Word Study for H4679 (מְצַד) | Strong's Concordance

mᵉtsad /mets-ad'/ Ask about this word

Rootor מְצָד · or (feminine) מְצָדָה · from צוּד

Meaninga fastness (as a covert of ambush)

KJV usagecastle, fort, (strong) hold, munition.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mᵉtsad — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word mᵉtsad, represented by H4679, refers to a fort, castle, or strong hold. It appears 11 times in 11 unique verses. The term describes a secure, defensible location, often a natural fastness used as a covert for ambush or a fortified structure for protection.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H4679 is frequently associated with places of refuge and military defense. It is prominent in the account of David fleeing from Saul, where he "abode in the wilderness in strong holds" 1 Samuel 23:14 and later dwelt in strong holds at Engedi 1 Samuel 23:29. These locations served as critical bases for David and his followers 1 Chronicles 12:16. The word also appears in prophetic judgments, signifying the fall of human fortifications, as when the strong holds of Moab are surprised Jeremiah 48:41 or when the mighty men of Babylon remain in their holds as their might fails Jeremiah 51:30.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the physical and strategic context of a mᵉtsad:

H2022 har (a mountain or range of hills): This word often specifies the location of a stronghold, highlighting its elevated and defensible nature. David remained in a mountain in the wilderness, in his strong holds 1 Samuel 23:14.
H4631 mᵉʻârâh (a cavern): Often found alongside H4679, a cave serves as another form of natural fortification. The Israelites made dens, caves, and strong holds in the mountains to hide from Midian Judges 6:2.
H4869 misgâb (a cliff; a refuge): This term is used synonymously for a high fort or place of defense. In a promise to the righteous, their place of defence (H4869) is described as the munitions (H4679) of rocks Isaiah 33:16.

Theological Significance

The significance of H4679 lies in its portrayal of security and refuge:

Physical Strongholds: The word's primary meaning is a literal, tangible fortress. For David, these holds were essential for survival while he was an outlaw 1 Samuel 23:14. It could also refer to a formal military structure, as when David dwelt in the castle that became the city of David 1 Chronicles 11:7.
The Limits of Human Defense: In prophetic contexts, these strongholds symbolize the inadequacy of human strength when facing divine judgment. Hiding in forts provides no escape from the pestilence sent by God Ezekiel 33:27, and the strong holds of powerful nations like Moab are captured Jeremiah 48:41.
Dependence on Divine Protection: While physical, the effectiveness of a stronghold is often linked to God's will. The narrative explicitly states that while David was in the strong holds, it was God who prevented Saul from capturing him 1 Samuel 23:14. The righteous are promised security in the munitions of rocks, where God himself provides sustenance Isaiah 33:16.

Summary

In summary, H4679 is a specific term for a physical place of fortification. It is a key element in historical accounts of warfare and refuge, particularly in the life of David. Theologically, it serves as a powerful metaphor for the difference between man-made security and true safety, illustrating that while a fort or castle can offer temporary protection, ultimate deliverance and provision come only from God.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 11 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מְּצָדוֹת
מְצָדוֹת
מְצָד
מְצַד

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 11 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles (3 verses each); never once in the other 33.

Judges

1 Samuel

1 Chronicles

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.