עִיר (H5892) — Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר

𐤏𐤉𐤓

H5892 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A permanent settlement characterized by fixed dwellings and some form of organized communal life; generally a city or town as distinct from the open country. The term ranges from large, fortified urban centers to smaller, enclosed settlements, and in some instances can even denote encampments or outlying enclosed habitations. Implies some degree of societal organization or protection.

Semantic Range

city, town, walled settlement, fortified place, encampment, court, urban center, place of vigilance

Root / Etymology

From the root עוּר (ʿ-w-r), meaning 'to be awake, to arouse.' The connection between the root and the noun is thought to be because cities were places of alertness or watchfulness, likely due to their need for vigilance and protected status. However, this connection is debated and the precise semantic development is somewhat uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, עִיר is the standard term for a populated and enclosed settlement, distinguishing it from חָצֵר (ḥāṣēr, 'village, enclosure') and קִרְיָה (qiryāh, also 'city,' but sometimes denoting a larger or more politically significant settlement). עִיר occurs throughout all periods of Israelite history, from the patriarchal narratives (Genesis) where cities such as Sodom and Gomorrah appear, through the monarchy and exile, where fortified cities (עִיר מְבֻצָּרָה) play a major role in military strategy, to the post-exilic era. Its scope varies in size, so in some contexts it refers to small walled towns (e.g., the Levitical cities) while in others it describes major urban centers (e.g., Jerusalem or Babylon). The term does not inherently distinguish between ethnic, political, or cultic function, and its exact sociopolitical meaning depends upon context. English 'city' or 'town' only partially capture the full range of meanings; 'city' tends to evoke large, modern urban life, whereas biblical עִיר can refer to settlements with far fewer inhabitants and resources. In translation traditions, especially KJV, 'city' is sometimes used where 'settlement' or 'town' might give a more accurate sense.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (in the plural) עָר; or עָיַר; (Judges 10:4), from עוּר; a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post); Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

עיר (Ir) — to awake, be alert, arouse

Root עיר to awake, be alert, arouse

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H5900	עִירוּ	Iru City-man
H5901	עִירִי	and City-Dweller
H5902	עִירָם	Iram
H6144	עָר	Ar

Word Forms

65 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H5892-21`	הָ/עִ֖יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city	311
`H5892-25`	עִ֑יר	ir	`HNcfsa`	city	watchful settlement	city	134
`H5892-04`	עָרֵ֣י	arey	`HNcfpc`	cities	settlements of	cities of	94
`H5892-09`	עָרִ֔ים	arim	`HNcfpa`	cities	guarded settlements	cities	78
`H5892-23`	הֶ/עָרִ֥ים	hearim	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the cities	the cities	the cities	70
`H5892-10`	בָּ/עִ֖יר	bair	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the city	in the settlement	in the city	45
`H5892-12`	בְּ/עָרֵ֣י	bearey	`HR/Ncfpc`	in the cities	in cities of	in cities of	37
`H5892-18`	בְּ/עִ֣יר	beir	`HR/Ncfsc`	in the city	in a guarded settlement of	in the city	37
`H5892-33`	לָ/עִ֔יר	lair	`HRd/Ncfsa`	the city	to the settled city	to the city	26
`H5892-30`	עִיר֖/וֹ	iro	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his city	his settlement-city	his city	22
`H5892-45`	מֵ/עִ֥יר	meir	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the city	from a settlement	from a city	20
`H5892-52`	בָ/עִ֔יר	vair	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the city	in the vigilant settlement	in the city	20
`H5892-60`	וְ/הָ/עִיר֙	vehair	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	and the city	and the fortified settlement	and the city	19
`H5892-06`	עָרֵי/הֶ֖ם	areyhem	`HNcfpc/Sp3mp`	their cities	their settlements	their cities	15
`H5892-14`	בְּ/עָרֵי/הֶ֑ם	beareyhem	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp`	in their cities	in their settlements	in their cities	9
`H5892-50`	וּ/בְ/עָרֵ֣י	uvearey	`HC/R/Ncfpc`	and in cities	and in the fortified cities of	and in the cities of	9
`H5892-61`	וְ/הֶֽ/עָרִים֙	vehearim	`HC/Td/Ncfpa`	and-the-cities	and the settled towns	and the cities	9
`H5892-62`	בְ/עִ֗יר	veir	`HR/Ncfsa`	and city	city of	and city	9
`H5892-22`	הָ/עִ֑ירָ/ה	hairah	`HTd/Ncfsa/Sd`	the city	toward the city	to the city	8
`H5892-05`	עָרֶ֔י/הָ	areyha	`HNcfpc/Sp3fs`	its cities	her settlements	her cities	7
`H5892-41`	מֵ/עָרֵ֣י	mearey	`HR/Ncfpc`	from cities	from cities of	from cities of	7
`H5892-54`	וְ/עָרֵ֥י	vearey	`HC/Ncfpc`	and cities	and settlements of vigilance	and settlements of vigilance	7
`H5892-59`	וְ/עָרִ֥ים	vearim	`HC/Ncfpa`	and cities	and fortified settlements	and cities	7
`H5892-03`	עָרָי/ו֙	arayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	his cities	his cities	his cities	6
`H5892-07`	עָרֶ֗י/ךָ	areykha	`HNcfpc/Sp2ms`	your cities	your settlements	your cities	6
`H5892-17`	בֶּ/עָרִ֤ים	bearim	`HRd/Ncfpa`	in the cities	in cities	in cities	5
`H5892-08`	עָ֣רֵי/כֶ֔ם	areykhem	`HNcfpc/Sp2mp`	your cities	your settlements	your cities	4
`H5892-11`	בְּ/עָרָ֔י/ו	bearayv	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3ms`	on his cities	in his settlements	in his cities	4
`H5892-38`	לְ/עִ֥יר	leir	`HR/Ncfsa`	a city	to a fortified settlement of	to a city of	4
`H5892-44`	מֵ/הֶ֣/עָרִ֔ים	mehearim	`HR/Td/Ncfpa`	from the cities	from the cities	from the cities	4
`H5892-53`	וְ/עָרָ֔י/ו	vearayv	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp3ms`	and its cities	and his guarded cities	and its cities	4
`H5892-55`	וְ/עָרֶ֨י/הָ֙	veareyha	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	and her cities	and her cities	and her cities	4
`H5892-27`	עִירָ֖/ם	iram	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their city	their city	their city	3
`H5892-34`	לְ/עָרֵ֪י	learey	`HR/Ncfpc`	to cities	to urban settlements of	to urban settlements of	3
`H5892-37`	לֶ/עָרִ֑ים	learim	`HRd/Ncfpa`	by cities	to settlements	to settlements	3
`H5892-39`	לְ/עִירֽ/וֹ	leiro	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	to his city	to his watchful city	to his city	3
`H5892-43`	מֵ/הָ/עִ֣יר	mehair	`HR/Td/Ncfsa`	from the city	from the city	from the city	3
`H5892-56`	בְ/עָרֵי/הֶ֖ם	veareyhem	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp`	and their cities	and their cities	and their cities	3
`H5892-02`	עָרַ֥יִ/ךְ	arayikhe	`HNcfpc/Sp2fs`	your cities	your settlements	your settlements	2
`H5892-15`	בְּ/עָ֣רֵי/כֶ֔ם	beareykhem	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp2mp`	in your cities	in your watchful settlements	in your cities	2
`H5892-20`	בְּ/עִיר֔/וֹ	beiro	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	in his city	in his city-settlement	in his city	2
`H5892-29`	עִירִ/י֙	iri	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my city	my city	my city	2
`H5892-31`	כֶּ/עָרִ֖ים	kearim	`HRd/Ncfpa`	like-cities	like cities	like cities	2
`H5892-32`	כְּ/עִ֥יר	keir	`HR/Ncfsa`	like a city	like a guarded settlement	like a city	2
`H5892-40`	מֵֽ/עָרָ֖י/ו	mearayv	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3ms`	from its cities	from his settlements	from his settlements	2
`H5892-42`	מֵ/עָ֣רֵי/הֶ֔ם	meareyhem	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp`	from-cities-their	from their fortified settlements	from their cities	2
`H5892-47`	מֵֽ/עִיר/וֹ֙	meiro	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	from his city	from his city	from his city	2
`H5892-01`	עָרַ֖/י	aray	`HNcfpc/Sp1cs`	My cities	my cities	my cities	1
`H5892-13`	בְּ/עָרֶֽי/הָ	beareyha	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	in its cities	in her settlements	in her cities	1
`H5892-16`	בֶּ/עָרֵ֗י/נוּ	beareynu	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp1cp`	in our cities	our settled towns	in our cities	1
`H5892-19`	בְּ/עִירִ֔/י	beiri	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp1cs`	in my city	in my city	in my city	1
`H5892-24`	ה/עיר	hyr	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the city	alert settlement	the city	1
`H5892-26`	עִירָ֤/הּ	irah	`HNcfsc/Sp3fs`	of her city	her city	her city	1
`H5892-28`	עִירְ/ךָ֖	irekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your city	your city	your city	1
`H5892-35`	לְ/עָרֶ֨י/הָ֙	leareyha	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3fs`	to its cities	to her cities	to its cities	1
`H5892-36`	לְ/עָרֵי/הֶֽם	leareyhem	`HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp`	to-cities-their	to their cities	to their cities	1
`H5892-46`	מֵ/עִֽירְ/ךָ֥	meirekha	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	from your city	from your settlement	from your city	1
`H5892-48`	וּ/לְ/עָרֵ֤י	ulearey	`HC/R/Ncfpc`	and to the cities	and to the cities of	and to the cities of	1
`H5892-49`	וּ/בְ/עָרָ֔י/ו	uvearayv	`HC/R/Ncfpc/Sp3ms`	and in its cities	and in his cities	and in its cities	1
`H5892-51`	וּ/בְ/עִיר֑/וֹ	uveiro	`HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	and in his own city	and in his city	and in his city	1
`H5892-57`	וְ/עָרֶ֖י/ךָ	veareykha	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp2ms`	and your cities	and your guarded cities	and your cities	1
`H5892-58`	וְ/עָרֵי/כֶ֖ם	veareykhem	`HC/Ncfpc/Sp2mp`	and-your-cities	and your settlements	and your cities	1
`H5892-63`	בְ/עִיר/וֹ֙	veiro	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	in his city	in his city	in his city	1
`H5892-64`	וְ/לֶ/עָרִ֣ים	velearim	`HC/Rd/Ncfpa`	and to the cities	and to cities	and to cities	1
`H5892-65`	ב/עיר	vyr	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the city	fortified settlement	the city	1

Occurrences in Scripture

1095 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H5892-25`	Genesis 4:17	עִ֔יר	ir	`HNcfsa`	a city	watchful settlement	watchful settlement
`H5892-21`	Genesis 4:17	הָ/עִ֔יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the city	the watchful settlement	the watchful settlement
`H5892-25`	Genesis 10:11	עִ֖יר	ir	`HNp`	Ir	watchful settlement	Ir
`H5892-21`	Genesis 10:12	הָ/עִ֥יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-25`	Genesis 11:4	עִ֗יר	ir	`HNcfsa`	a city	watchful settlement	city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 11:5	הָ/עִ֖יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 11:8	הָ/עִֽיר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-12`	Genesis 13:12	בְּ/עָרֵ֣י	bearey	`HR/Ncfpc`	in the cities	in cities of	in the cities of
`H5892-21`	Genesis 18:24	הָ/עִ֑יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 18:26	הָ/עִ֑יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 18:28	הָ/עִ֑יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the watchful settlement
`H5892-21`	Genesis 19:4	הָ/עִ֜יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-10`	Genesis 19:12	בָּ/עִ֑יר	bair	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the city	in the settlement	in the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 19:14	הָ/עִ֑יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 19:15	הָ/עִֽיר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-33`	Genesis 19:16	לָ/עִֽיר	lair	`HRd/Ncfsa`	the city	to the settled city	to the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 19:20	הָ/עִ֨יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 19:21	הָ/עִ֖יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 19:22	הָ/עִ֖יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-23`	Genesis 19:25	הֶ/עָרִ֣ים	hearim	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the cities	the cities	the cities
`H5892-23`	Genesis 19:25	הֶ/עָרִ֔ים	hearim-2	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the cities	the cities	the cities
`H5892-04`	Genesis 19:29	עָרֵ֣י	arey	`HNcfpc`	the cities	settlements of	the cities of
`H5892-23`	Genesis 19:29	הֶ֣/עָרִ֔ים	hearim	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the cities	the cities	the cities
`H5892-30`	Genesis 23:10	עִיר֖/וֹ	iro	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his city	his settlement-city	his settlement-city
`H5892-30`	Genesis 23:18	עִירֽ/וֹ	iro	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his city	his settlement-city	his city
`H5892-25`	Genesis 24:10	עִ֥יר	ir	`HNcfsc`	the city	watchful settlement	city
`H5892-33`	Genesis 24:11	לָ/עִ֖יר	lair	`HRd/Ncfsa`	the city	to the settled city	the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 24:13	הָ/עִ֔יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 26:33	הָ/עִיר֙	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the city	the watchful settlement	the watchful settlement
`H5892-21`	Genesis 28:19	הָ/עִ֖יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-25`	Genesis 33:18	עִ֣יר	ir	`HNcfsc`	to the city	watchful settlement	settlement
`H5892-21`	Genesis 33:18	הָ/עִֽיר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the settlement
`H5892-27`	Genesis 34:20	עִירָ֑/ם	iram	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	of their city	their city	their city
`H5892-27`	Genesis 34:20	עִירָ֖/ם	iram-2	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their city	their city	their city
`H5892-30`	Genesis 34:24	עִיר֑/וֹ	iro	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his city	his settlement-city	his city
`H5892-30`	Genesis 34:24	עִירֽ/וֹ	iro-2	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his city	his settlement-city	his city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 34:25	הָ/עִ֖יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 34:27	הָ/עִ֑יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-10`	Genesis 34:28	בָּ/עִ֛יר	bair	`HRd/Ncfsa`	in the city	in the settlement	in the settlement
`H5892-23`	Genesis 35:5	הֶֽ/עָרִים֙	hearim	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the cities	the cities	the cities
`H5892-30`	Genesis 36:32	עִיר֖/וֹ	iro	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his city	his settlement-city	of his city
`H5892-30`	Genesis 36:35	עִיר֖/וֹ	iro	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his city	his settlement-city	his city
`H5892-30`	Genesis 36:39	עִיר֖/וֹ	iro	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his city	his settlement-city	his city
`H5892-17`	Genesis 41:35	בֶּ/עָרִ֖ים	bearim	`HRd/Ncfpa`	in the cities	in cities	in the cities
`H5892-17`	Genesis 41:48	בֶּ/עָרִ֑ים	bearim	`HRd/Ncfpa`	in the cities	in cities	in the cities
`H5892-21`	Genesis 41:48	הָ/עִ֛יר	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-21`	Genesis 44:4	הָ/עִיר֮	hair	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the city	the watchful settlement	the city
`H5892-22`	Genesis 44:13	הָ/עִֽירָ/ה	hairah	`HTd/Ncfsa/Sd`	to the city	toward the city	toward the city
`H5892-37`	Genesis 47:21	לֶ/עָרִ֑ים	learim	`HRd/Ncfpa`	to the cities	to settlements	to settlements
`H5892-04`	Exodus 1:11	עָרֵ֤י	arey	`HNcfpc`	cities of	settlements of	settlements of

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