (the proper name) or, when contextually appropriate, 'sheepfold'; however, the nuance of strong fortification or being set apart is sometimes lost in these renderings. The use of the term does not inherently signify 'sheepfold' in all cases, and the identification with later concepts of 'fold' or 'pen' should be contextually controlled. The name's meaning, rooted in the idea of fortification or protection, might have influenced its metaphorical use for an enclosure for livestock.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine from בָּצַר; an enclosure, i.e. sheep fold; Bozrah.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בצר (b-ts-r) — to cut off, to fortify, to enclose, to gather (grapes)

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1208 בָּצוֹר the fortified one
H1210 בָּצִיר grape harvest
H1219 בָּצַר made-inaccessible
H1220 בֶּצֶר extracted gold
H1221 בֶּצֶר Fortified-Place

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1223-01 בָּצְרָ֑ה batserah HNcfsa of Bozrah Fortified-Place Bozrah 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1223-01 Micah 2:12 בָּצְרָ֑ה batserah HNcfsa of Bozrah Fortified-Place Bozrah
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