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Isaiah 2:15 — Word Study

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WLCוְעַ֖ל כָּל־ מִגְדָּ֣ל גָּבֹ֑הַ וְעַ֖ל כָּל־ חוֹמָ֥ה בְצוּרָֽה׃

BSAagainstʻal everykôl [lofty, elevated] highgâbôahh towermigdâl [a tall structure or elevated stage] againstʻal everykôl [fenced, strong] fortifiedbâtsar wallchôwmâh [a wall of protection, providing safety and security]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 2
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 15 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 (ve.tzu.Rah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 2:15quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse lists structures that will face judgment.
What is being describedHigh towers and fortified walls, symbols of human pride and security.
Where we areA prophetic declaration about the downfall of human arrogance.
The hard wordמִגְדָּל
Take awayNo human structure can withstand divine judgment.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbבָּצוּר 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 — Isaiah 2:15

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 Judgment Against Human Pridegenerated

14against all the tall mountains, against all the high hills,
15against every high tower, against every fortified wall,
16against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel.
17So the pride of man will be brought low, and the loftiness of men will be humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,

Isaiah 2:15 describes a time when God will judge human pride, symbolized by high towers and fortified walls. This judgment extends to all forms of human security and arrogance, emphasizing that nothing created by man can stand against divine authority. The surrounding verses in this passage highlight the futility of human strength compared to God's power.


Cross References


The Key Word מִגְדָּל, mig.Dalgenerated

The word מִגְדָּל (*migdal*) means 'tower,' indicating a tall structure or elevated stage. It often symbolizes human pride and ambition, representing the heights to which people aspire.

In this context, it serves to illustrate the structures that people rely on for safety and security, which will ultimately be judged by God. The use of this word underscores the theme of divine judgment against human arrogance.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is structured around the prepositional phrases: וְעַ֖ל and on introduces the phrases that describe what is being targeted by judgment. The verse lists two structures: the high tower and the fortified wall, both of which are nouns in the absolute form.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the structures themselves, highlighting their significance as symbols of human pride that will be brought low.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מִגְדָּל as πύργον, which means 'tower' in Greek, maintaining the original meaning but possibly widening its connotation to include any stronghold.

This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the term as not just a physical structure but a representation of human strength that is ultimately vulnerable to divine judgment.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 2:15 speaks about God's judgment on human pride, mentioning high towers and fortified walls as symbols of security that will ultimately fall. This verse emphasizes that no matter how strong or tall these structures are, they cannot withstand the power of God.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What do the high towers and fortified walls represent?

They symbolize human pride and the false sense of security that people place in their own achievements and structures.

Why is this judgment significant?

It serves as a reminder that human efforts and pride are ultimately futile in the face of divine authority.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

It fits within a broader prophetic message about the downfall of human arrogance and the exaltation of God.

What can we learn from this verse today?

We are reminded to place our trust in God rather than in our own strength or achievements.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life am I relying on my own strength rather than trusting God?
  2. How can I recognize and address pride in my own life?
  3. What are some modern 'towers' or 'walls' that people rely on for security today?
  4. How can I encourage others to trust in God rather than in human achievements?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early commentators, including Jerome, reference this verse to discuss the fulfillment of prophecy regarding human structures in times of judgment.

JeromeVerse 15 c. 347–420
And over every high tower, and over every fortified wall. Those who refer these times to Vespasian and Adrian, say that the things written have been fulfilled in bodily form, that neither a high tower, nor a strongest wall,
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 2 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 2:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall. Which may signify everything that serves to support and defend the antichristian hierarchy, particularly the secular powers.

Read John Gill on Isaiah 2 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, Tower ... wall. Towers were often made on the walls of cities. Fenced - strongly fortified.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 2 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

To which you resorted and trusted for your defence.

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 2 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 2:15 And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,Ver. 15. And upon every high tower.] In these the Jews trusted, as sure help in time of distress, but all in vain.

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

(15) Upon every high tower.—Generic as the words are, they have a special reference to the fortifications which were the glory of Uzziah’s reign, and were continued by his successors (2 Chronicles 26:9-10; 2 Chronicles 27:3-4; Hosea 8:14; Micah 5:11; comp. also Isaiah 22:8-11, Psalms 48:13).

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 2 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12–16. The conception, although in the highest degree poetic, is not allegorical. Trees, mountains, ships, &c. are not emblems of kings, magnates, commerce and the like; the destruction of all that is imposing and sublime in nature or art is itself the concrete expression of the idea that “the Lord alone shall be exalted.” The appearing of Jehovah is depicted under the imagery of the thunderstorm, an ancient symbol of the Theophany (cf. Judges 5:4 f.; Psalms 18:7-14; Psalms 18:29).

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

Every high tower - Towers, or fortresses, were erected for defense and protection.

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

15. High tower — Uzziah had filled the land with these, and with fenced walls of cities and towns; at Jerusalem especially. 2 Chronicles 26:9; Deuteronomy 28:52; Hosea 8:14.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 2 →

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

against every high tower, against every fortified wall,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

for every lofty tower, for every fortified wall,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

against every high tower, against every fortified wall,

NETBNew English Translation2006

for every high tower, for every fortified wall,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall,

RVARevised Version, American1894

and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fenced wall;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And upon every high tower, and upon every fortified wall,

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And vpon euery hie tower, and vpon euery strong wall,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

and upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And for every high tower, And for every fenced wall,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And for every high tower, || And for every fortified wall,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And over every high tower, and over every fortified wall;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

and against every high tower, and against every impregnable wall,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And upon every high tower, and every fenced wall.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

He will tear down every high tower and every defensive wall.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And on every high tower, and on every strong wall;

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.

וְandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseעַ֖לonnoun phraseכָּלeverynoun phraseמִגְדָּ֣לtowerגָּבֹ֑הַhighוְandprepositional phraseעַ֖לonnoun phraseכָּלeverynoun phraseחוֹמָ֥הwallבְצוּרָֽהfortified

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


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

The Masoretic Text matches the Septuagint closely, with all words corresponding directly, indicating a strong agreement on the translation of this verse. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align with the Masoretic Text, though some words were supplied by editors due to damage.

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

וְעַ֖ל כָּל־ מִגְדָּ֣ל גָּבֹ֑הַ וְעַ֖ל כָּל־ חוֹמָ֥ה בְצוּרָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְעַ֖לἐπὶכָּל־πάνταמִגְדָּ֣לπύργονגָּבֹ֑הַὑψηλὸνוְעַ֖לἐπὶכָּל־πᾶνחוֹמָ֥הτεῖξοςבְצוּרָֽה׃ὑψηλὸν

8 of the 8 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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Qisaaa copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

ועל כול מגדל גבה ועל כול [חומה] בצורה

7 words on the leather — 1 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q56a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ועל] [כל] [מגדל] [גבה] [ועל] [כל] [חומה] [בצורה]

nothing on the leather here — 8 supplied entire by an editor.

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.

Isaiah 2:15עַלand onand onעַלכֹּלeveryeveryכֹּלמִגְדָּלtowertowerמִגְדָּלגָּבֹהַּhighhighגָּבֹהַּעַלand onand onעַלכֹּלeveryeveryכֹּלחוֹמָהwallwallחוֹמָהבָּצַרfortifiedfortifiedבָּצַרכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלעַלheightheightעַלגָּדַלto magnifyto magnifyגָּדַלגָּבַהּto exultto exultגָּבַהּבָּצִירvintagevintageבָּצִירכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהמֵאָה(Tower of)(Tower of) the מֵאָהחֲנַנְאֵל(Tower of)(Tower of) Hanaחֲנַנְאֵלשָׁפֵלto abaseto abaseשָׁפֵלמִגְדָּלtowertowerמִגְדָּלגַּלheapheapגַּלגָּבֹהַּhighhighגָּבֹהַּ
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 Isaiah 2:15

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 on every tower high and on every wall fortified
וְעַ֖לve.'Al and on H5921 Conjunction · preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep — Conjunction · preposition
HC/R
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and on every tower high and on every wall fortified
כָּל־kol- every H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
lofty, elevated
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and on every tower high and on every wall fortified
מִגְדָּ֣לmig.Dal tower H4026 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
48× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Migdal means tower, referring to a tall structure or elevated stage. It can also symbolize a bed of flowers in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
a tall structure or elevated stage
Tyndale gloss
tower
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִגְדָּל (migdal) primarily means 'tower,' indicating a structure that is tall or elevated. It can also refer to an elevated stage or pulpit and, in a figurative sense, to a raised bed of flowers. The word is derived from a root meaning height, and its usage spans various contexts in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִגְדָּל n.m. tower

tower

elevated stage, pulpit of wood

raised bed

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4026 מִגְדָּל tower . tower

. elevated stage, pulpit of wood

. raised bed

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4026 migdal mig-dawl'

also (in plural) feminine migdalah {mig-daw- law'}; from

1431; a tower (from its size or height); by analogy, a

rostrum; figuratively, a (pyramidal) bed of flowers:--castle,

flower, tower. Compare the names following.

see HEBREW for 01431

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִגְדָּל (mig.dal) — (Hananel) Tower.

Combined with cha.nan.el (חֲנַנְאֵל " of Hananel" H2606)

This name means tower

מִגְדָּל (mig.dal) — Tower (of the Hundred).

Combined with me.ah (מֵאָה "hundred" H3968)

This name means tower

מִגְדָּל (mig.dal) — Tower (Of the Ovens).

This name means tower, elevated stage

מִגְדָּל (mig.dal) — tower.

1) tower

1a) tower

1b) elevated stage, pulpit

1c) raised bed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tou'-er.

See FORTIFICATION, I, 5; CITY, II, 1.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Watch-towers or fortified posts in frontier or exposed situations are mentioned in Scripture, as the tower of Edar, etc., (Genesis 35:21; Isaiah 21:5,8,11; Micah 4:8) etc.; the tower of Lebanon. (2 Samuel 8:6) Besides these military structures, we read in Scripture of towers built in vineyards as an almost necessary appendage to them. (1 Samuel 5:2; Matthew 22:33; Mark 12:1) Such towers are still in use in Palestine in vineyards, especially near Hebron, and are used as lodges for the keepers of the vineyards.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Of Babel Ge 11:1-9

→ Of Edar Ge 35:21

→ Of Penuel Jud 8:8,9,17

→ Of Shechem Jud 9:46,49

→ Of Meah Ne 3:1; 12:39

→ Of Hananeel Ne 3:1; 12:39; Jer 31:38; Zec 14:10

→ Of David So 4:4

→ Of Syene Eze 29:10

→ Of Siloam Lu 13:4

and on every tower high and on every wall fortified
גָּבֹ֑הַga.Vo.ha high H1364 Adj
41× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
High means elevated or powerful, like a tall mountain or a proud person, as described in Proverbs where pride comes before a fall.
Tyndale gloss
high
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word גָּבֹהַּ (*gaboah*) means high or exalted, covering meanings such as tall, lofty, and haughty. It can also refer to loftiness as a noun. The word is derived from a root meaning to elevate or be elevated, and it appears in contexts that emphasize height or pride.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּבֹהַּ adj. high, exalted

high, lofty, tall

exalted in station

haughty

n.[m.] loftiness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1364 גָּבֹהַּ high, exalted . high, lofty, tall

. exalted in station

. haughty

. n. [m.] loftiness

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1364 gaboahh gaw-bo'-ah

or (fully) gabowahh {gaw-bo'-ah}; from 1361; elevated (or

elated), powerful, arrogant:--haughty, height, high(-er),

lofty, proud, X exceeding proudly.

see HEBREW for 01361

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּבֹהַּ (ga.vo.ah) — high.

adj

1) high, exalted

1a) high, tall

1b) high (in position)

1c) proud, haughty

n m

2) loftiness

Also means: ga.vah (גָּבֹהַּ "high" H1362)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Adj
HAamsa
and on every tower high and on every wall fortified
וְעַ֖לve.'Al and on H5921 Conjunction · preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep — Conjunction · preposition
HC/R
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and on every tower high and on every wall fortified
כָּל־kol- every H3605 Noun common · masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Amplified meaning
fenced, strong
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and on every tower high and on every wall fortified
חוֹמָ֥הcho.Mah wall H2346 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
133× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A wall of protection, like the walls of Jerusalem, provided safety and security for the people. It appears in the Bible as a physical barrier. The Israelites built walls around their cities for defense.
Amplified meaning
a wall of protection, providing safety and security
Tyndale gloss
wall
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חוֹמָה (chowmah) refers to a wall, typically understood as a protective barrier. It is derived from a root meaning to join, and is often used to describe city walls or the walls of buildings. The term can also be applied figuratively, such as in reference to the waters of the Red Sea.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חוֹמָה 133 n.f. wall (as protection)

usu. term for wall of city

wall of a building

fig. of waters of Red Sea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2346 חוֹמָה wall (as protection)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2346 chowmah kho-maw'

feminine active participle of an unused root apparently

meaning to join; a wall of protection:--wall, walled.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חוֹמָה (cho.mah) — wall.

wall

חוֹמָה (cho.mah) — (Broad) Wall.

wall

Combined with ra.chav (רָחָב "Broad" H7342)

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

wol.

See ARCHITECTURE; CITY; FORTIFICATION; HOUSE; JERUSALEM; VILLAGE.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Wall

Cities were surrounded by walls, as distinguished from “unwalled villages” (Ezek. 38:11; Lev. 25:29-34). They were made thick and strong (Num. 13:28; Deut. 3:5). Among the Jews walls were built of stone, some of those in the temple being of great size (1 Kings 6:7; 7:9-12; 20:30; Mark 13:1, 2). The term is used metaphorically of security and safety (Isa. 26:1; 60:18; Rev. 21:12-20). (See FENCE.)

and on every tower high and on every wall fortified
בְצוּרָֽה׃ve.tzu.Rah fortified H1219 Verb · Qal · participle (passive) feminine singular
37× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to gather or fortify, often used to describe harvesting grapes or building strong walls. It appears in the Bible to describe the gathering of crops, such as in the book of Isaiah. It can also mean to restrain or make something inaccessible.
Tyndale gloss
to gather/restrain/fortify
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּצַר (batsar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cut off or make inaccessible, often through fortification. It can refer to gathering grapes, as well as to restraining or enclosing something. The word encompasses various forms, including being withheld or fortified, and is associated with secrets or inaccessible things.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[בָּצַר] vb. cut off, make inaccessible (esp. by fortifying), enclose

Qal cut off, grape-clusters; hence grape-gathering, -gatherer; fig. cut off (= take away)

Niph. be withheld

Pi. fortify

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1219 [בָּצַר] cut off, make inaccessible (esp. by fortifying), enclose .cut off, grape-clusters; hence grape-gathering, -gatherer; fig. cut off (= take away)

. be withheld

. fortify

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1219 batsar baw-tsar'

a primitive root; to clip off; specifically (as denominative

from 1210) to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e.

inaccessible by height or fortification):--cut off,

(de-)fenced, fortify, (grape) gather(-er), mighty things,

restrain, strong, wall (up), withhold.

see HEBREW for 01210

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּצַר (ba.tsar) — to gather/restrain/fortify.

1) to gather, restrain, fence, fortify, make inaccessible, enclose

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cut off

1a2) fortified, cut off, made inaccessible (pass participle)

1a3) secrets, mysteries, inaccessible things (subst)

1b) (Niphal) to be withheld

1c) (Piel) to fortify

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) feminine singular
HVqsfsa
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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