Bible Word Study
קִיר
Qîyr · Kir, a place in Assyrian; also one in Moab
קִיר
Kir, a place in Assyrian; also one in Moab
Definition
Kir is a proper noun referring to at least two distinct locations in the Old Testament. Primarily, it denotes a place in Assyria to which the Aramean (Syrian) king Tiglath-Pileser exiled the people of Damascus (2 Kings 16:9, Amos 1:5). In a broader prophetic sense, it is also described as the original homeland of the Arameans (Amos 9:7). A second, separate Kir is mentioned in prophecies against Moab, likely a Moabite city or region (Isaiah 15:1). The name itself means 'fortress' or 'wall,' suggesting these were fortified places.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a place name in prophetic and historical contexts. It appears in historical narrative (2 Kings 16:9), in oracles against foreign nations (Isaiah 15:1, Amos 1:5, Amos 9:7), and in a prophecy concerning Jerusalem (Isaiah 22:6, referencing the 'Kir' that may be Assyrian). Its usage highlights God's sovereign judgment, using Assyria as an instrument to punish other nations, and later holding Assyria itself accountable.
Etymology
The word is identical to the common Hebrew noun קִיר (qîyr, H7023), meaning 'wall' or 'fortress.' As a place name, it directly derives from this noun, indicating the location was characterized by or famous for its fortifications. It is a primary noun, not derived from a verbal root.
Semantic Range
Kir is theologically significant as a symbol of God's sovereign control over the nations and His use of empires as instruments of judgment. The exile of Damascus to Kir (Amos 1:5) demonstrates that no kingdom is beyond God's reach. Furthermore, God's statement that He brought Israel from Egypt and the Arameans from Kir (Amos 9:7) places all national origins under His providential hand, challenging Israel's sense of exclusive privilege and underscoring God's authority over all human history. In the ancient Near East, a name meaning 'fortress' would immediately communicate a place of military strength and security. For the original audience, the mention of Kir in Assyria would evoke the powerful, feared Assyrian empire, the dominant military and political force of the 8th century BC. Its use as a place of exile underscores Assyria's brutal policy of deporting conquered populations to break their national identity and prevent rebellion. קִיר חֲרָשֶׂת (Qîyr Chăresheth, H7025) — A distinct, fortified Moabite city, possibly the same as the second Kir mentioned in Isaiah 15:1.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]