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H7023 · Hebrew · Old Testament
קִיר
Qir
Noun, masculine
Wall / Side

Definition

The Hebrew noun qir (קִיר) means a wall — particularly the wall of a building, house, or city. It appears about 74 times in the OT. It is distinct from the outer city wall (chomah).

Usage & Theological Significance

Qir (wall) appears in architectural descriptions of the tabernacle, temple, and private homes, but also carries theological significance. God's protective presence is compared to a wall: Zechariah 2:5 — 'I will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be its glory within.' Ezekiel's judgment against false prophets compares them to people whitewashing a flimsy wall — it looks strong but will collapse in the storm (Ezekiel 13:10–16). Nehemiah's rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls was a spiritual act of restoration — it marked the renewal of the city of God. In Ephesians 2:14, Christ 'destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility' (Greek mesotoichon) between Jew and Gentile — the greatest wall-removal in history.

Key Bible Verses

Zechariah 2:5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it, declares the LORD, and I will be its glory within.
Ezekiel 13:12 When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, 'Where is the whitewash you covered it with?'
1 Kings 6:15 He lined its interior walls with cedar boards, paneling them from the floor of the temple to the ceiling.
Nehemiah 4:6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
Ephesians 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.

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