מְצַד
𐤌𐤑𐤃
mᵉtsad
H4679 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A secure structure or place providing protection or defense, such as a mountain fortress, stronghold, or fortified refuge. The term is used for natural or constructed defensive sites, frequently situated in rocky terrain and often implying inaccessibility and security from enemies. In figurative contexts, it may indicate a place of safety or protection.
Semantic Range
stronghold, mountain fortress, rocky refuge, defensive position (natural or constructed), place of ambush or concealment, secure place, castle
Root / Etymology
From the root צוּד, which at root means 'to hunt, lie in wait, ambush.' The noun מְצַד (and its forms מְצָד, and fem. מְצָדָה) develops from the idea of a place of ambush or concealment, emphasizing security and defensibility, particularly through elevation or ruggedness.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term מְצַד and its variants occur in descriptions of physical fortifications, especially in wilderness or mountainous regions (e.g., caves or mountaintop fastnesses). Such sites were crucial during periods of conflict, notably during the early monarchy when figures such as David sought refuge from pursuers in natural strongholds. Over time, the term could reference both natural and human-made defensive sites. There is overlap in usage with related terms such as מָעוֹז (ma‘oz, 'refuge, fortress') and מִבְצָר (mivtzar, 'walled fortress'), but מְצַד/מְצָדָה tends to emphasize ruggedness or natural inaccessibility rather than formal construction. English translations often render the term as 'stronghold,' 'fortress,' or 'mountain refuge,' but may obscure the implication of natural concealment and security integral to its ancient usage. In the post-exilic period, the term could be reused in new geographic or military contexts, but its core association remained with defensible refuge, especially in difficult terrain. Later, the name Masada (מְצָדָה) for the well-known Hasmonean/Herodian fortress derives from this term, but in the biblical period the word had a more generic meaning.
Translation Consistency
'Stronghold' is the most natural, common English rendering for מְצַד and appears most frequently in the P2 data. It covers the primary senses (mountain fortress, rocky refuge, defensive position, place of concealment) while also working in figurative contexts. 'Stronghold' is neutral between natural and constructed defenses and will yield consistent, natural translations across all forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or מְצָד; or (feminine) מְצָדָה; from צוּד; a fastness (as a covert of ambush); castle, fort, (strong) hold, munition.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
צוד (Tsidon) — to hunt, lie in wait, ambush
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4685 | מָצוֹד | in the hunting-nets |
| H6679 | צוּד | will you hunt? |
| H6718 | צַיִד | hunted-game of |
| H6721 | צִידוֹן | to Tsidon the Fishing-Town |
Word Forms
8 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4679-02 |
בַּ/מְּצָד֔וֹת | bametsadot | HRd/Ncfpa |
in strongholds | in the mountain strongholds | in the mountain strongholds | 2 |
H4679-05 |
לַ/מְצַ֨ד | lametsad | HRd/Ncfsa |
the stronghold | to the ambush-stronghold | to the stronghold | 2 |
H4679-01 |
בַּ/מְצָ֑ד | bametsad | HRd/Ncfsa |
in the stronghold | in the mountain stronghold | in the stronghold | 1 |
H4679-03 |
בִּ/מְצָד֥וֹת | bimetsadot | HR/Ncfpc |
in the strongholds | in strongholds of | in the strongholds | 1 |
H4679-04 |
הַ/מְּצָדֽוֹת | hametsadot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the strongholds | the ambush-strongholds | the ambush-strongholds | 1 |
H4679-06 |
מְצָד֥וֹת | metsadot | HNcfpc |
fortresses | strongholds of | strongholds of | 1 |
H4679-07 |
בַ/מְּצָדוֹת֙ | vametsadot | HRd/Ncfpa |
in the strongholds | in the mountain strongholds | in the mountain strongholds | 1 |
H4679-08 |
וְ/הַ/מְּצָד֖וֹת | vehametsadot | HC/Td/Ncfpa |
and the strongholds | and the mountain strongholds | and the mountain strongholds | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4679-04 |
Judges 6:2 | הַ/מְּצָדֽוֹת | hametsadot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the strongholds | the ambush-strongholds | the ambush-strongholds |
H4679-02 |
1 Samuel 23:14 | בַּ/מְּצָד֔וֹת | bametsadot | HRd/Ncfpa |
in the strongholds | in the mountain strongholds | in the strongholds |
H4679-07 |
1 Samuel 23:19 | בַ/מְּצָדוֹת֙ | vametsadot | HRd/Ncfpa |
in the strongholds | in the mountain strongholds | in the mountain strongholds |
H4679-03 |
1 Samuel 24:1 | בִּ/מְצָד֥וֹת | bimetsadot | HR/Ncfpc |
in the strongholds | in strongholds of | in the strongholds |
H4679-06 |
Isaiah 33:16 | מְצָד֥וֹת | metsadot | HNcfpc |
fortresses | strongholds of | strongholds of |
H4679-08 |
Jeremiah 48:41 | וְ/הַ/מְּצָד֖וֹת | vehametsadot | HC/Td/Ncfpa |
and the strongholds | and the mountain strongholds | and the mountain strongholds |
H4679-02 |
Jeremiah 51:30 | בַּ/מְּצָד֔וֹת | bametsadot | HRd/Ncfpa |
in strongholds | in the mountain strongholds | in the mountain strongholds |
H4679-01 |
1 Chronicles 11:7 | בַּ/מְצָ֑ד | bametsad | HRd/Ncfsa |
in the stronghold | in the mountain stronghold | in the stronghold |
H4679-05 |
1 Chronicles 12:9 | לַ/מְצַ֨ד | lametsad | HRd/Ncfsa |
to the stronghold | to the ambush-stronghold | to the stronghold |
H4679-05 |
1 Chronicles 12:17 | לַ/מְצָ֖ד | lametsad | HRd/Ncfsa |
the stronghold | to the ambush-stronghold | to the stronghold |