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חֲצֹצְרָה

𐤇𐤑𐤑𐤓𐤄

chătsôtsᵉrâh

H2689 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חצר to sound, to blow, (meaning uncertain)

Definition

A long, straight, metallic trumpet or horn, typically made of silver, used in ancient Israelite ritual, ceremonial, and occasionally military contexts. Primarily refers to the pair of silver trumpets prescribed for use in the tabernacle and later temple to signal movements, call assemblies, and mark religious festivals.

Semantic Range

long, straight silver trumpet, ceremonial trumpet, ritual signaling instrument; musical instrument used in religious and military settings

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root חצר (ḥ-ṣ-r), whose meaning is uncertain in this verbal form; root is rarely attested. Some connect it with the idea of 'to blow' or 'to sound loudly,' but this is speculative. The term חֲצֹצְרָה appears to be a denominative noun, possibly formed by reduplication for onomatopoeic effect to imitate the sound of the instrument. Etymology uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֲצֹצְרָה specifically denotes a long, straight trumpet, distinct from other Hebrew terms for horned instruments, such as שׁוֹפָר (shofar, a ram's horn). In the Torah (e.g., Numbers 10:2–10), these trumpets were to be made of silver and used exclusively by the Levitical priests for signaling the congregation, summoning leaders, announcing offerings, and marking festal occasions. The חֲצֹצְרָה was also used in warfare for signaling and rallying. Notably, the term is not used for curved ram's horns (shofarot) employed in other ceremonies, such as Yom Teruah (later Rosh Hashanah). In later periods, especially after the exile, the precise nature and use of the חֲצֹצְרָה became less clear, and rabbinic tradition attempted to reconstruct its form and function from biblical descriptions. English translations as 'trumpet' adequately reflect the basic meaning but may obscure its ritual and priestly associations and its distinctness from the shofar. The use of חֲצֹצְרָה is concentrated in texts concerned with cultic regulations and royal ceremonies.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

by reduplication from חָצַר; a trumpet (from its sundered or quavering note); trumpet(-er).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חצר (ḥ-ṣ-r) — to sound, to blow (uncertain), resonant signaling

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1178 בַּעַל חָצוֹר Hazor Enclosed-Settlement
H2674 חָצוֹר in Hazor
H2681 חָצִיר enclosed courtyard
H2682 חָצִיר field herbage
H2690 חָצַר the trumpet-sounding ones

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2689-01 בַּֽ/חֲצֹצְר֑וֹת bachatsotserot HR/Ncfpa with trumpets in the silver trumpets 15
H2689-04 וּ/בַ/חֲצֹצְרֽוֹת uvachatsotserot HC/R/Ncfpa and with trumpets and with the ceremonial trumpets 4
H2689-06 וְ/הַ/חֲצֹֽצְרוֹת֙ vehachatsotserot HC/Td/Ncfpa and the trumpets and the silver trumpets 4
H2689-03 חֲצֽוֹצְרֹ֣ת chatsotserot HNcfpc trumpets ceremonial silver trumpets 3
H2689-05 וַ/חֲצֹצְר֥וֹת vachatsotserot HC/Ncfpc and the trumpets and silver ritual trumpets of 2
H2689-02 חֲצֹצְרָ֖ה chatsotserah HNcfsa the trumpet ceremonial silver trumpet 1

Occurrences in Scripture

29 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2689-03 Numbers 10:2 חֲצֽוֹצְרֹ֣ת chatsotserot HNcfpc trumpets ceremonial silver trumpets
H2689-01 Numbers 10:8 בַּֽ/חֲצֹצְר֑וֹת bachatsotserot HR/Ncfpa the trumpets in the silver trumpets
H2689-01 Numbers 10:9 בַּ/חֲצֹצְר֑וֹת bachatsotserot HR/Ncfpa with the trumpets in the silver trumpets
H2689-01 Numbers 10:10 בַּ/חֲצֹֽצְרֹ֗ת bachatsotserot HR/Ncfpa in-the-trumpets in the silver trumpets
H2689-05 Numbers 31:6 וַ/חֲצֹצְר֥וֹת vachatsotserot HC/Ncfpc and the trumpets and silver ritual trumpets of
H2689-06 2 Kings 11:14 וְ/הַ/חֲצֹֽצְרוֹת֙ vehachatsotserot HC/Td/Ncfpa and the trumpets and the silver trumpets
H2689-01 2 Kings 11:14 בַּ/חֲצֹֽצְר֑וֹת bachatsotserot HR/Ncfpa with trumpets in the silver trumpets
H2689-03 2 Kings 12:14 חֲצֹ֣צְר֔וֹת chatsotserot HNcfpa trumpets ceremonial silver trumpets
H2689-02 Hosea 5:8 חֲצֹצְרָ֖ה chatsotserah HNcfsa the trumpet ceremonial silver trumpet
H2689-01 Psalms 98:6 בַּ֭/חֲצֹ֣צְרוֹת bachatsotserot HR/Ncfpa with trumpets in the silver trumpets
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