צָהַל
𐤑𐤄𐤋
tsâhal
H6670 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To shine or gleam, especially with a bright or radiant quality; by extension, to exult, rejoice, or shout joyfully, whether with one's voice or through expressive sounds. Used of light, facial expression, and also of vocalizations by people and animals, including neighing of horses and loud cries or shouts of joy among humans.
Semantic Range
to shine, to gleam (literal or metaphorical), to be radiant (of countenance), to neigh (of horses), to shout for joy, to cry aloud, to exult, to rejoice exuberantly
Root / Etymology
From the root צהל, which primarily conveys the idea of shining or radiance. The term developed extended meanings related to the radiance of joy, which naturally gives rise to jubilant vocal expression such as shouting, rejoicing, or animal calls (particularly the neighing of horses).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In early biblical usage, צָהַל occurs in poetic and prophetic texts describing both literal brightness (e.g. of light or countenance) and figurative expressions of exuberant joy or triumphant noise. Often paired with other terms of rejoicing or sound. The word also appears in reference to animal sounds, particularly with horses (e.g., Jer 5:8; 8:16), where it describes the shrill or joyous neigh. In pre-exilic contexts, the root emphasizes the outward, audible manifestation of inner emotion—especially festive or exuberant occasions. Later Hebrew and post-biblical usage tends to preserve primarily the senses of radiance and joy, with the animal sound extensions receding. English translations often render the word variably depending on context—with "shout for joy," "cry out," "rejoice," or "neigh"—but may not always capture its underpinning imagery of brightness or gleaming. Similar Hebrew roots for shouting or vocal display include רנן and רגז, which sometimes overlap but do not carry the same association with brightness or gleaming.
Translation Consistency
Most occurrences and the primary extended sense of צָהַל are vocal expressions of joy (shout for joy, cry aloud, exult). “Shout” is a natural, idiomatic English verb that covers the typical usage (including “cry aloud”/“exult”) better than narrower alternatives; rarer senses (e.g., literal shining or neighing of horses) can be handled as special cases.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to gleam, i.e. (figuratively) be cheerful; by transference to sound clear (of various animal or human expressions); bellow, cry aloud (out), lift up, neigh, rejoice, make to shine, shout.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צהל (ts-h-l) — shine, gleam, cry aloud, rejoice
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4684 | מַצְהָלָה | neighings of |
Word Forms
9 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6670-03 |
צַהֲלִ֥י | tsahali | HVqv2fs |
Cry aloud | Shine out joyfully! | Shout aloud joyfully! | 2 |
H6670-02 |
צָהֲלָ֖ה | tsahalah | HVqp3fs |
shouted for joy | she shone brightly | she shouted for joy | 1 |
H6670-08 |
ו/תצהלי | vttshly | HC/Vqi2fs |
and you neigh | and you will exult brightly | and you will neigh | 1 |
H6670-09 |
יִצְהָֽלוּ | yitsehalu | HVqi3mp |
neighing | they will exult-shout | neighing | 1 |
H6670-04 |
צָהֲל֖וּ | tsahalu | HVqp3cp |
they cry out | they cried out joyfully | they cried out joyfully | 1 |
H6670-07 |
וְ/צַהֲל֖וּ | vetsahalu | HC/Vqv2mp |
and shout | Shout joyfully! | Shout joyfully | 1 |
H6670-06 |
וְ/צַהֲלִי֙ | vetsahali | HC/Vqv2fs |
and cry aloud | and shine forth! | and cry aloud | 1 |
H6670-01 |
לְ/הַצְהִ֣יל | lehatsehil | HR/Vhc |
to make shine | to cause to shine forth | to cause to shine forth | 1 |
H6670-05 |
וְ/תִצְהֲל֖וּ | vetitsehalu | HC/Vqi2mp |
and you neigh | and you will exult radiantly | and you all will neigh | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6670-03 |
Isaiah 10:30 | צַהֲלִ֥י | tsahali | HVqv2fs |
Cry aloud | Shine out joyfully! | Shout aloud joyfully! |
H6670-03 |
Isaiah 12:6 | צַהֲלִ֥י | tsahali | HVqv2fs |
Cry out | Shine out joyfully! | Shout aloud joyfully! |
H6670-04 |
Isaiah 24:14 | צָהֲל֖וּ | tsahalu | HVqp3cp |
they cry out | they cried out joyfully | they cried out joyfully |
H6670-06 |
Isaiah 54:1 | וְ/צַהֲלִי֙ | vetsahali | HC/Vqv2fs |
and cry aloud | and shine forth! | and cry aloud |
H6670-09 |
Jeremiah 5:8 | יִצְהָֽלוּ | yitsehalu | HVqi3mp |
neighing | they will exult-shout | neighing |
H6670-07 |
Jeremiah 31:7 | וְ/צַהֲל֖וּ | vetsahalu | HC/Vqv2mp |
and shout | Shout joyfully! | Shout joyfully |
H6670-08 |
Jeremiah 50:11 | ו/תצהלי | vttshly | HC/Vqi2fs |
and you neigh | and you will exult brightly | and you will neigh |
H6670-05 |
Jeremiah 50:11 | וְ/תִצְהֲל֖וּ | vetitsehalu | HC/Vqi2mp |
and you neigh | and you will exult radiantly | and you all will neigh |
H6670-01 |
Psalms 104:15 | לְ/הַצְהִ֣יל | lehatsehil | HR/Vhc |
to make shine | to cause to shine forth | to cause to shine forth |
H6670-02 |
Esther 8:15 | צָהֲלָ֖ה | tsahalah | HVqp3fs |
shouted for joy | she shone brightly | she shouted for joy |