Original Word: מַסְתּוֹר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mictowr
Pronunciation: mis-tore'
Phonetic Spelling: (mis-tore')
KJV: covert
NASB: protection
Word Origin: [from H5641 (סָתַר - hide)]

1. a refuge

refuge

From cathar; a refuge -- covert.

see HEBREW cathar

Word Origin
from sathar
Definition
place of shelter
NASB Translation
protection (1).

מִסְתּוֺר noun [masculine] place of shelter; absolute מִסְתּוֺר מִזֶּרֶם Isaiah 4:6 (figurative of ׳יs protection; compare סֵתֶר Isaiah 32:2).

Occurrences and Context

מַסְתּוֹר (mastor) appears once in the Hebrew Scriptures, in Isaiah 4:6. The prophet envisions a future Jerusalem purified and protected under the reign of the Branch of the Lord. “It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain” (Isaiah 4:6). The word depicts a covert or secluded sanctuary where danger cannot penetrate.

Imagery of Protection

Isaiah joins the ideas of “shelter,” “shade,” and “refuge,” presenting a comprehensive portrait of divine guardianship. The image recalls the tabernacle-cloud of the wilderness that shielded Israel (Exodus 13:21-22) and anticipates the protective canopy of God’s presence in the eschaton. מַסְתּוֹר conveys not merely physical safety but also emotional rest; in the Hebrew mind, hiding in God implied assurance that the covenant Lord Himself surrounds His people (Psalms 27:5; Psalms 91:1-4).

Historical Background

Isaiah prophesied during a volatile era when Judah faced the threat of Assyria and internal moral decay. Cities fortified themselves with walls and underground cisterns, yet true security lay beyond human engineering. By introducing מַסְתּוֹר, Isaiah directs the nation’s gaze from man-made defenses to the imminent protective reign of the Lord, foreshadowing a time when Zion’s inhabitants will find ultimate safety in God alone.

Theological Significance

1. Covenant Faithfulness: God’s promise to be a refuge fulfills His covenantal role as shield and fortress (Genesis 15:1; Deuteronomy 33:27).
2. Holiness and Shelter: The refuge exists within a purified community (“those who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem,” Isaiah 4:3), showing that protection is inseparable from holiness.
3. Presence of God: Protection is not an impersonal force; it is the manifestation of God’s abiding presence. The word evokes the sanctuary motif carried throughout Scripture, culminating in Revelation 21:3, where God dwells with His people.

Prophetic and Eschatological Hope

Isaiah 4:6 forms part of a messianic passage that envisions a restored remnant under the glorious Branch (Isaiah 4:2). מַסְתּוֹר thus points forward to the Messianic kingdom, in which Christ provides permanent refuge (John 10:28-29). The canopy imagery reappears in Revelation 7:15-17, where those who come out of the great tribulation “shelter in His presence” and are protected from scorching heat and tears.

Relation to Other Biblical Terms for Refuge

While words like מַחֲסֶה (machaseh, refuge) and סֵתֶר (seter, hiding place) are common, מַסְתּוֹר highlights secrecy and concealment within a secure enclosure. The nuance enriches the tapestry of biblical refuge language:
• Psalms 32:7 underscores God as “hiding place” (seter), stressing intimacy.
• Proverbs 18:10 speaks of a fortified name (“strong tower”), emphasizing strength.
• Isaiah’s מַסְתּוֹר accentuates covert safety amid eschatological upheaval.

Christological Fulfillment

Jesus embodies and provides the true מַסְתּוֹר. He lamented over Jerusalem, desiring to gather her children “as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings” (Matthew 23:37). At Calvary, the veil rent, granting believers access into God’s ultimate hiding place (Hebrews 10:19-22). In Him, the church now enjoys the spiritual reality Isaiah foresaw, awaiting its consummation at His return.

Practical Application for Ministry

1. Pastoral Care: Encourage believers facing trials to take refuge in Christ, who shelters from spiritual assault and emotional turbulence.
2. Worship: Incorporate themes of divine refuge into praise, reminding congregations that security rests in God’s presence, not circumstances.
3. Evangelism: Present the gospel as the invitation to enter God’s hiding place, contrasting the fleeting safety of worldly systems with the eternal security found in Jesus.
4. Suffering Church: Isaiah 4:6 offers comfort to persecuted believers; their shelter is guaranteed by God’s covenant faithfulness, not by earthly power.

Typological Foreshadowing

The booth (sukkah) imagery in Isaiah 4:6 echoes the Feast of Tabernacles, which celebrated God’s protection in the wilderness. Christ’s transfiguration—where a cloud overshadowed the disciples (Matthew 17:5)—links the festival’s symbols to the person of Jesus. Thus, מַסְתּוֹר bridges Israel’s past, the church’s present, and the kingdom’s future.

Conclusion

Though used only once, מַסְתּוֹר encapsulates a profound biblical theme: God Himself is the secret shelter for His redeemed people. Isaiah’s solitary usage radiates through the canon, reinforcing the believer’s confidence that, in every storm, the Lord remains the sure hiding place.

וּלְמִסְתּ֔וֹר ולמסתור ū·lə·mis·tō·wr ulemisTor ūləmistōwrInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts