מִשְׂגָּב (mis.gav)
mis.gav
high refuge; Misgab
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun misgab denotes a high place that serves as a secure height or retreat. It conveys the idea of a stronghold where one can find safety from danger, often describing a physical elevation used for defense. In several passages in Psalms and Isaiah, it functions metaphorically to describe God Himself as a refuge, emphasizing His role as a protector who offers stability and shelter to those in distress.
While the term generally refers to a geographical feature like a mountain peak or fortified hill, it appears once as a proper noun in Jeremiah 48:1. There, Misgab is identified as a specific location in Moab, likely named for its elevated terrain. This dual usage highlights how the word bridges the physical reality of high ground with the spiritual concept of divine protection, illustrating how ancient readers understood safety both in landscape and in faith.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When life feels unstable, the human instinct is often to seek solid ground. The Hebrew word misgab captures this longing by describing a high place used for defense—a stronghold where one stands above the chaos below. In the ancient world, elevation meant safety from attackers and a clearer view of approaching danger. This imagery helps us understand how biblical writers viewed God not as a distant observer, but as an accessible fortress.
Scripture frequently uses this physical reality to describe spiritual truth. When Psalms call God our misgab, they are saying that He provides stability when our circumstances are shaking. It is a reminder that safety does not come from our own strength or cleverness, but from resting in the character of the Creator. This image invites us to look up rather than around, finding peace in a protection that cannot be breached by fear or failure.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- refuge/ my2×
- the/ stronghold1×
- refuge/ his1×
- [the] refuge of1×
- <into>/ a refuge1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִשְׂגַּבִּ֪/י1×
- מִשְׂגַּבִּ/י֙1×
- מִשְׂגַּבּ֑/וֹ1×
- מִשְׂגַּ֣ב1×
- לְ/מִשְׂגָּ֑ב1×
- הַ/מִּשְׂגָּ֖ב1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 94:22
But Yahweh has been my high tower, my God, the rock of my refuge.
This verse explicitly links Yahweh to the concept of a high tower, establishing God as the primary source of security for the believer.
-
II Samuel 22:3
God is my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My savior, you save me from violence.
David uses this term alongside 'rock' and 'shield' to describe his personal experience of divine deliverance from violence.
-
Isaiah 33:16
he will dwell on high. His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks. His bread will be supplied. His waters will be sure.
Here the word describes the dwelling place of the righteous, suggesting that moral integrity provides a secure height against fear.