### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʻôtser**, represented by `{{H6115}}`, describes a state of **closure** or **constraint**. It appears **3 times** across **3 unique verses** in the Bible. This term conveys a range of related ideas, including physical confinement as a **prison**, societal hardship as **oppression**, and a state of biological closure, meaning **barren**.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical occurrences, `{{H6115}}` is used in three distinct contexts. In a prophetic sense, it describes the suffering of the servant who was "taken from **prison** and from judgment" [[Isaiah 53:8]]. In the Psalms, it depicts the consequence of turning from God, where people are "minished and brought low through **oppression**, affliction, and sorrow" [[Psalms 107:39]]. Finally, in the wisdom literature, it is used idiomatically to describe one of the four things that are never satisfied: "the **barren** womb" [[Proverbs 30:16]], highlighting a sense of natural closure.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the meaning of `{{H6115}}` within its specific contexts:
* `{{H7451}}` **raʻ** (affliction): Paired with oppression in [[Psalms 107:39]], this word describes the bad, grievous, or hurtful circumstances that accompany the state of being constrained.
* `{{H3015}}` **yâgôwn** (sorrow): This term appears alongside oppression and affliction, signifying the deep grief and sorrow that result from such hardship [[Psalms 107:39]].
* `{{H7356}}` **racham** (womb): In [[Proverbs 30:16]], `ʻôtser` directly modifies this word to form the phrase "barren **womb**," illustrating the concept of closure in a biological sense.
* `{{H4941}}` **mishpâṭ** (judgment): This word is used in parallel with `ʻôtser` in [[Isaiah 53:8]], linking the idea of imprisonment to a formal, judicial sentence or decree.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6115}}` is seen in its portrayal of severe constraint and its consequences.
* **A Condition of Suffering:** Whether through unjust **prison** [[Isaiah 53:8]] or societal **oppression** [[Psalms 107:39]], `ʻôtser` consistently points to a state of profound hardship that brings affliction and sorrow.
* **Unfulfillment and Lack:** The concept of closure extends beyond suffering to a state of unfulfillment. The "barren **womb**" [[Proverbs 30:16]] represents a natural state of being shut up, unable to produce life.
* **Judicial and Prophetic Significance:** The term is connected to divine and human judgment. In Isaiah, a figure is taken from **prison** as part of a redemptive act for the "transgression of my people" [[Isaiah 53:8]], while in Psalms, **oppression** is a state from which people are brought low.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6115}}` is a potent term for different forms of constraint. Though it appears only three times, it effectively illustrates how a single root concept of "closure" can apply to the legal system through **prison**, to societal dynamics through **oppression**, and to the natural world through **barrenness**. It serves as a powerful descriptor for conditions of restriction, suffering, and unfulfillment.
TRV