צַוָּאר
𐤑𐤅𐤀𐤓
tsavvâʼr
H6677 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The neck, especially the nape or back of the neck; by extension, the portion connecting the head to the body in humans and animals, often as a symbol of submission or vulnerability. Can denote the physical neck itself, or serve as a focal point in metaphor for bearing a burden or being subjected to subjugation.
Semantic Range
neck, the nape or back of the neck, throat, (by metonymy) locus of bearing burdens, (figurative) point of submission or resistance, (poetic) site of adornment or beauty
Root / Etymology
From the root צוּר (tsur), which in some contexts means 'to bind, wrap, enclose,' though precise connection in form is debated. The noun is formed with a typical nominal suffix; the feminine form (צַוָּארָה) and diminutive forms (צַוָּרֹן) are attested as well.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical Hebrew, צַוָּאר refers literally to the neck and is used in both anatomical and figurative senses. The neck is referenced as the part where yokes are placed, the burden-bearing point of draft animals or, analogically, humans under constraint (e.g. Deut 28:48: 'a yoke upon your neck'). It frequently appears in imagery of submission or defiance (e.g. 'stiff-necked' for obstinacy, Exod 32:9). Differentiation among forms (such as the feminine צַוָּארָה or diminutive צַוָּרֹן) may reflect nuance, endearment, or poetic usage, especially in the Song of Songs, where adornment or attractiveness of the neck is praised (Song 4:9, 7:4). In post-biblical and later Hebrew, the word remains in use as the standard term for neck. English translations generally render צַוָּאר as 'neck,' but may miss the idiomatic or figurative resonance of the Hebrew term. The word is distinct from עֹרֶף ('nape'), which can overlap in some contexts, particularly in idioms of obstinacy ('stiff-necked'), where stubbornness is portrayed through metaphoric construal of the neck as resisting submission. No inherent religious or ethnic terminology is attached to this anatomical term, and its usage is stable across periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or צַוָּר; (Nehemiah 3:5), or צַוָּרֹןlemma צַוָּרן missing vowel, corrected to צַוָּרֹן; (Song of Solomon 4:9), or (feminine) צַוָּארָה; (Micah 2:3), intensively from צוּר in the sense of binding; the back of the neck (as that on which burdens are bound); neck.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צור (ts-w-r) — bind, enclose, tie
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1049 | בֵּית צוּר | Rock |
| H4692 | מָצוֹר | in the siege |
| H4693 | מָצוֹר | besieged stronghold |
| H4694 | מְצוּרָה | the fortified places |
| H6676 | צַוַּאר | her nape |
Word Forms
19 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6677-06 |
צַוָּ֖אר | tsavar | HNcmsa |
neck | burden-binding neck | 7 |
H6677-10 |
צַוָּארֶֽ/ךָ | tsavarekha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your neck | your neck | 5 |
H6677-14 |
צַוָּארֽ/וֹ | tsavaro | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his neck | his neck | 4 |
H6677-09 |
צַוָּארָֽי/ו | tsavarayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his neck | his necks | 4 |
H6677-11 |
צַוָּארֵ֔/ךְ | tsavarekhe | HNcmsc/Sp2fs |
your neck | your neck | 4 |
H6677-15 |
צַוְּארֵ֥י | tsaverey | HNcmpc |
neck | necks of | 3 |
H6677-03 |
בְּ/צַוְּארֵ֥י | betsaverey | HR/Ncmpc |
on necks | on bound-necks of | 2 |
H6677-04 |
לְ/צַוְּארֵ֥י | letsaverey | HR/Ncmpc |
for the necks of | to necks of | 1 |
H6677-02 |
בְּֽ֭/צַוָּאר/וֹ | betsavaro | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
around his neck | at his neck | 1 |
H6677-12 |
צַוָּארֵ֨/נוּ֙ | tsavarenu | HNcmsc/Sp1cp |
our necks | our neck | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
41 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6677-09 |
Genesis 27:16 | צַוָּארָֽי/ו | tsavarayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his neck | his necks |
H6677-10 |
Genesis 27:40 | צַוָּארֶֽ/ךָ | tsavarekha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your neck | your neck |
H6677-08 |
Genesis 33:4 | צַוָּארָ֖/ו | tsavarav | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his neck | his neck |
H6677-14 |
Genesis 41:42 | צַוָּארֽ/וֹ | tsavaro | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his neck | his neck |
H6677-15 |
Genesis 45:14 | צַוְּארֵ֥י | tsaverey | HNcmpc |
neck | necks of |
H6677-09 |
Genesis 45:14 | צַוָּארָֽי/ו | tsavarayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his neck | his necks |
H6677-09 |
Genesis 46:29 | צַוָּארָ֔י/ו | tsavarayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his neck | his necks |
H6677-09 |
Genesis 46:29 | צַוָּארָ֖י/ו | tsavarayv-2 | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
his neck | his necks |
H6677-10 |
Deuteronomy 28:48 | צַוָּארֶ֔/ךָ | tsavarekha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your neck | your neck |
H6677-15 |
Joshua 10:24 | צַוְּארֵ֖י | tsaverey | HNcmpc |
necks of | necks of |