עֶצֶר
𐤏𐤑𐤓
ʻetser
H6114 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A condition or act of restraint, restraint or constraint; in context, can refer to a restricting influence, official holding back, or limitation imposed; when used in certain administrative or judicial contexts, denotes one exercising authority to impose restraint, thus a magistrate or official exerting control over a situation or person.
Semantic Range
restraint, constraint, limitation, restriction; official imposing restraint, magistrate
Root / Etymology
From the root עצר, which primarily means 'to restrain, withhold, hold back.' The noun עֶצֶר is derived from this root and directly conveys the sense of something that acts as a restraint or restrictions imposed by one in authority.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עֶצֶר occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible and its meaning is derived by context and association with the more frequently attested verb עצר ('to restrain, hold back'). In some passages, it refers more abstractly to restraint or restriction generally, while in others, particularly in administrative or judicial settings (e.g. Zechariah 7:2, where the term is rendered as 'magistrate' in some translations), it takes on a more concrete sense of an office or role—the official empowered to impose restraint. The word, therefore, covers both the general concept of limitation and the specific agent of such limitation. Contrast with other terms for officials or rulers (e.g. שׁוֹפֵט 'judge,' נָשִׂיא 'leader'), עֶצֶר uniquely emphasizes the restraining function. English translations such as 'magistrate' can sometimes narrow the term unduly, missing its root sense of 'restraint.' Its use fades following the biblical period, with later Hebrew preferring more specific legal and administrative terminology.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עָצָר; restraint; [phrase] magistrate.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עצר (ʿ-ṣ-r) — restrain, hold back, confine, prevent
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4622 | מַעְצוֹר | hindrance |
| H4623 | מַעְצָר | restraining control |
| H6113 | עָצָר | he restrained |
| H6115 | עֹצֶר | from restraint |
| H6116 | עֲצָרָה | festival convocation |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6114-01 |
עֶ֔צֶר | etser | HNcmsa |
of restraint | restraint | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6114-01 |
Judges 18:7 | עֶ֔צֶר | etser | HNcmsa |
of restraint | restraint |