מֻצָּב (muts.tsav)
muts.tsav
entrenchment
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun muttsav refers to a physical fortification, specifically a palisade or entrenchment built for defense. It describes the sturdy posts or stakes driven into the ground to create a barrier against attack. This term appears only once in the entire Hebrew Bible, located in Isaiah 29:3.
In that single occurrence, the prophet uses the word to illustrate God’s judgment on Jerusalem. The imagery suggests a city surrounded by siege works, emphasizing its vulnerability and the certainty of its impending capture. The concrete nature of the word highlights the tangible reality of the threat facing the inhabitants.
Because it is so rare, the term carries significant weight through its context alone. It serves as a vivid metaphor for divine intervention in history, reminding readers that human defenses cannot withstand the purposes described in Scripture. The scarcity of the word underscores the specific and urgent nature of Isaiah’s message to Judah.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word muttsav describes a sturdy barrier of stakes driven into the ground for defense. In Isaiah 29:3, it appears as part of a vivid picture of siege works surrounding Jerusalem. This imagery reminds us that human fortifications are temporary and fragile when compared to divine sovereignty.
For your faith life, this word offers comfort rather than fear. It shows that no matter how strong the walls around you seem, or how tight the circumstances may feel, God remains in control. You do not need to build impenetrable defenses for your heart; He is your secure place.
When anxiety rises because of external pressures, remember that true safety comes from trusting in His purposes. The same power that can surround a city with stakes can also dismantle every barrier that keeps you from peace. Rest in the knowledge that you are held by One who sees all threats and acts with perfect justice and love.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- siege-works1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מֻצָּ֔ב1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 29:3
I will encamp against you all around you, and will lay siege against you with posted troops. I will raise siege works against you.
This verse uses muttsav to describe the siege works God raises against Jerusalem, illustrating that even human defenses cannot withstand His sovereign judgment.