צָהַב
𐤑𐤄𐤁
tsâhab
H6668 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To gleam or shine with a gold-like brilliance; to exhibit a bright, golden-yellow hue or luster. Used to describe objects, materials, or appearances that are visually striking due to their golden shine or radiance, not limited to literal gold but applicable to any glittering golden color.
Semantic Range
to gleam (like gold), to glitter, to be golden in color, to be radiant with a yellow-golden hue, to shine brightly with a golden-tinged brilliance
Root / Etymology
Root: צהב. The core sense of the root is to shine or gleam with a yellow-golden quality. The verb derives from the basic Semitic idea of shining or being bright, with this root uniquely emphasizing a golden-yellow type of brilliance, though direct cognates in other Semitic languages are rare or uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The Hebrew verb צָהַב occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible, most notably in poetic or descriptive passages (e.g., Psalm 68:13). It conveys the idea of radiant or lustrous gold-like appearance, often used to enhance imagery of beauty, splendor, or preciousness. The root primarily describes appearance rather than chemical composition, thus it is used even when pure gold is not in view (e.g., feathers appearing golden). Related terms for 'gold' (זָהָב) are more common and denote the substance itself. The distinction of צָהַב is the emphasis on visual effect. There is no clear evidence that this root took on substantially new meanings in later biblical periods or post-biblical Hebrew. Standard English translations sometimes render it as 'yellow,' 'golden,' or 'glittering,' but this may underrepresent its vivid, gleaming connotation. In later Hebrew, derivative forms refer to golden color or luster, but direct use of the verb remains rare.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to glitter, i.e. be golden in color; [idiom] fine.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צהב (ṣ-h-b) — to shine, to gleam, to be golden
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6669 | צָהֹב | the golden-yellow one |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6668-01 |
מֻצְהָ֤ב | mutsehav | HVHsmsa |
polished | made golden-shining | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6668-01 |
Ezra 8:27 | מֻצְהָ֤ב | mutsehav | HVHsmsa |
polished | made golden-shining |