צָהֹב
𐤑𐤄𐤁
tsâhôb
H6669 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
A bright yellow or golden color, particularly descriptive of objects with a vivid, light-yellow or gold-like hue. In biblical usage, this adjective is most commonly used to characterize hair or other substances that are notably yellowish or golden in appearance.
Semantic Range
yellow, golden-yellow, golden, yellowish (esp. hair); bright yellow color, gold-like hue
Root / Etymology
צָהֹב derives from the root צהב, which carries the sense of being bright, shining, or golden-yellow in color. The word is a descriptive adjective formed from this verbal root. Although the root is rare, the form is transparently related.
Historical & Contextual Notes
צָהֹב occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in Levitical regulations regarding signs of leprosy (Leviticus 13), where it describes yellowish (golden) hair, indicating a clinical observation used for priestly diagnosis. The color sense likely reflects a distinction from other common colors of hair, and is not to be interpreted as 'blond' in the modern ethno-racial sense but rather as a particular shade. Because the ancient Israelites used a relatively limited color vocabulary, צָהֹב carried a broader sense than the strict modern category 'yellow.' English translations usually render it 'yellow,' but in context it may indicate a golden or light-yellow tone. The use of צָהֹב is primarily descriptive and clinical in the Torah, with little evidence for metaphorical or symbolic application in other periods. Its rarity outside priestly literature suggests specialized terminology rather than common color language.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from צָהַב; golden in color; yellow.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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צהב (ts-h-b) — to shine, to be yellow, to be golden-colored
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6668 | צָהַב | made golden-shining |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6669-02 |
צָהֹ֖ב | tsahov | HAamsa |
yellow | golden-yellow | 2 |
H6669-01 |
הַ/צָּהֹ֖ב | hatsahov | HTd/Aamsa |
the yellow | the golden-yellow one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6669-02 |
Leviticus 13:30 | צָהֹ֖ב | tsahov | HAamsa |
yellow | golden-yellow |
H6669-02 |
Leviticus 13:32 | צָהֹ֑ב | tsahov | HAamsa |
yellow | golden-yellow |
H6669-01 |
Leviticus 13:36 | הַ/צָּהֹ֖ב | hatsahov | HTd/Aamsa |
the yellow | the golden-yellow one |