Lexical Definition

‎מַטָּרָא‎ maṭṭârâʼ (mat-taw-raw') (Gate of the) Guard ^H:N-F
or מַטָּרָה maṭṭârâh (mat-tawraw'); from ‎נָטַר‎

mark, prison.

• a jail (as a guard-house)
• also an aim (as being closely watched)

1) guard, ward, prison, mark, target
1a) guard, ward, prison
1b) target, mark (fig. of chastisement)

See Greek: σκοπός · φυλακή

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎מַטָּרָה‎ and (Lam 3:12) ‎מַטָּרָא‎

noun feminine 1. guard, ward, prison Neh 3:25.

2. target, mark (as kept in the eye, watched, compare ‎נָצַר‎ Prov 23:26, and σκόπος (watcher, mark) from σκέπτομαι; perhaps Nabataean [‎רתא‎]‎מט‎ Lzb³²³); — always absolute: —

1. guard, ward, prison, usually ‎׳‎‎חֲצַר הַמּ‎ court of gaurd (see I. ‎׳‎‎חָצֵ‎) Jer 32:2; Jer 32:8; Jer 32:12; Jer 33:1; Jer 37:21 (twice in verse); Jer 38:6; Jer 38:13; Jer 38:28; Jer 39:14; Jer 39:15 ‎׳‎‎שַׁעַר הַמּ‎ Neh 12:39.

2. target, mark Job 16:12 (figurative of ‎׳‎‎י‎'s chastisement), ‎כַּמַּטָּרָא לַחֵץ‎ Lam 3:12 (simile id.); literally only 1Sam 20:20.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References