מָצוֹר (ma.tsor)
ma.tsor
siege
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 16 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mātṣôr refers to a siege or the physical structures built to maintain one. It describes the enclosures, ramps, and trenches constructed by an attacking army to cut off a city’s supplies and force its surrender. The word appears sixteen times in the Old Testament, with significant usage in Jeremiah and II Chronicles, where it depicts the grim reality of war.
Its root sense relates to binding or enclosing, highlighting the total isolation intended for the besieged population. In Jeremiah 32:24, the prophet uses the term to describe the Babylonian siege works surrounding Jerusalem, emphasizing that the city’s walls could not withstand the external pressure. The term often carries a theological weight in prophetic literature, serving as a tangible sign of God’s judgment against disobedience.
Translators typically render mātṣôr as "siege" or "siege works," capturing both the military action and the physical fortifications involved. This distinction helps readers visualize the historical context of ancient warfare, where victory depended not just on battle but on attrition and confinement. The word reminds modern readers of the severe consequences of conflict and the vulnerability of urban centers in the ancient Near East.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mātṣôr describes the heavy, enclosing pressure of a siege—ramps, trenches, and walls built to cut off all supply lines until surrender becomes the only option. In ancient times, this meant total isolation, where hope dwindled with every passing day and resources vanished. When Jeremiah 10:17 calls people to gather their wares because they live under siege, it captures a moment of profound vulnerability and uncertainty.
Yet even in these darkest hours of confinement and fear, Scripture reminds us that God sees the trapped city. The siege was often a tangible sign of judgment, but it also revealed the depth of human dependence on divine protection. When walls crumble and food runs out, faith shifts from relying on strength to trusting in presence. This word invites us to consider how we respond when life feels enclosed by circumstances beyond our control.
Perhaps you face a season where progress seems blocked, resources are scarce, and the way forward is unclear. The biblical experience of siege does not promise immediate escape, but it does affirm that God is near in the distress. We can bring our fears, our questions, and our exhaustion to Him, knowing He hears the cries of those who wait.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 16 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in/ [the] siege4×
- in <the>/ state of siege4×
- in the/ siege2×
- to/ fortification1×
- siege work[s]1×
- in/ siege1×
- fortification1×
- a fortification1×
- [the] fortification1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בְּ/מָצוֹר֙4×
- בַּ/מָּצֽוֹר\׃2×
- בַּ/מָּצ֑וֹר2×
- מָצ֗וֹר1×
- מָצ֖וֹר1×
- מָצ֔וֹר1×
- מָצ֑וֹר1×
- לְ/מָצ֖וֹר1×
- בַּ/מָּצֽוֹר\׃\ \ס1×
- בְּ/מָצ֖וֹר1×
- בַ/מָּצ֖וֹר1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 10:17
Gather up your wares out of the land, you who live under siege.
This verse directly addresses those living under siege, highlighting the immediate need to prepare for isolation and scarcity.
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II Kings 25:2
So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
The prolonged nature of the siege against Jerusalem underscores the severity of the judgment and the endurance required.
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Deuteronomy 20:19
When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them; for you may eat of them. You shall not cut them down, for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged by you?
This commandment shows that even in the midst of military encirclement, God’s concern for creation and restraint remains active.
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Jeremiah 19:9
I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters. They will each eat the flesh of his friend in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies, and those who seek their life, will distress them.”’
The graphic imagery here emphasizes the extreme desperation and horror that can accompany a prolonged siege.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does mātṣôr mean in the Bible?
Why is this word significant in Jeremiah?
How is a siege different from a battle?
Does this word appear in the New Testament?
Every Occurrence (16 verses across 6 books)
Deuteronomy 5 verses
When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by…
Deuteronomy 20:20Only the trees that you know are not trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down. You shall build bulwarks…
Deuteronomy 28:53You will eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, whom Yahweh your God has given…
Deuteronomy 28:55so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he will eat, because he has nothing left to…
Deuteronomy 28:57toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she bears; for she will eat them…