a fast
| Root | צום (ṣ-w-m) |
| Core Meanings | to fast, to abstain, to refrain from food, self-denial |
| Semantic Range | an act of fasting; a period of abstinence from food; a formally appointed fast day; ritual self-denial for mourning, repentance, or supplication |
| Conceptual Significance | Fasting in the biblical text expresses humility, repentance, mourning, and earnest seeking of YHWH. It embodies physical self-denial as a sign of spiritual dependence and covenantal appeal to divine mercy. |
| Morphological Notes | Common masculine singular noun in the absolute state (HNcmsa); derived from the verbal root צום meaning "to fast." |
| Rendering Rationale | The noun צוֹם is a masculine singular absolute form derived from the verb צום, "to fast" or "to abstain." Rendering it as "a fast" preserves the concrete act of abstaining while accurately reflecting its masculine singular, absolute grammatical form. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)