Lexical Summary
armon: Palace, citadel, fortress
Original Word:אַרְמוֹן
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:armown
Pronunciation:ar-mone'
Phonetic Spelling:(ar-mone')
KJV: castle, palace
NASB:citadels, palaces, palace, citadel, towers, castle, fortified buildings
Word Origin:[from an unused root (meaning to be elevated)]
1. a citadel (from its height)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
castle, palace
From an unused root (meaning to be elevated); a citadel (from its height) -- castle, palace. Compareharmown.
see HEBREWharmown
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitiona citadel
NASB Translationcastle (1), citadel (2), citadels (13), fortified buildings (1), fortified towers (1), palace (3), palaces (9), palatial dwellings (1), towers (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Isaiah 32:14 — absolute
Jeremiah 30:18 +; construct
Isaiah 25:2; plural absolute
Amos 3:9 (twice in verse); construct
Amos 1:4 +;
Micah 5:4 +, etc. —
citadel, castle, palace, not used before royal period, mostly in prophets, especially common in Amos & Jeremiah; citadel as securely barred (in simile)
Proverbs 18:19; i.e. the
citadel, stronghold1 Kings 16:18, compare
2 Kings 15:25; usually more General, of
castle, palaces, prominent buildings; especially used in speaking of conquest, because the fine buildings would be especially object of attack & plunder; palaces of Israel
Amos 6:8; of Jerusalem
Isaiah 32:14 (singular collective)
Lamentations 2:5,7; 2Chronicles 36:19;
Psalm 48:4;
Psalm 48:14;
Psalm 122:7 compare
Hosea 8:14;
Micah 5:4;
Amos 2:5;
Jeremiah 17:27; of Samaria
Amos 3:10,11; also
Jeremiah 6:5;
Jeremiah 9:20 belonging to Benhadad (i.e. Aram)
Amos 1:4;
Jeremiah 49:27; of Tyre
Isaiah 23:13;
Amos 1:10; of Babylon
Isaiah 25:2 (singular collective), compare
Isaiah 13:22 where read for so Che Di ("" ; compare
Ezekiel 19:7 according to and others, but see rather ; Dl
BD xi defends in
Ezekiel 19:7 & compare Assyrian
almattu,
fortress); of Edom
Isaiah 34:13, of Gaza
Amos 1:7, of Rabbah
Amos 1:14, of Bozrah
Amos 1:12, of Kerioth
Amos 2:2, of Ashdod
Amos 3:9, of Egypt
Amos 3:9.
Topical Lexicon
Concept and ScopeʾArmon denotes the imposing residence or fortress of a ruler—whether royal, civic, or military. While the term most naturally conjures images of lavish halls, Scripture uses it with equal frequency for walled strongholds. In the Old Testament it appears about thirty-two times, spanning narrative history, poetry, wisdom, and prophetic oracles.
Architectural and Cultural Setting
In the Ancient Near East a palace was far more than a house. It embodied government, wealth, justice, and often oppression. Massive stone foundations, cedar paneling, ivory inlay, and inner store-rooms symbolized social order and—when misused—social inequity. Excavations at Samaria and Jerusalem confirm the kind of ornate structures Amos and Hosea confronted. A palace might include separate “summer” and “winter” wings (Amos 3:15) and stand within or against the city wall (Micah 5:5).
Distribution in Scripture
Narrative Books: 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Esther
Wisdom/Poetic: Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations
Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Amos, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Zechariah
Representative Narrative Uses
•1 Kings 16:18 recounts Zimri setting fire to “the royal palace” around him in suicidal defeat, underscoring how earthly might collapses when God withdraws favor.
•Esther 1:2 describes Ahasuerus “reigning from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,” setting the scene for God’s hidden providence within foreign grandeur.
Wisdom and Poetic Uses
•Psalm 48:3 proclaims, “God is in her citadels; He is known as her fortress,” turning the imagery of impregnable palaces toward Zion’s true security—Yahweh Himself.
•Psalm 122:7 prays, “May there be peace within your walls, and prosperity inside your fortresses,” linking national well-being to the worship of the Lord.
•Proverbs 18:19 warns that personal estrangement can be “like the bars of a castle,” showing how relational barriers may rival stone walls.
Prophetic Pronouncements of Judgment
Palaces figure prominently in warnings against social injustice and covenant unfaithfulness.
•Amos 3:10–11: “They store up violence and robbery in their palaces… an adversary will surround the land and pull down your strength and plunder your citadels.”
•Hosea 8:14: “Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces… I will send fire upon their cities to consume their citadels.”
•Micah 5:5: Assyria will “march against our fortresses,” yet the coming Shepherd-King will be peace for His people.
•Lamentations 2:5 depicts the aftermath: “He has swallowed up all her palaces; He has demolished her strongholds,” a chilling fulfillment of earlier warnings.
Palace Imagery and Covenant Faithfulness
The contrast between righteous and unrighteous rule is consistently developed. David’s desire to build a “house” for God (2 Samuel 7) and Solomon’s construction of both temple and palace reveal a tension: prominence can serve worship or drift toward pride. Prophets repeatedly measure kings by how their palaces treat the poor (Jeremiah 22:13–17).
Palaces as Signs of Security and Beauty
Positive uses are not absent.Psalm 45:8 pictures the royal bride entering “ivory palaces,” prefiguring the splendor awaiting the Messiah and His people.Isaiah 32:18 envisions a future when “My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in undisturbed resting places,” hinting that restored palaces will reflect divine order.
Typological and Christological Reflections
Earthly palaces—no matter how fortified—repeatedly fall. Their transience points to the greater, unshakable dwelling place prepared by the Lord (John 14:2). King Jesus enters Jerusalem meek and riding a donkey, not ensconced in stone. His cross, rather than a cedar-lined throne room, becomes the means by which He secures an eternal kingdom.Hebrews 11:10 deepens the theme: believers “are looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”
Ministry Implications
1. Power and stewardship: leaders today must view influence as a trust, not a private fortress.
2. Social justice: congregations should expose and remedy oppression “stored up in palaces,” whether governmental, corporate, or personal.
3. Spiritual security: teach believers that safety lies not in material fortifications but in the Lord who “is known as her fortress.”
4. Hope: use palace imagery to kindle longing for the New Jerusalem where righteousness dwells and no future judgment can “burn the palaces thereof.”
Forms and Transliterations
אַרְמ֣וֹן אַרְמ֤וֹן אַרְמְנ֖וֹת אַרְמְנ֣וֹת אַרְמְנ֥וֹת אַרְמְנֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ אַרְמְנֹתֶֽיהָ׃ אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ אַרְמְנוֹתֶֽיהָ׃ אַרְמְנוֹתָֽיִךְ׃ אַרְמֽוֹן׃ ארמון ארמון׃ ארמנות ארמנותיה ארמנותיה׃ ארמנותיך׃ ארמנתיה ארמנתיה׃ בְּאַרְמ֤וֹן בְּאַרְמְנֹתֵ֔ינוּ בְּאַרְמְנֽוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֶ֗יהָ בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָֽיִךְ׃ בארמון בארמנותיה בארמנותיהם׃ בארמנותיך׃ בארמנותינו בארמנתינו וְאַרְמ֖וֹן וְאַרְמְנֹתָ֖יו וארמון וארמנתיו ’ar·mə·nō·ṯe·hā ’ar·mə·nō·w·ṯā·yiḵ ’ar·mə·nō·w·ṯe·hā ’ar·mə·nō·wṯ ’ar·mō·wn ’armənōṯehā ’armənōwṯ ’armənōwṯāyiḵ ’armənōwṯehā ’armōwn armeNot armenoTayich armenoTeiha arMon bə’armənōṯênū bə’armənōwṯāyiḵ bə’armənōwṯehā bə’armənōwṯêhem bə’armənōwṯênū bə’armōwn bə·’ar·mə·nō·ṯê·nū bə·’ar·mə·nō·w·ṯā·yiḵ bə·’ar·mə·nō·w·ṯe·hā bə·’ar·mə·nō·w·ṯê·hem bə·’ar·mə·nō·w·ṯê·nū bə·’ar·mō·wn bearmenoTayich bearmenoTeiha bearmeNoteiHem bearmenoTeinu bearMon vearmenoTav vearMon wə’armənōṯāw wə’armōwn wə·’ar·mə·nō·ṯāw wə·’ar·mō·wn
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