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צָפוֹן

𐤑𐤐𐤅𐤍

tsâphôwn

H6828 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Principal direction 'north'; also refers to the northern region, side, or locality. In poetic or metaphorical usage, can allude to darkness, concealment, or mystery (reflecting an association with obscurity). In geographical contexts, designates territories, nations, or winds from the north.

Semantic Range

north, northern region, north side, north wind, area to the north, metaphorical reference to darkness or concealment

Root / Etymology

Root צפן (ts-p-n), meaning 'to hide, conceal, store.' The noun צָפוֹן is derived from this root, with the core sense developing from the notion of what is hidden or concealed (originally indicating a direction that was less familiar or shrouded in darkness—i.e., north, as the sun never shines there in the northern hemisphere at midday).

Historical & Contextual Notes

צָפוֹן is the standard Biblical Hebrew term for 'north,' both as a cardinal direction and for referring to northern territories or winds. In Israelite cosmology, the north was conceptually linked with darkness or the unknown, as well as with foreign threats (e.g., invading armies typically came from the north, Jeremiah 1:14). The word occurs throughout the Hebrew Bible, especially in geographical and prophetic contexts. In poetic passages (e.g., Psalm 48:3), it may allude to mythological concepts, such as the 'mount of assembly in the far north,' possibly reflecting ancient Near Eastern imagery of a divine mountain in the north. צָפוֹן contrasts with other directional terms (e.g., נֶגֶב 'south,' קֵדֶם 'east,' יָם 'west'). Later, in post-biblical Hebrew, צָפוֹן continued as the standard term for 'north.' English translations accurately render the primary sense, but may not capture poetic or metaphorical nuances linked to concealment or cosmic geography.

Translation Consistency

primary "north" 28 occurrences

Most common and natural rendering in English for צָפוֹן; the majority of occurrences are geographic (‘north’, ‘northern region’, ‘north side’) and can be handled with the base word “north” plus context or small function words (e.g., ‘to the north,’ ‘northward,’ ‘north wind’). The minority metaphorical senses (darkness, concealment) are better treated by context rather than changing the core lexical choice. 'North' therefore provides consistent, natural coverage of the typical usage.

Alternatives (22 occurrences):
"hidden-north" (19x) "northward" (3x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or צָפֹן; from צָפַן; properly, hidden, i.e. dark; used only of the north as aquarter (gloomy and unknown); north(-ern, side, -ward, wind).

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

צפן (Tsefon) — to hide, to conceal, to store up

Root צפן to hide, conceal, store away
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4710 מִצְפֻּן his concealed stores
H6827 צְפוֹן to Zephon
H6829 צָפוֹן and Zaphon
H6830 צְפוֹנִי the Northerner
H6831 צְפוֹנִי the Tsephonite clansman

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6828-11 צָפ֥וֹנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north 43
H6828-10 צָפ֑וֹן tsafon HNcfsa north hidden north north 38
H6828-06 מִ/צָּפ֖וֹן mitsafon HR/Ncfsa from the north from the north from the north 24
H6828-02 הַ/צָּפ֔וֹן hatsafon HTd/Ncfsa the north the hidden north the north 22
H6828-08 מִ/צְּפ֣וֹן mitsefon HR/Ncfsc from north from the north from the north 8
H6828-15 וְ/צָפ֜וֹנָ/ה vetsafonah HC/Ncfsa/Sd and to the north and toward the north and toward the north 5
H6828-04 לַ/צָּפ֖וֹן latsafon HRd/Ncfsa to the north toward the hidden-north to the north 3
H6828-03 הַ/צָּפ֑וֹנָ/ה hatsafonah HTd/Ncfsa/Sd the north toward the hidden-north the north 2
H6828-12 וּ/מִ/צָּפ֖וֹן umitsafon HC/R/Ncfsa and from north and from the north and from the north 2
H6828-01 בַּ/צָּפ֑וֹן batsafon HRd/Ncfsa to the north in the north in the north 1

Occurrences in Scripture

153 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6828-11 Genesis 13:14 צָפֹ֥נָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-15 Genesis 28:14 וְ/צָפֹ֣נָ/ה vetsafonah HC/Ncfsa/Sd and to the north and toward the north and toward the north
H6828-10 Exodus 26:20 צָפ֑וֹן tsafon HNcfsa of north hidden north north
H6828-10 Exodus 26:35 צָפֽוֹן tsafon HNcfsa north hidden north north
H6828-10 Exodus 27:11 צָפוֹן֙ tsafon HNcfsa north hidden north north
H6828-10 Exodus 36:25 צָפ֑וֹן tsafon HNcfsa northward hidden north north
H6828-10 Exodus 38:11 צָפוֹן֙ tsafon HNcfsa north hidden north north
H6828-11 Exodus 40:22 צָפֹ֑נָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-11 Leviticus 1:11 צָפֹ֖נָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-11 Numbers 2:25 צָפֹ֖נָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd on the north toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-11 Numbers 3:35 צָפֹֽנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-10 Numbers 34:7 צָפ֑וֹן tsafon HNcfsa north hidden north north
H6828-10 Numbers 34:9 צָפֽוֹן tsafon HNcfsa north hidden north north
H6828-10 Numbers 35:5 צָפ֛וֹן tsafon HNcfsa northward hidden north northward
H6828-11 Deuteronomy 2:3 צָפֹֽנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-15 Deuteronomy 3:27 וְ/צָפֹ֛נָ/ה vetsafonah HC/Ncfsa/Sd and northward and toward the north and toward the north
H6828-08 Joshua 8:11 מִ/צְּפ֣וֹן mitsefon HR/Ncfsc from north from the north from the north
H6828-08 Joshua 8:13 מִ/צְּפ֣וֹן mitsefon HR/Ncfsc from north from the north from the north
H6828-08 Joshua 11:2 מִ/צְּפ֗וֹן mitsefon HR/Ncfsc from north from the north from the north
H6828-11 Joshua 13:3 צָפ֔וֹנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-11 Joshua 15:5 צָפ֨וֹנָ/ה֙ tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd of north toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-08 Joshua 15:6 מִ/צְּפ֖וֹן mitsefon HR/Ncfsc on the north of from the north from the north
H6828-15 Joshua 15:7 וְ/צָפ֜וֹנָ/ה vetsafonah HC/Ncfsa/Sd and-northward and toward the north and toward the north
H6828-11 Joshua 15:8 צָפֹֽנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-07 Joshua 15:10 מִ/צָּפ֖וֹנָ/ה mitsafonah HR/Ncfsa/Sd from-north from the northward from the northward
H6828-11 Joshua 15:11 צָפוֹנָ/ה֒ tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-06 Joshua 16:6 מִ/צָּפ֔וֹן mitsafon HR/Ncfsa on the north from the north from the north
H6828-08 Joshua 17:9 מִ/צְּפ֣וֹן mitsefon HR/Ncfsc from-north from the north from the north
H6828-15 Joshua 17:10 וְ/צָפ֨וֹנָ/ה֙ vetsafonah HC/Ncfsa/Sd and to the north and toward the north and toward the north
H6828-06 Joshua 17:10 מִ/צָּפ֔וֹן mitsafon HR/Ncfsa on the north from the north from the north
H6828-06 Joshua 18:5 מִ/צָּפֽוֹן mitsafon HR/Ncfsa from-north from the north from the north
H6828-11 Joshua 18:12 צָפ֖וֹנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd of north toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-06 Joshua 18:12 מִ/צָּפ֗וֹן mitsafon HR/Ncfsa from north from the north from the north
H6828-11 Joshua 18:16 צָפ֑וֹנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-06 Joshua 18:17 מִ/צָּפ֗וֹן mitsafon HR/Ncfsa from the north from the north from the north
H6828-11 Joshua 18:18 צָפ֑וֹנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-11 Joshua 18:19 צָפוֹנָ/ה֒ tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-11 Joshua 18:19 צָפ֔וֹנָ/ה tsafonah-2 HNcfsa/Sd north toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-08 Joshua 19:14 מִ/צְּפ֖וֹן mitsefon HR/Ncfsc from the north from the north from the north
H6828-11 Joshua 19:27 צָפ֛וֹנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-08 Joshua 24:30 מִ/צְּפ֖וֹן mitsefon HR/Ncfsc on the north from the north on the north
H6828-08 Judges 2:9 מִ/צְּפ֖וֹן mitsefon HR/Ncfsc north from the north from the north
H6828-06 Judges 7:1 מִ/צָּפ֔וֹן mitsafon HR/Ncfsa from-north from the north from the north
H6828-11 Judges 12:1 צָפ֑וֹנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd to Zaphon toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-09 Judges 21:19 מִ/צְּפ֤וֹנָ/ה mitsefonah HR/Ncfsa/Sd from north from the northward from the northward
H6828-06 1 Samuel 14:5 מִ/צָּפ֖וֹן mitsafon HR/Ncfsa from north from the north from the north
H6828-11 1 Kings 7:25 צָפ֡וֹנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd north toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-11 2 Kings 16:14 צָפֽוֹנָ/ה tsafonah HNcfsa/Sd northward toward the hidden-north toward the hidden-north
H6828-10 Isaiah 14:13 צָפֽוֹן tsafon HNcfsa the north hidden north the north
H6828-06 Isaiah 14:31 מִ/צָּפוֹן֙ mitsafon HR/Ncfsa from the north from the north from the north
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