Lexical Summary segor: Closure, shutting, enclosure Original Word: סְגוֹר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance caul, gold From cagar; properly, shut up, i.e. The breast (as inclosing the heart); also gold (as generally shut up safely) -- caul, gold. see HEBREW cagar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sagar Definition an enclosure, encasement NASB Translation chests* (1), gold (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs סְגוֺר noun [masculine] enclosure, encasement; — construct סְגוֺר לִבָּם Hosea 13:8 the encasement of their heart (pericardium; i.e. their vitals). — סְגוֺר Job 28:15 must = fine gold, si vera lectio, but see סגר, Qal. near the end; סְגֹר Psalm 35:3 see id., Qal 2 b. Topical Lexicon Segor (Strong’s Hebrew 5458) Occurrences in Scripture Segor appears only in Job 28:15 and Hosea 13:8, yet the contexts could hardly be more different—one extols the incomparable worth of wisdom; the other depicts the ferocity of divine judgment. The scarcity of the word highlights its rhetorical weight whenever it is used. Imagery of Secure Value Job 28:15 places segor within the vocabulary of precious metals: “It cannot be bought with gold, nor its price weighed out in silver” (Job 28:15). Wisdom is pictured as so valuable that even the most securely stored treasure cannot purchase it. The term evokes bullion locked away in strongholds, suggesting ultimate human wealth. By denying that such wealth can acquire wisdom, the text elevates spiritual understanding above material affluence (compare Proverbs 3:14; Proverbs 8:10–11). Layered Meanings: Treasure and Vulnerability In Hosea 13:8 segor shifts to the physical realm of anatomy: “Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them; I will tear open their hearts”. The “heart-covering” or “chest enclosure” is the body’s natural strongbox. God threatens to rip it open, exposing what was thought to be safely shut. The same Hebrew consonants that in Job pointed to impregnable treasure now mark the very organ whose exposure brings death. Thus the term joins two seemingly opposite ideas—secure containment and utter vulnerability—both in the hands of the Lord. Prophetic and Wisdom Contexts 1. Wisdom Literature: Job 28 forms a poetic climax that locates true wisdom in God alone (Job 28:23–28). Segor, the most secure gold, cannot secure wisdom; revelation, not commerce, is the key. Historical and Cultural Insights Ancient Near-Eastern treasuries were frequently hidden in rock chambers or palace vaults. Gold stored there carried an aura of inviolability, mirroring the semantic backdrop of segor. Likewise, in ancient medicine the chest cavity was considered a protective casing for life itself. Both cultural notions underlie the biblical usage: what human beings deem impregnable—whether wealth or flesh—remains accessible to God. Links to Broader Biblical Themes • True Value: The superiority of spiritual treasures over material wealth resurfaces in Matthew 6:19–21 and 1 Peter 1:7, where faith refined by fire is “more precious than gold.” Ministerial Applications 1. Preaching: Segor serves as a vivid contrast between earthly security and heavenly wisdom. Sermons can press the question, “What do we trust to keep us safe—our coffers or our Creator?” Conclusion Though mentioned only twice, segor moves from the guarded vault to the pierced chest, demonstrating that nothing is so securely closed that God cannot open it—or so prized that it can purchase His wisdom. The word therefore becomes a silent witness to both divine sovereignty and the surpassing worth of knowing the Lord. Forms and Transliterations סְג֣וֹר סגור sə·ḡō·wr seGor səḡōwrLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 28:15 HEB: לֹא־ יֻתַּ֣ן סְג֣וֹר תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ וְלֹ֥א NAS: Pure gold cannot be given KJV: It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver INT: cannot be given gold exchange Nor Hosea 13:8 2 Occurrences |
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