מָעוֹז (H4581) — Hebrew Lexicon

מָעוֹז

𐤌𐤏𐤅𐤆

mâʻôwz

H4581 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עזז to be strong, prevail, be firm

Definition

A place or means of safety or protection; a stronghold, refuge, or fortress. The term is used both literally for physical fortifications or secure places, and figuratively for sources of strength, protection, or support, whether military, personal, or divine.

Semantic Range

fortress, stronghold, place of safety, refuge, means of protection, figuratively: source of strength/support, (divine) protection, sometimes 'rock' as metaphor for security

Root / Etymology

From the root עזז (ʿ-z-z), which carries the core meaning of 'being strong' or 'prevailing'. The noun מָעוֹז is derived from this root and denotes that which provides strength or security, hence, a stronghold or refuge.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מָעוֹז appears primarily in poetic and prophetic literature, such as Psalms, Isaiah, Nahum, and Daniel, often in the context of military security or divine protection. In the earliest contexts, it refers to literal fortresses or secure locations (e.g., mountains, hilltop citadels) used for defense. With time, especially in later biblical periods (e.g., Daniel), the term develops significant figurative resonance, denoting Yahweh as the protective stronghold of the Israelites. English translations often render מָעוֹז as 'fortress,' 'refuge,' or 'stronghold,' with some versions occasionally using 'rock,' particularly in parallelism with other words for protection (such as צוּר, 'rock'). The use of מָעוֹז overlaps but is not identical with other terms for refuge (e.g., מַחֲסֶה, 'refuge from harm' or משגב, 'high inaccessible place'). In postbiblical usage, related forms (such as in the Hanukkah hymn 'Maoz Tzur') maintain the sense of divine refuge or protection. The term should be distinguished from generic terms for strength (koach, עֹז [oz]), as מָעוֹז centers on the idea of secure protection rather than generic might.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(also מָעוּז ); or מָעֹז (also מָעֻז; from עָזַז; a fortified place; figuratively, a defence; force, fort(-ress), rock, strength(-en), ([idiom] most) strong (hold).

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Root Family

עזז (ʿ-z-z) — to be strong, prevail, be firm

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4590	מַעַזְיָה	to Yah-is-Refuge
H5794	עַז	strong
H5795	עֵז	in the goats
H5797	עֹז	my strength
H5798	עֻזָּא	in Strength
H5804	עַזָּה	Stronghold-city (Gaza)
H5807	עֱזוּז	might-of
H5808	עִזּוּז	mighty force
H5810	עָזַז	to be strong
H5811	עָזָז	Strong-One
H5812	עֲזַזְיָהוּ	Yahweh-has-strengthened
H5813	עֻזִּי	My Strength
H5814	עֻזִּיָּא	My-Strength-is-Yah
H5817	עׇזִּיאֵלִי	the Uzzielite clansman
H5819	עֲזִיזָא	Aziza
H6560	פֶּרֶץ עֻזָּא	Strength

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H4581-06`	מָע֥וֹז	maoz	`HNcmsc`	stronghold	stronghold of	11
`H4581-14`	מָעֻזּ֗/וֹ	mauzo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his stronghold	his stronghold	3
`H4581-12`	מָעוּזִּ֖/י	mauzi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my strong fortress	my stronghold	3
`H4581-01`	בְּ/מָע֣וֹז	bemaoz	`HR/Ncmsc`	in the protection	in a stronghold of	2
`H4581-13`	מָֽעֻזִּ֔ים	mauzim	`HNcmpa`	fortresses	strongholds	2
`H4581-07`	מָ֣עוּזָּ֔/ם	mauzam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their stronghold	their stronghold	2
`H4581-17`	וּ/מָע֖וֹז	umaoz	`HC/Ncmsa`	and stronghold	and stronghold	2
`H4581-03`	הַ/מָּע֛וֹז	hamaoz	`HTd/Ncmsa`	of this stronghold	the stronghold	2
`H4581-15`	מעז/ה	mzh	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	his fortress	her stronghold	1
`H4581-02`	בְּ/מָעוּזִּ֔/י	bemauzi	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	of my protection	in my stronghold	1
`H4581-04`	לְ/מָע֖וֹז	lemaoz	`HR/Ncmsa`	a stronghold	to a stronghold	1
`H4581-10`	מָעֻזְּ/כֶֽן	mauzekhen	`HNcmsc/Sp2fp`	your stronghold	your stronghold	1
`H4581-05`	לְ/מָעוּזֵּ֖י	lemauzey	`HR/Ncmpc`	toward the strongholds	to strongholds of	1
`H4581-18`	וּ/מָעֻזִּ֛/י	umauzi	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	and-my-stronghold	and my stronghold	1
`H4581-11`	מָעֻזְנֶֽי/הָ	mauzeneyha	`HNcmpc/Sp3fs`	its strongholds	her strongholds	1
`H4581-08`	מָעֻזֵּ֖/ךְ	mauzekhe	`HNcmsc/Sp2fs`	of your refuge	your stronghold	1
`H4581-16`	וּ/לְ/מָע֖וֹז	ulemaoz	`HC/R/Ncmsa`	and-to-stronghold	and to a stronghold	1
`H4581-09`	מָֽעֻזְּ/כֶֽם	mauzekhem	`HNcmsc/Sp2mp`	your strength	your stronghold	1

Occurrences in Scripture

37 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H4581-03`	Judges 6:26	הַ/מָּע֛וֹז	hamaoz	`HTd/Ncmsa`	of this stronghold	the stronghold
`H4581-12`	2 Samuel 22:33	מָעוּזִּ֖/י	mauzi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my strong fortress	my stronghold
`H4581-14`	Isaiah 17:9	מָעֻזּ֗/וֹ	mauzo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his strength	his stronghold
`H4581-08`	Isaiah 17:10	מָעֻזֵּ֖/ךְ	mauzekhe	`HNcmsc/Sp2fs`	of your refuge	your stronghold
`H4581-06`	Isaiah 23:4	מָע֥וֹז	maoz	`HNcmsc`	stronghold	stronghold of
`H4581-11`	Isaiah 23:11	מָעֻזְנֶֽי/הָ	mauzeneyha	`HNcmpc/Sp3fs`	its strongholds	her strongholds
`H4581-10`	Isaiah 23:14	מָעֻזְּ/כֶֽן	mauzekhen	`HNcmsc/Sp2fp`	your stronghold	your stronghold
`H4581-06`	Isaiah 25:4	מָע֥וֹז	maoz	`HNcmsa`	a stronghold	stronghold of
`H4581-06`	Isaiah 25:4	מָע֥וֹז	maoz-2	`HNcmsa`	a stronghold	stronghold of
`H4581-02`	Isaiah 27:5	בְּ/מָעוּזִּ֔/י	bemauzi	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	of my protection	in my stronghold
`H4581-01`	Isaiah 30:2	בְּ/מָע֣וֹז	bemaoz	`HR/Ncmsc`	in the protection	in a stronghold of
`H4581-06`	Isaiah 30:3	מָע֥וֹז	maoz	`HNcmsc`	stronghold	stronghold of
`H4581-18`	Jeremiah 16:19	וּ/מָעֻזִּ֛/י	umauzi	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	and-my-stronghold	and my stronghold
`H4581-07`	Ezekiel 24:25	מָ֣עוּזָּ֔/ם	mauzam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their stronghold	their stronghold
`H4581-06`	Ezekiel 30:15	מָע֣וֹז	maoz	`HNcmsc`	stronghold	stronghold of
`H4581-17`	Joel 4:16	וּ/מָע֖וֹז	umaoz	`HC/Ncmsa`	and stronghold	and stronghold
`H4581-04`	Nahum 1:7	לְ/מָע֖וֹז	lemaoz	`HR/Ncmsa`	a stronghold	to a stronghold
`H4581-06`	Nahum 3:11	מָע֖וֹז	maoz	`HNcmsa`	refuge	stronghold of
`H4581-06`	Psalms 27:1	מָֽעוֹז	maoz	`HNcmsc`	stronghold	stronghold of
`H4581-17`	Psalms 28:8	וּ/מָ֘ע֤וֹז	umaoz	`HC/Ncmsc`	and-stronghold	and stronghold
`H4581-06`	Psalms 31:3	מָ֭עוֹז	maoz	`HNcmsa`	of stronghold	stronghold of
`H4581-12`	Psalms 31:5	מָֽעוּזִּֽ/י	mauzi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my stronghold	my stronghold
`H4581-07`	Psalms 37:39	מָֽ֝עוּזָּ֗/ם	mauzam	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	their stronghold	their stronghold
`H4581-12`	Psalms 43:2	מָֽעוּזִּ/י֮	mauzi	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	of my strength	my stronghold
`H4581-14`	Psalms 52:9	מָֽע֫וּזּ֥/וֹ	mauzo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his stronghold	his stronghold
`H4581-06`	Psalms 60:9	מָע֣וֹז	maoz	`HNcmsc`	stronghold	stronghold of
`H4581-06`	Psalms 108:9	מָע֣וֹז	maoz	`HNcmsc`	stronghold	stronghold of
`H4581-06`	Proverbs 10:29	מָע֣וֹז	maoz	`HNcmsa`	stronghold	stronghold of
`H4581-16`	Daniel 11:1	וּ/לְ/מָע֖וֹז	ulemaoz	`HC/R/Ncmsa`	and-to-stronghold	and to a stronghold
`H4581-01`	Daniel 11:7	בְּ/מָעוֹז֙	bemaoz	`HR/Ncmsc`	into the fortress	in a stronghold of
`H4581-15`	Daniel 11:10	מעז/ה	mzh	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	his fortress	her stronghold
`H4581-14`	Daniel 11:10	מָעֻזּֽ/וֹ	mauzo	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his stronghold	his stronghold
`H4581-05`	Daniel 11:19	לְ/מָעוּזֵּ֖י	lemauzey	`HR/Ncmpc`	toward the strongholds	to strongholds of
`H4581-03`	Daniel 11:31	הַ/מָּעוֹז֙	hamaoz	`HTd/Ncmsa`	and the fortress	the stronghold
`H4581-13`	Daniel 11:38	מָֽעֻזִּ֔ים	mauzim	`HNcmpa`	of fortresses	strongholds
`H4581-13`	Daniel 11:39	מָֽעֻזִּים֙	mauzim	`HNcmpa`	fortresses	strongholds
`H4581-09`	Nehemiah 8:10	מָֽעֻזְּ/כֶֽם	mauzekhem	`HNcmsc/Sp2mp`	your strength	your stronghold

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