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זוּר

𐤆𐤅𐤓

zûwr

H2114 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root זור to become strange, to be alien, to be estranged, to be foreign

Definition

To be or become a stranger, foreign or alien, to act as an outsider; by extension, to act in a way that deviates from what is considered familiar, familial, or sacred. This includes being a foreigner or outsider to a group, something that is profane (not part of the sacred, or ritually acceptable), or, in some contexts, to be adulterous or unfaithful, especially of a woman violating marriage norms. Semantic range extends from literal foreignness or estrangement, to figurative unfaithfulness or violation of established norms.

Semantic Range

to be a stranger, to become an outsider, to be foreign or alien, to act in a profane or unsanctioned manner, to adulterate, to estrange, to commit adultery, to participate inappropriately in ritual or social contexts, to deviate from accepted roles

Root / Etymology

Root: זוּר (zûwr). The root ז־ו־ר refers to being or becoming a stranger, outsider, or alien. The derived verb describes the action or state of becoming foreign or unfamiliar. The participle form is often used substantivally to mean 'stranger' or 'alien.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, זוּר is used both as a verb ('to be/become a stranger or act as an outsider') and as an adjective or substantive ('strange, outsider'). In legal and ritual contexts, it often refers to non-Israelite individuals (e.g., 'foreigners' in Leviticus 22:25; Numbers 1:51), or to people unqualified to participate in sacred activities (e.g., non-priests entering sanctuary, Numbers 3:10). In wisdom and prophetic literature, it can denote a person acting contrary to expected social or covenantal norms, particularly in reference to sexual or religious fidelity (Proverbs 5:3, 'strange woman,' i.e., an adulterous or foreign woman). Over time, the term gained strong connotations of both literal and figurative outsider status, including ritual impurity, religious apostasy, and marital infidelity. This is distinct from related roots נכר (nokhrî, 'foreigner, alien') and גר (gēr, 'sojourner or resident alien'), which frequently denote legal or protected foreignness, whereas זוּר highlights estrangement or unsanctioned separation. English translations sometimes restrict the term to 'stranger' or 'alien,' but its use in Hebrew includes broader senses of estrangement, deviation from norm, and unauthorized participation.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be aforeigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery; (come from) another (man, place), fanner, go away, (e-) strange(-r, thing, woman).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

זור (z-w-r) — to be strange, to be alien, to be estranged, to be foreign

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2115 זוּר she will press her
H2116 זוּרֶה the winnowed one
H2223 זַרְזִיר girded swift-beast of
H4204 מָזוֹר wound
H4205 מָזוֹר binding bandage

Word Forms

19 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2114-16 זָרִ֑ים zarim HAampa strangers foreign ones 25
H2114-13 זָ֑ר zar HAamsa stranger foreign one 20
H2114-14 זָרָ֖ה zarah HAafsa strange foreign 8
H2114-09 וְ/הַ/זָּ֥ר vehazar HC/Td/Aamsa and the outsider and the foreign one 4
H2114-08 נָזֹ֥רוּ nazoru HVNp3cp they are estranged they have become estranged 2
H2114-06 לְ/זָרִ֣ים lezarim HR/Aampa for strangers to foreign ones 2
H2114-18 זָר֥וּ zaru HVqp3cp are estranged they became estranged 2
H2114-17 זָר֑וֹת zarot HAafpa of strange women foreign women 2
H2114-10 וְ/זָ֥ר vezar HC/Aamsa and stranger and alien one 2
H2114-01 בְּ/זָרִ֑ים bezarim HR/Aampa with foreign gods with foreign ones 1

Occurrences in Scripture

77 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2114-10 Exodus 29:33 וְ/זָ֥ר vezar HC/Aamsa and stranger and alien one
H2114-14 Exodus 30:9 זָרָ֖ה zarah HAafsa strange foreign
H2114-13 Exodus 30:33 זָ֑ר zar HAamsa a stranger foreign one
H2114-14 Leviticus 10:1 זָרָ֔ה zarah HAafsa unauthorized foreign
H2114-13 Leviticus 22:10 זָ֖ר zar HAamsa outsider foreign one
H2114-13 Leviticus 22:12 זָ֑ר zar HAamsa stranger foreign one
H2114-13 Leviticus 22:13 זָ֖ר zar HAamsa stranger foreign one
H2114-09 Numbers 1:51 וְ/הַ/זָּ֥ר vehazar HC/Td/Aamsa and the outsider and the foreign one
H2114-14 Numbers 3:4 זָרָ֜ה zarah HAafsa strange foreign
H2114-09 Numbers 3:10 וְ/הַ/זָּ֥ר vehazar HC/Td/Aamsa and-the-outsider and the foreign one
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