bira · palace, citadel

What it means

bira (בִּירָה) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “palace, citadel”.

Palace, fortress, citadel: a large, strong building. In Chronicles it is said of the house of God in Jerusalem; in Nehemiah and Esther, of a city's citadel.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. A large, strong building, the king's residence; David says it of the temple.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• fortress ×14
• palace ×2

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• 1 Chronicles×2
• Nehemiah×3
• Esther×10
• Daniel×1

• 1 Chronicles 29:1

  King David said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, the only one Elohim has chosen, is a youth and tender, and the work is great; for the palace is not for man but for YHWH Elohim.

• 1 Chronicles 29:19

  And to Solomon my son give a whole heart to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all of it, and to build the palace for which I have made preparations.”

• Nehemiah 1:1

  The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. And it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the fortress,

• Nehemiah 2:8

  and a letter to Asaph, keeper of the park that belongs to the king, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress that belongs to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I will go into.” And the king granted it to me, according to the good hand of my Elohim upon me.

• Nehemiah 7:2

  And I put Hanani my brother, and Hananiah the leader of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, for he was like a man of truth and feared Elohim more than many.

• Esther 1:2

  in those days, when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom that was in Susa, the fortress,

• Esther 1:5

  And when these days were completed, the king made for all the people who were present in Susa, the fortress, from the great to the small, a banquet of seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

• Esther 2:3

  and let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them gather every young woman, a virgin of good appearance, to Susa, the fortress, to the house of the women, under the hand of Hege, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women; and let their ointments be given;

• Esther 2:5

  There was a Jewish man in Susa, the fortress, and his name was Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,

• Esther 2:8

  And it happened, when the word of the king and his law were heard and when many young women were gathered to Susa, the fortress, under the hand of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s house, under the hand of Hegai, keeper of the women.

• Esther 3:15

  The couriers went out urged on by the word of the king, and the law was given in Susa, the fortress. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.

• Esther 8:14

  The couriers, riding the royal steeds, went out hurried and urged on by the word of the king; and the law was given in Susa, the fortress.

• Esther 9:6

  And in Susa, the fortress, the Jews killed and made perish five hundred men,

• Esther 9:11

  On that day the number of those killed in Susa, the fortress, came before the king.

• Esther 9:12

  And the king said to Esther the queen, “In Susa, the fortress, the Jews have killed and made perish five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman; in the rest of the king’s provinces what have they done? And what is your request? It will be given to you. And what is your petition further? It will be done.”

• Daniel 8:2

  And I saw in the vision, and it happened, when I saw, that I was in Susa the fortress, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.