צִיָּה
𐤑𐤉𐤄
tsîyâh
H6723 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Arid land or wilderness characterized by extreme dryness; a barren, waterless region, often contrasted with fertile or inhabited areas. The term primarily denotes a parched, desolate place lacking water and vegetation, frequently used in metaphorical as well as literal contexts to describe inhospitable or uninhabited areas.
Semantic Range
arid land, parched or dry region, desert, wilderness, barren place, drought-stricken area, metaphor for desolation or spiritual dryness
Root / Etymology
From the root ציה, meaning 'to be dry, to parch.' Though the verbal form is not attested in the Hebrew Bible, the nominal form derives directly from the core notion of dryness and aridity. The word encapsulates the physical state of being parched or devoid of moisture, applied concretely to landscape.
Historical & Contextual Notes
צִיָּה is commonly used in contrast to fertile or cultivated land, underscoring the theme of desolation or inhospitability. It appears across various biblical strata—poetic texts (e.g., Psalms, Isaiah) use it both literally, for wastelands, and figuratively, to signify spiritual or existential desolation. In prophetic literature, צִיָּה often functions as a symbol for the consequences of judgment or abandonment (e.g., a city reduced to a wilderness). It is distinct from other terms like מִדְבָּר (midbar, 'steppe, pasture land'), which can imply pasture or simply uncultivated land. English translations such as 'desert,' 'dry place,' or 'wilderness' partially capture the term, but may obscure its specific emphasis on lifeless, waterless terrain. In some English Bibles, 'solitary place' is used, but this stretches the meaning beyond aridity toward isolation, and should be used with caution unless the context specifically warrants it. The use of צִיָּה extends from the earliest strata (e.g., poetic works attributed to the First Temple period) through to exilic and post-exilic prophetic literature, retaining its descriptive and metaphorical force.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to parch; aridity; concretely, a desert; barren, drought, dry (land, place), solitary place, wilderness.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ציה (ṣ-y-h) — dryness, parching, aridity, lack of moisture
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6723-03 |
צִיָּ֖ה | tsiyah | HNcfsa |
dry | parched wasteland | 13 |
H6723-02 |
בַּ/צִּיָּֽה | batsiyah | HRd/Ncfsa |
in the wilderness | in the parched land | 1 |
H6723-04 |
וְ/צִיָּ֑ה | vetsiyah | HC/Ncfsa |
and the parched land | parched wasteland | 1 |
H6723-01 |
בַּ/צִּיּ֥וֹת | batsiot | HRd/Ncfpa |
in the dry places | in the arid lands | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
16 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6723-04 |
Isaiah 35:1 | וְ/צִיָּ֑ה | vetsiyah | HC/Ncfsa |
and the parched land | parched wasteland |
H6723-03 |
Isaiah 41:18 | צִיָּ֖ה | tsiyah | HNcfsa |
dry | parched wasteland |
H6723-03 |
Isaiah 53:2 | צִיָּ֔ה | tsiyah | HNcfsa |
dry | parched wasteland |
H6723-03 |
Jeremiah 2:6 | צִיָּ֣ה | tsiyah | HNcfsa |
of-drought | parched wasteland |
H6723-03 |
Jeremiah 50:12 | צִיָּ֥ה | tsiyah | HNcfsa |
a dry land | parched wasteland |
H6723-03 |
Jeremiah 51:43 | צִיָּ֣ה | tsiyah | HNcfsa |
of drought | parched wasteland |
H6723-03 |
Ezekiel 19:13 | צִיָּ֥ה | tsiyah | HNcfsa |
dry | parched wasteland |
H6723-03 |
Hosea 2:5 | צִיָּ֔ה | tsiyah | HNcfsa |
parched | parched wasteland |
H6723-03 |
Joel 2:20 | צִיָּ֣ה | tsiyah | HAafsa |
parched | parched wasteland |
H6723-03 |
Zephaniah 2:13 | צִיָּ֖ה | tsiyah | HNcfsa |
a dry land | parched wasteland |