אַסִּיר
Definition
The Hebrew noun אַסִּיר (ʼaççîyr) means 'prisoner' or 'captive,' referring specifically to someone who is bound or confined. It describes individuals held in captivity, often as a result of military conquest or judicial punishment. In Isaiah 10:4, it is used metaphorically for those facing divine judgment, while in Isaiah 42:7, it refers to literal prisoners whom the Messiah will liberate, highlighting a shift from judgment to redemption.
Biblical Usage
This word occurs only three times in the Old Testament, all in the book of Isaiah. It is used in contexts of captivity and liberation, often with prophetic or eschatological significance. In Isaiah 10:4, it appears in a warning about impending exile ('prisoners fall'). In Isaiah 24:22, it describes the gathering of captives for judgment in the 'pit.' Finally, in Isaiah 42:7, it denotes prisoners whom the Servant of the Lord will free, emphasizing a theme of deliverance.
Etymology
אַסִּיר is derived from the root אָסַר (ʼāṣar, H631), meaning 'to bind' or 'to tie.' It is a noun form related to אָסִיר (ʼāṣîr, H615), another word for 'prisoner,' with אַסִּיר likely serving as an intensive or alternate form. Cognates in other Semitic languages, such as Akkadian 'esēru' ('to bind'), reinforce the core idea of confinement or restraint.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it connects human captivity with God's redemptive purposes. In Isaiah, it illustrates both divine judgment (Isaiah 10:4, 24:22) and messianic salvation (Isaiah 42:7), foreshadowing Christ's mission to 'proclaim liberty to the captives' (Luke 4:18). Understanding אַסִּיר enriches Bible reading by highlighting how God addresses bondage—both physical and spiritual—through justice and grace.
In ancient Israel, prisoners were often taken in war or detained for crimes, with confinement typically involving physical bonds like chains. Unlike modern prisons, captivity could mean forced labor or exile. The term's use in Isaiah reflects this reality, while also pointing to a future hope of release, which would have resonated with audiences familiar with oppression under empires like Assyria or Babylon.
אָסִיר (ʼāṣîr, H615) — a more common term for 'prisoner,' with similar meaning but less intensive form; שֶׁבִי (shebî, H7628) — 'captive,' often emphasizing those taken in war rather than judicial confinement.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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