metsad · stronghold

What it means

metsad (מְצַד) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “stronghold”.

A high place, hard to reach, that serves as a refuge.

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 high place hard to reach, where someone takes refuge.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

How it is translated

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

• strongholds ×6
• stronghold ×3
• fortresses ×1

Where it appears

• Judges×1
• 1 Samuel×3
• 1 Chronicles×3
• Isaiah×1
• Jeremiah×2

• Judges 6:2

  The hand of Midian was strong over Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains, the caves, and the strongholds.

• 1 Samuel 23:14

  David stayed in the wilderness, in the strongholds; he stayed in the mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him all the days, but Elohim did not give him into his hand.

• 1 Samuel 23:19

  Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is to the south of the wasteland?

• 1 Samuel 23:29

  David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.

• 1 Chronicles 11:7

  David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it the city of David.

• 1 Chronicles 12:8

  From the Gadites there separated themselves and went to David, to the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty warriors, men of the army for war, who handled shield and spear; their faces were the faces of a lion, and they were like gazelles on the mountains in swiftness.

• 1 Chronicles 12:16

  There came also some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold, to David.

• Isaiah 33:16

  he will dwell on the heights; fortresses of crags will be his high refuge; his bread will be given, his waters sure.

• Jeremiah 48:41

  The towns are captured, and the strongholds are seized; and the heart of the mighty men of Moab will be in that day like the heart of a woman in distress.

• Jeremiah 51:30

  The mighty men of Babylon have ceased to fight; they remain in the strongholds; their might has failed; they have become women; they have set on fire her dwellings; her bars are broken.