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זַיִת

𐤆𐤉𐤕

zayith

H2132 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The olive tree (Olea europaea) and its fruit, especially noted for its oil-yielding properties. The term denotes both the tree itself and its fruit, as well as olive groves or orchards. In rare contexts, it may refer more broadly to products, land, or locations characterized by olives.

Semantic Range

olive tree, olive fruit, olives as a crop, olive groves, land characterized by olives, Mount of Olives (place name), olive wood

Root / Etymology

Root/Etymology: Root likely זית (Z-Y-T), though an explicit verbal root is not attested in Biblical Hebrew; possible connection proposed with the notion of brightness (cf. זִו), possibly alluding to the sheen of oil or the brightness of olive oil when lit. The word זַיִת is primarily a noun meaning 'olive tree' or 'olive.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

Historically, זַיִת is a central term in Biblical Hebrew, reflecting the agricultural, economic, and cultural importance of the olive in ancient Israelite society. Olives and olive oil were foundational in diet, anointing, illumination (lamp oil), and in ritual use (anointing kings, priests). The word refers both to individual trees and to olive fruit, and sometimes by extension to olive orchards (e.g., מִשְׁמֶן זַיִת, 'olive oil'; גַּן־זֵיתִים, 'olive grove'). In some translations and traditions, 'Mount of Olives' (הַר הַזֵּיתִים) is called 'Olivet,' but this is a later, Greco-Roman designation. Unlike later English usage, the term never refers to ethnic or religious identity. The significance and prevalence of olives is attested archaeologically and textually in all periods of Israelite history, from the patriarchal to post-exilic, with no substantial semantic shift. Contrasts with יִצְהָר (yitzhar), which specifically highlights olive oil, especially fresh or high-quality oil, whereas זַיִת refers primarily to the tree and its fruit, but by metonymy supplies related meanings. Standard English translations ('olive' or 'olive tree') generally capture the word’s sense, though occasionally they may render it as 'olive grove' or 'Olivet' when a geographic distinction is intended.

Translation Consistency

primary "olive" 37 occurrences

זַיִת most commonly denotes the olive (tree or fruit) and by extension groves or land characterized by olives. "Olive" is the natural, concise English headword that covers both tree and fruit and easily forms phrases like "olive tree" or "olive grove," matching the primary usage (31 of 38 occurrences). It keeps renderings consistent and natural.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"oliveyard" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably from an unused root (akin to זִו); an olive (as yielding illuminating oil), the tree, the branch or the berry; olive (tree, -yard), Olivet.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

זית (Zeytan) — olive (tree), olive (fruit), to yield olives

Root זית olive (tree), olive (fruit), to yield olives
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2133 זֵיתָן and Olive-Grove
H2241 זֵתָם and Zetham

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2132-11 זַ֥יִת zayit HNcmsa olive olive tree olive tree 11
H2132-03 הַ/זֵּיתִ֤ים hazeytim HTd/Ncmpa of Olives the olive trees the olive trees 5
H2132-10 וְ/זֵיתִ֤ים vezeytim HC/Ncmpa and olive trees and olive trees and olive trees 4
H2132-15 זֵיתִ֛ים zeytim HNcmpa olive trees olive trees olive trees 3
H2132-01 הַ/זַּ֖יִת hazayit HTd/Ncmsa the olive the olive tree the olive tree 2
H2132-09 וְ/זֵיתֵי/כֶ֛ם vezeyteykhem HC/Ncmpc/Sp2mp and olive groves and your olive trees and your olive trees 2
H2132-12 זֵ֤ית zeyt HNcmsc of olive olive of olive of 2
H2132-13 זֵֽיתְ/ךָ֔ zeytekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your olives your olive tree your olives 2
H2132-02 הַ/זֵּתִ֜ים hazetim HTd/Ncmpa of Olives the olive trees the olive trees 1
H2132-04 כַּ֝/זַּ֗יִת kazayit HRd/Ncmsa like an olive like an olive tree like an olive tree 1

Occurrences in Scripture

38 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2132-11 Genesis 8:11 זַ֖יִת zayit HNcmsa olive olive tree olive tree
H2132-08 Exodus 23:11 לְ/זֵיתֶֽ/ךָ lezeytekha HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms and with your oliveyard to your olive tree and with your oliveyard
H2132-11 Exodus 27:20 זַ֥יִת zayit HNcmsa olive olive tree olive
H2132-11 Exodus 30:24 זַ֖יִת zayit HNcmsa olive olive tree olive
H2132-11 Leviticus 24:2 זַ֥יִת zayit HNcmsa olive olive tree olive
H2132-10 Deuteronomy 6:11 וְ/זֵיתִ֖ים vezeytim HC/Ncmpa and olive trees and olive trees and olive trees
H2132-12 Deuteronomy 8:8 זֵ֥ית zeyt HNcmsc olive trees olive of olive tree
H2132-13 Deuteronomy 24:20 זֵֽיתְ/ךָ֔ zeytekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your olive tree your olive tree your olive tree
H2132-15 Deuteronomy 28:40 זֵיתִ֛ים zeytim HNcmpa olive trees olive trees olive trees
H2132-13 Deuteronomy 28:40 זֵיתֶֽ/ךָ zeytekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your olives your olive tree your olives
H2132-10 Joshua 24:13 וְ/זֵיתִים֙ vezeytim HC/Ncmpa and olive groves and olive trees and olive trees
H2132-07 Judges 9:8 לַ/זַּ֖יִת lazayit HRd/Ncmsa to the olive tree to the olive tree to the olive tree
H2132-01 Judges 9:9 הַ/זַּ֔יִת hazayit HTd/Ncmsa the olive tree the olive tree the olive tree
H2132-11 Judges 15:5 זָֽיִת zayit HNcmsa olive olive tree olive tree
H2132-09 1 Samuel 8:14 וְ/זֵיתֵי/כֶ֛ם vezeyteykhem HC/Ncmpc/Sp2mp and olive groves and your olive trees and your olive trees
H2132-03 2 Samuel 15:30 הַ/זֵּיתִ֜ים hazeytim HTd/Ncmpa the Mount of Olives the olive trees the olive trees
H2132-10 2 Kings 5:26 וְ/זֵיתִ֤ים vezeytim HC/Ncmpa and olive trees and olive trees and olive trees
H2132-12 2 Kings 18:32 זֵ֤ית zeyt HNcmsc of olive olive of olive of
H2132-11 Isaiah 17:6 זַ֔יִת zayit HNcmsa of an olive tree olive tree olive tree
H2132-11 Isaiah 24:13 זַ֔יִת zayit HNcmsa olive-tree olive tree olive tree
H2132-11 Jeremiah 11:16 זַ֤יִת zayit HNcmsa olive tree olive tree olive tree
H2132-06 Hosea 14:7 כַ/זַּ֖יִת khazayit HRd/Ncmsa like the olive like an olive tree like an olive tree
H2132-09 Amos 4:9 וְ/זֵיתֵי/כֶ֖ם vezeyteykhem HC/Ncmpc/Sp2mp and your olive trees and your olive trees and your olive trees
H2132-11 Micah 6:15 זַ֨יִת֙ zayit HNcmsa olive olive tree olive tree
H2132-11 Habakkuk 3:17 זַ֔יִת zayit HNcmsa of the olive olive tree olive tree
H2132-01 Haggai 2:19 הַ/זַּ֖יִת hazayit HTd/Ncmsa the olive the olive tree the olive tree
H2132-15 Zechariah 4:3 זֵיתִ֖ים zeytim HNcmpa olive trees olive trees olive trees
H2132-03 Zechariah 4:11 הַ/זֵּיתִים֙ hazeytim HTd/Ncmpa olive trees the olive trees the olive trees
H2132-03 Zechariah 4:12 הַ/זֵּיתִ֗ים hazeytim HTd/Ncmpa of the olive trees the olive trees the olive trees
H2132-02 Zechariah 14:4 הַ/זֵּתִ֜ים hazetim HTd/Ncmpa of Olives the olive trees the olive trees
H2132-03 Zechariah 14:4 הַ/זֵּיתִ֤ים hazeytim HTd/Ncmpa of Olives the olive trees the olive trees
H2132-05 Psalms 52:10 כְּ/זַ֣יִת kezayit HR/Ncmsa like an olive like an olive tree like an olive tree
H2132-15 Psalms 128:3 זֵיתִ֑ים zeytim HNcmpa olives olive trees olive trees
H2132-04 Job 15:33 כַּ֝/זַּ֗יִת kazayit HRd/Ncmsa like an olive like an olive tree like an olive tree
H2132-14 Nehemiah 5:11 זֵיתֵי/הֶ֖ם zeyteyhem HNcmpc/Sp3mp their olive groves their olive trees their olive trees
H2132-11 Nehemiah 8:15 זַ֨יִת֙ zayit HNcmsa olive olive tree olive tree
H2132-10 Nehemiah 9:25 וְ/זֵיתִ֛ים vezeytim HC/Ncmpa and olive trees and olive trees and olive trees
H2132-03 1 Chronicles 27:28 הַ/זֵּיתִ֤ים hazeytim HTd/Ncmpa the olive trees the olive trees the olive trees
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