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2 Kings 25:2 — Word Study

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WLCוַתָּבֹ֥א הָעִ֖יר בַּמָּצ֑וֹר עַ֚ד עַשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃

BSAAnd the cityʻîyr [town, urban settlement] was keptbôwʼ under siegemâtsôwr [besieged, shut in by forces] untilʻad Kingmelek [royal ruler, monarch] Zedekiah’sTsidqîyâh [Jehovah is righteous] eleventhʻashtêy yearshâneh [period of time, annual cycle]

Word
Listen & take away2 Kings 25
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (tzid.ki.Ya.hu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Kings 25:2quick helps
In a sentenceThe city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
Where we areThis verse describes the siege of Jerusalem during the reign of Zedekiah.
The hard wordמָצוֹר
Take awayThe city endured a prolonged siege, highlighting the dire circumstances of the time.
7 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott, AdamClarke & more — read them › clause verbבּוֹא The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 2 Kings 25:2

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Siege of Jerusalemgenerated

1So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it.
2And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year.
3By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food.
4Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah,

2 Kings 25:2 describes the critical moment when Jerusalem was under siege, marking a significant event in the history of Judah. This siege, initiated by Nebuchadnezzar, would lead to dire consequences for the city and its inhabitants, culminating in the eventual fall of Jerusalem. The context is set against the backdrop of Zedekiah's reign, illustrating the political and military tensions of the time.


Cross References


The Key Word מָצוֹר, ba.ma.Tzorgenerated

The word מָצוֹר (matsowr) refers to a siege or a state of being besieged. It indicates a situation where a city is surrounded and cut off by enemy forces, often leading to starvation and desperation within the walls. The term emphasizes both the physical act of besieging and the resultant distress experienced by those inside the city.

This noun is used in various contexts throughout the Bible to describe military encampments and fortifications. In this verse, it captures the gravity of Jerusalem's plight as it faced a relentless assault, underscoring the dire situation during King Zedekiah's reign.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the meaning of the siege in this verse.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the sentence is וַתָּבֹ֥א, and it came, which governs the entire clause. The structure is straightforward, with the subject הָעִ֖יר (the city) followed by a prepositional phrase that describes the state of the city during the siege.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the city itself, indicating its central role in the narrative. The sentence unfolds clearly, detailing the siege's duration and the specific time frame related to King Zedekiah.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מָצוֹר as περιοξῇ, which conveys a similar meaning of being surrounded or besieged. This choice reflects the Greek understanding of a city under siege, capturing the essence of confinement and distress experienced by the inhabitants.

The use of ἦλθεν for וַתָּבֹ֥א indicates a straightforward translation that maintains the narrative's flow, emphasizing the arrival of the siege.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Kings 25:2 tells us that the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. This siege was a crucial event in the history of Jerusalem, leading to severe consequences for its people.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that the city was under siege?

Being under siege means that the city was surrounded by enemy forces, preventing anyone from entering or leaving, which often leads to starvation and desperation among the inhabitants.

Who was King Zedekiah?

King Zedekiah was the last king of Judah, known for his reign during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, which ultimately led to the city's destruction.

What were the consequences of the siege for the people of Jerusalem?

The siege resulted in severe famine and suffering within the city, as resources became scarce and the people were cut off from outside help.

How long did the siege last?

The siege lasted until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah, marking a significant period of hardship for the city and its inhabitants.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn about the consequences of war from this siege?
  2. How does this historical event reflect the spiritual state of Jerusalem at the time?
  3. In what ways can we apply the lessons from this siege to our own lives today?
  4. What role did King Zedekiah play in the events leading up to the siege?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Kings 25:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Kings 25 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Kings 25:2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.Ver. 2. Unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.] Which was a full year and half; yet so as that the siege was raised for a time by the coming of Pharaohhophra, that broken reed, as Ezekiel styleth him, whereunto there was no trusting; and so it proved: for he came into the field like thunder and lightning, but went out like a snuff.

Read John Trapp on 2 Kings 25 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Unto the eleventh year.—The siege lasted altogether one year, five months, and twenty-seven days (2 Kings 25:1 compared with 2 Kings 25:8). The Chaldæans raised the siege for a time, and marched against Pharaoh-Hophra, who was coming to the help of the Jews (Jeremiah 37:5 seq.; comp. Ezekiel 17:17; Ezekiel 30:20 seq.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Kings 25 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 2. - 4. And the city was besieged, &c.] Nebuchadnezzar, having routed the Egyptian army, returned to Jerusalem, and besieged it so closely that, being reduced by famine, and a breach made in the wall, the Chaldeans entered it on the ninth day of the fourth month, (Wednesday, July 27,) Zedekiah and many others endeavouring to make their escape by night.

Read AdamClarke on 2 Kings 25 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. unto the eleventh year] The natural strength of the position of Jerusalem must have been very considerable, for such a rabble as remained to be able to hold out nearly two years against the forces of Babylon. We know however (Jeremiah 34:7) that Nebuchadnezzar’s troops were engaged at the same time in attacking Lachish and Azekah. So that a part only of his soldiers were employed against Jerusalem. We find too (Jeremiah 37:5; Jeremiah 37:11) that, on the report that the army of Pharaoh was coming forth out of Egypt, the siege of Jerusalem was so far relaxed that Jeremiah undertook to leave the city and depart into the land of Benjamin but was stopped at the gate by Irijah.

Read Cambridge on 2 Kings 25 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The siege lasted almost exactly a year and a half. Its calamities - famine, pestilence, and intense suffering - are best understood from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, written probably almost immediately after the capture.

Read Albert Barnes on 2 Kings 25 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

2. Unto the eleventh year — Strong must that city have been which could, after all its previous misfortunes, endure so long a siege as this.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Kings 25 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The city remained under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

RVARevised Version, American1894

So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the city was besieged to the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

So the citie was besieged vnto the eleueth yeere of King Zedekiah.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the city was besieged until the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the city entereth into siege till the eleventh year of king Zedekiah,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the city enters into siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the city was put in a state of siege until the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah's reign.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the city was shut up and besieged till the eleventh year of king Sedecias,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The city remained under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the town was shut in by their forces till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbתָּבֹ֥אit.camenoun phrase · subjectהָtheעִ֖ירcityprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַּin.(the)noun phrasestateמָּצ֑וֹרof.siegeprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַ֚דuntilnoun phrasenoun phrasenumeral phraseעַשְׁתֵּ֣יone.plusעֶשְׂרֵ֣הtenשָׁנָ֔הyearprepositional phraseלַofnoun phrasenoun phrasetheמֶּ֖לֶךְkingצִדְקִיָּֽהוּZedekiah

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in their wording for this verse, with all nine words matched in the Septuagint. This alignment suggests a strong textual consistency between these ancient witnesses.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַתָּבֹ֥א הָעִ֖יר בַּמָּצ֑וֹר עַ֚ד עַשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַתָּבֹ֥אἦλθενהָעִ֖ירπόλιςבַּמָּצ֑וֹרπεριοξῇעַ֚דἕωςעַשְׁתֵּ֣יτοῦעֶשְׂרֵ֣הἑνδεκάτουשָׁנָ֔הἔτουςלַמֶּ֖לֶךְβασιλέωςצִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃σεδεκιου

9 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

2 Kings 25:2בּוֹאand it cameand it cameבּוֹאעִירthe citythe cityעִירמָצוֹרin state ofin state of sieמָצוֹרעַדuntiluntilעַדעַשְׁתֵּיone [plus]one [plus]עַשְׁתֵּיעָשָׂרtentenעָשָׂרשָׁנָהyearyearשָׁנָהמֶ֫לֶךְof the kingof the kingמֶ֫לֶךְצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּZedekiahZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרצוּרto confineto confineצוּרעָשָׂרtentenעָשָׂרשָׁנָהto changeto changeשָׁנָהצֶ֫דֶקRighteousnRighteousnessצֶ֫דֶקעַדperpetuityperpetuityעַדעֶ֫שֶׁתplateplateעֶ֫שֶׁתעֶשֶׂרtentenעֶשֶׂרמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְשֶׁ֫מֶשׁsunsunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁלָכַדto captureto captureלָכַדמָצוֹקdistressdistressמָצוֹקצוּקto pressto pressצוּקמָתַיhowhowמָתַיעֶ֫רֶבeveningeveningעֶ֫רֶביְרִיעָהcurtaincurtainיְרִיעָהשְׁמֹנֶהeighteightשְׁמֹנֶה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 2 Kings 25:2

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and it came the city in state of siege until one [plus] ten year of the king Zedekiah
וַתָּבֹ֥אva.ta.Vo' and it came H935 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
2,573× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Tyndale gloss
Lebo
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go

Qal

come in

come (approach, arrive)

go, i.e. walk, associate with

go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

Hiph.

cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

Hoph.

be brought in (of pers. and things)

be brought

be introduced, put

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in

. come (approach, arrive)

. go, i.e. walk, associate with

. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given

. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)

. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)

. . be brought in (of pers. and things)

. be brought

. be introduced, put

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

935 bow' bo

a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of

applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +

besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X

certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,

upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,

(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be

fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),

grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,

pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken

(in age), X surely, take (in), way.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.

: come/go_in

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).

This name means to go in, enter

Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)

בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.

: towards/entrance

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqw3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and it came the city in state of siege until one [plus] ten year of the king Zedekiah
הָעִ֖ירha.'Ir the city H5892 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
town, urban settlement
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)

{aw-yar'}; from 5782 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.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sit'-i (`ir, qiryah; polis):

I. THE CANAANITE CITY

1. Origin

2. Extent

3. Villages

4. Sites

5. External Appearance

6. General

II. THE CITY OF THE JEWISH OCCUPATION

1. Tower or Stronghold

2. High Place

3. Broad Place

4. Streets

5. General Characteristics

III. STORE CITIES

IV. LEVITICAL CITIES

LITERATURE

I. The Canaanite City.

1. Origin:

The development of the Canaanite city has been traced by Macalister in his report on the excavation at Gezer (Palestine Exploration Fund Statement, 1904, 108 ff). It originated on the slopes of a bare rocky spur, in which the Neolithic Troglodytes quarried their habitations out of the solid rock, the stones therefrom being used to form a casing to the earthen ramparts, with which the site was afterwards surrounded and which served as a protection against the intrusion of enemies. Later Semitic intruders occupied the site, stone houses were built, and high stone defense…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

City

The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain (Gen. 4:17). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12). Next, we have a record of the cities of the Canaanites, Sidon, Gaza, Sodom, etc. (10:12, 19; 11:3, 9; 36:31-39). The earliest description of a city is that of Sodom (19:1-22). Damascus is said to be the oldest existing city in the world. Before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt (Num. 13:22). The Israelites in Egypt were employed in building the “treasure cities” of Pithom and Raamses (Ex. 1:11); but it does not seem that they had any cities of their own in Goshen (Gen.…

and it came the city in state of siege until one [plus] ten year of the king Zedekiah
בַּמָּצ֑וֹרba.ma.Tzor in state of siege H4692 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a siege or a place of entrenchment, like a fortress or stronghold. It's used in the Bible to describe a city under attack, such as in 2 Kings 17:5. It can also mean a defense or bulwark.
Amplified meaning
besieged, shut in by forces
Tyndale gloss
siege
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָצוֹר (matsowr) refers to a siege or an enclosure used during a siege, such as a rampart or fortification. It can denote both the physical structures associated with besieging and the abstract concept of distress. The word is built from a root meaning to hem in, indicating confinement or defense.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָצוֹר n.[m.] siege-enclosure, siege, entrenchment

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4692 מָצוֹר siege-enclosure, siege, entrenchment

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4692 matsowr maw-tsore'

or matsuwr {maw-tsoor'}; from 6696; something hemming in,

i.e. (objectively) a mound (of besiegers), (abstractly) a

siege, (figuratively) distress; or (subjectively) a

fastness:--besieged, bulwark, defence, fenced, fortress,

siege, strong (hold), tower.

see HEBREW for 06696

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָצוֹר (ma.tsor) — siege.

1) siege-enclosure, siege, entrenchment, siege works

1a) siege

1b) enclosure, siege-works, rampart

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sej (matsor (De 28:52,53; 1Ki 15:27; 2Ki 25:2; Isa 29:3; Eze 4:2); "to be besieged," "to suffer siege," ba-matsor bo' (De 20:19; 2Ki 24:10; 25:2)):

1. In Early Hebrew History

2. In the Monarchy

3. Preliminaries to Siege

4. Siege Operations: Attack

(1) Investment of City

(2) Line of Circumvallation

(3) Mound, or Earthworks

(4) Battering-Rams

(5) Storming of Walls and Rushing of Breach

5. Siege Operations: Defense

6. Raising of Siege

7. Horrors of Siege and Capture

8. Siege in the New Testament

LITERATURE

Nave's Topical Bible

→ An offer of peace must be made to the city before beginning a De 20:10-12

→ Conducted by erecting embankments parallel to the walls of the besieged city De 20:19,20; Isa 29:3; 37:33

→ Battering-rams used in

See BATTERING-RAMS

→ Distress of the inhabitants during a 2Ki 6:24-29; 25:3; Isa 9:20; 36:12; Jer 19:9

→ Cannibalism during a 2Ki 6:28,29

→ INSTANCES OF

Jericho Jos 6

Rabbah 2Sa 11:1

Abel 2Sa 20:15

and it came the city in state of siege until one [plus] ten year of the king Zedekiah
עַ֚ד'ad until H5704 Preposition
1,261× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Tyndale gloss
till
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַד (ad) primarily functions as a preposition, adverb, or conjunction meaning 'until,' 'up to,' or 'as far as.' It can denote spatial, temporal, or degree-related contexts, such as 'even to' or 'while.' The entries indicate its use in poetry and in various combinations, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי prep. as far as, even to, up to, until, while

prep.

of space

Of time

Of degree

conj.

until

While

Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus

of space

Of time

Of degree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5704 עַד, in poetry עֲדֵי as far as, even to, up to, until, while . prep. . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

. conj. . until

. While

. Of degree, to the point that, so that even (rare)

. עַד לְ, a strengthened form for עַד. Thus . of space

. Of time

. Of degree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5704 `ad ad

properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or

conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long,

or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during,

while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as,

at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as),

(hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that,

till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.

see HEBREW for 05703

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַד (ad) — till.

prep

1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as

1a) of space

1a1) as far as, up to, even to

1b) in combination

1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from)

1c) of time

1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end

1d) of degree

1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like

conj

2) until, while, to the point that, so that even

Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and it came the city in state of siege until one [plus] ten year of the king Zedekiah
עַשְׁתֵּ֣י'ash.Tei one [plus] H6249 Noun common · both singular absolute
19× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means the number eleven, like one more than ten. It is used in the Bible to count things, such as eleven of something.
Tyndale gloss
eleven
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עַשְׁתֵּי (ashtey) refers to the number eleven or the ordinal eleventh. It is a masculine plural form derived from the root word for ten, עָשָׂר (asar). The term is used in contexts that involve counting or numbering, particularly in relation to the number ten.

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6249 עַשְׁתֵּי one

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6249 `ashtey ash-tay'

apparently masculine plural construction of 6247 in the sense

of an afterthought (used only in connection with 6240 in lieu

of 259) eleven or (ordinal) eleventh:--+ eleven(-th).

see HEBREW for 06247

see HEBREW for 06240

see HEBREW for 0259

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַשְׁתֵּי (ash.te) — eleven.

1) one, eleven, eleventh

1a) one as combined with ten ( a.sar (עָשָׂר "ten" H6240))

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
and it came the city in state of siege until one [plus] ten year of the king Zedekiah
עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה'es.Reh ten H6240 Noun common · both singular absolute
339× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In Hebrew, this word means ten, and is used to form numbers like eleven or thirteen, as seen in Genesis 31:41. It is always used in combination with other numbers.
Tyndale gloss
ten
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂר (asar) means 'ten' and is used exclusively in combination with other numbers to form the teen numbers (11-19), both as cardinal and ordinal forms. The entries indicate that it is derived from another Hebrew root, but do not elaborate on its etymology.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂר, עֶשְׂרֵה ten, only after units to make num. 11-19, both cardinal and ordinal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6240 עָשָׂר, עֶשְׂרֵה ten, only after units to make num. 11-19, both cardinal and ordinal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6240 `asar aw-sawr'

for 6235; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also

(ordinal) -teenth:--(eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-,

six-, thir-)teen(-th), + eleven(-th), + sixscore thousand, +

twelve(-th).

see HEBREW for 06235

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂר (a.sar) — ten.

1) ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers)

1a) used only in combination to make the numbers 11-19

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcbsa — Noun common · both singular absolute
HNcbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(`eser; deka).

See NUMBER.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (Used for an indefinite number) Ge 31:7; Le 26:26; Nu 14:22; Zec 8:23

and it came the city in state of siege until one [plus] ten year of the king Zedekiah
שָׁנָ֔הsha.Nah year H8141 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
877× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word also means a year, like when Abraham was 100 years old in Genesis 21. It is used to describe a period of time, age, or a lifetime.
Amplified meaning
period of time, annual cycle
Tyndale gloss
year
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁנָה (shaneh) means 'year' and is derived from the root meaning to change or revolve. It encompasses various aspects of time, including divisions of time, measures of age, and even a lifetime. The Aramaic equivalent is שְׁנָה (she.nah), also meaning 'year'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8141 shaneh shaw-neh'

(in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year

(as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old,

year(X -ly).

see HEBREW for 08138

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.

1) year

1a) as division of time

1b) as measure of time

1c) as indication of age

1d) a lifetime (of years of life)

Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

yer (shanah, Aramaic shenah, "a return" (of the sun), like the Greek eniautos; yamim, "days," is also used for "year," and the Greek hemerai, corresponds to it (Jos 13:1; Lu 17,18); etos, is also employed frequently in the New Testament; for the difference between etos and eniautos, see Grimm-Thayer, under the word): The Hebrew year was solar, although the month was lunar, the adjustment being made in intercalation.

See ASTRONOMY; TIME.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Year

Heb. shanah, meaning “repetition” or “revolution” (Gen. 1:14; 5:3). Among the ancient Egyptians the year consisted of twelve months of thirty days each, with five days added to make it a complete revolution of the earth round the sun. The Jews reckoned the year in two ways, (1) according to a sacred calendar, in which the year began about the time of the vernal equinox, with the month Abib; and (2) according to a civil calendar, in which the year began about the time of the autumnal equinox, with the month Nisan. The month Tisri is now the beginning of the Jewish year.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

the highest ordinary division of time. Two years were known to, and apparently used by, the Hebrews. A year of 360 days appears to have been in use in Noah’s time. The year used by the Hebrews from the time of the exodus may: be said to have been then instituted, since a current month, Abib, on the 14th day of which the first Passover was kept, was then made the first month of the year. The essential characteristics of this year can be clearly determined, though we cannot fix those of any single year. It was essentially solar for the offering of productions of the earth, first-fruits, harvest produce and ingathered fruits, was fixed to certain days of the year, two of which were in the periods of great feasts, the third itself a feast reckoned from one of the former days. But it is certain that the months were lunar, each commencing with a new moon. There must therefore have been some…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The Hebrews always had years of twelve months. But at the beginning, as some suppose, they were solar years of twelve months, each month having thirty days, excepting the twelfth, which had thirty-five days. We see, by the enumeration of the days of the deluge, Ge 7:1-8:22, that the original year consisted of three hundred and sixtyfive days. It is supposed that they had an intercalary month at the end of one hundred and twenty years, at which time the beginning of their year would be out of its place full thirty days. Subsequently, however, and throughout the history of the Jews, the year was wholly lunar, having alternately a full month of thirty days, and a defective month of twenty-nine days, thus completing their year in three hundred and fifty-four days. To accommodate this lunar year to the solar year, (365 days, 5 hours, 48…

and it came the city in state of siege until one [plus] ten year of the king Zedekiah
לַמֶּ֖לֶךְla.Me.lekh of the king H4428 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a king or royal person, like King David or King Saul. It can also describe something related to a king, like the King's Valley in Genesis. The Bible often uses this word to talk about the rulers of Israel.
Amplified meaning
royal ruler, monarch
Tyndale gloss
King's
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4428 melek meh'-lek

from 4427; a king:--king, royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.

1) king

Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)

הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.

'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;

father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.

Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.

King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HRd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

King

Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1 Pet. 2:13, 17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:22).

This title is applied to God (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:15, 16;

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called KING OF KINGS Ezr 7:12; Eze 26:7; Da 2:37

→ Divinely authorized De 17:15; 1Sa 9:16,17; 16:12; 1Ch 22:10; 2Ch 2:11,12; Pr 8:15; Da 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:20; Ho 8:4; 13:11

→ How chosen

By divine appointment, Saul 1Sa 10:1

and it came the city in state of siege until one [plus] ten year of the king Zedekiah
צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃tzid.ki.Ya.hu Zedekiah H6667 Noun proper masculine
63× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Zedekiah means Jehovah is righteous, the name of six Israelites including the last king of Judah, as seen in Jeremiah 36:12. He was renamed by Nebuchadnezzar and son of Josiah. Zedekiah was a significant figure in the Divided Monarchy period.
Amplified meaning
Jehovah is righteous
Tyndale gloss
Zedekiah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word צִדְקִיָּ֫הוּ (*Tsidqiyah*) means 'Jehovah is righteous' and refers primarily to Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. It is derived from words meaning 'right' and 'Jah' (God). The entries note various individuals named Zedekiah, including false prophets and a priest during Nehemiah's time. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings or references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צִדְקִיָּ֫הוּ 66, צִדְקִיָּה 7 n.pr.m. (י׳ is righteousness)

last king of Judah

false prophets

prince; Jerem.’s time

priest, Nehem.’s time

son of Jehoiachin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6667 צִדְקִיָּ֫הוּ, צִדְקִיָּה (י׳ is righteousness) . last king of Judah

. false prophets

. prince; Jerem.’s time

. priest, Nehem.’s time

. son of Jehoiachin

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6667 Tsidqiyah tsid-kee-yaw'

or Tsidqiyahuw {tsid-kee-yaw'-hoo}; from 6664 and 3050; right

of Jah; Tsidkijah, the name of six Israelites:--Zedekiah,

Zidkijah.

see HEBREW for 06664

see HEBREW for 03050

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צִדְקִיָּ֫הוּ (tsid.qiy.yah) — Zedekiah.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.22.11;

son of: Chenaanah (H3668)

§ Zedekiah = "Jehovah is righteous"

1) the last king of Judah renamed from 'Mattaniah' by Nebuchadnezzar; son of Josiah by wife Hamutal; placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar when he carried his nephew Jehoiakim in captivity

2) false prophet at the court of king Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel

3) son of Maaseiah, a false prophet in Babylon

4) son of Hananiah, one of the princes of Judah in the time of Jeremiah

5) a priest who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah

6) son of king Jehoiakim of Judah

צִדְקִיָּ֫הוּ (tsid.qiy.yah) — Zedekiah.

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.24.17;

son of: Josiah (H2977) and Hamutal (H2537);

brother of: Jehoahaz (H3059H);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Zedekiah

Righteousness of Jehovah. (1.) The last king of Judah. He was the third son of Josiah, and his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, and hence he was the brother of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:31; 24:17, 18). His original name was Mattaniah; but when Nebuchadnezzar placed him on the throne as the successor to Jehoiachin he changed his name to Zedekiah. The prophet Jeremiah was his counsellor, yet “he did evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 24:19, 20; Jer. 52:2, 3). He ascended the throne at the age of twenty-one years. The kingdom was at that time tributary to Nebuchadnezzar; but, despite the strong remonstrances of Jeremiah and others, as well as the example of Jehoiachin, he threw off the yoke…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(justice of Jehovah). The last king of Judah and Jerusalem. He was the son of Josiah by his wife Hamutal, and therefore own brother to Jehoahaz. (2 Kings 24:18) comp. 2Kin 23:31 His original name was Mattaniah, which was changed to Zedekiah by Nebuchadnezzar when he carried off his nephew Jehoiachim to Babylon and left him on the throne of Jerusalem. Zedekiah was but twenty-one years old when he was thus placed in charge of an impoverished kingdom, B.C. 597. His history is contained in a short sketch .of the events of his reign given in (2 Kings 24:17; 2 Kings 25:7) and, with some trifling variations in (Jeremiah 39:1-7; 62:1-11) together with the still shorter summary in…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The twentieth and last king of Judah, son of Josiah and Hamutal, and uncle to Jeconiah his predecessor, 2Ki 24:17,19 Jer 52:1. When Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, he carried Jeconiah to Babylon, with his wives, children, officers, and the best artificers in Judea, and put in his place his uncle Mattaniah, whose name he changed to Zedekiah, and made him promise with an oath that he would maintain fidelity to him. He was twenty-one years old when he began to reign at Jerusalem, and he reigned there eleven years. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, committing the same crimes as Jehoiakim, 2Ki 24:18-20 2Ch 36:11-13. Compare

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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