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צִיּוֹן

𐤑𐤉𐤅𐤍

Tsion

H6726 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A specific and prominent elevation in Jerusalem, initially referring to the fortified Jebusite stronghold captured by David and thereafter associated with the location of the royal citadel. Over time, the term came to serve as a poetic or symbolic designation for Jerusalem as a whole, and in some texts as a metonym for the Israelite nation or its spiritual center. The term frequently appears in contexts emphasizing the city's religious or national significance, especially as the chosen locus of YHWH's presence.

Semantic Range

citadel in Jerusalem, city of David, Jerusalem (as the Israelite capital), city as religious center, poetic symbol of Jerusalem, collective term for the Israelite nation, metaphor for hope or restoration

Root / Etymology

The word derives from the root ציה (tsi/tswy), which may mean 'to be dry, parched,' though the precise etymology is uncertain; some scholars connect it loosely to Arabic roots meaning 'castle' or 'fortress,' but its original derivation remains unclear. The form צִיּוֹן is a proper noun designating this particular geographical and cultural landmark.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the oldest layers of the Hebrew Bible (e.g. Samuel, Kings), צִיּוֹן is the specific fortress dwelling of the pre-Israelite Jebusites and the first seat of David's monarchy. By the time of the exilic and post-exilic prophets and biblical poetry (e.g. Isaiah, Psalms, Lamentations), צִיּוֹן evolves into a poetic synonym for Jerusalem, often representing its people, their destiny, or Israelite hopes in general. In certain later Second Temple texts, צִיּוֹן occasionally broadens further to symbolize eschatological or cosmic realities. English translations traditionally render צִיּוֹן as 'Zion,' but this often obscures the layered development of the term—from a specific topographic landmark, to the city as a whole, to its symbolic uses. In later Jewish tradition and Christian usage, 'Zion' acquired theological dimensions not present in the primary biblical contexts, which should not be retrojected onto earlier Israelite usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

the same (regularly) as צִיּוּןlemma צִיוּן missing dagesh, corrected to צִיּוּן; Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem; Zion.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

ציה (Tsion) — to be dry, be parched, lack moisture

Root ציה to be dry, parched, desert-like (root meaning, though direct connection to צִיּוֹן uncertain)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6723 צִיָּה in the arid lands
H6728 צִיִּי to desert-dwellers
H6808 צָעָה wandering

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6726-04 צִיּ֔וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion 106
H6726-01 בְּ/צִיּ֔וֹן betsion HR/Np in Zion in Tsiyon in Tsion 21
H6726-03 מִ/צִיּ֣וֹן mitsion HR/Np from Zion from Zion from Tsion 12
H6726-02 לְ/צִיּ֖וֹן letsion HR/Np to Zion to Zion to Tsion 5
H6726-09 בְ/צִיּוֹן֙ vetsion HR/Np in Zion in Zion in Tsion 5
H6726-05 צִיּ֔וֹנָ/ה tsionah HNp/Sd toward Zion Zion-ward Tsion 1
H6726-06 וּֽ/לֲ/צִיּ֨וֹן ulatsion HC/R/Np And of Zion and to Tsiyon and to Tsion 1
H6726-07 וּ/לְ/צִיּ֖וֹן uletsion HC/R/Np and for Zion and to Tsiyon and to Tsion 1
H6726-08 וּ֝/מִ/צִּיּ֗וֹן umitsion HC/R/Np and from Zion and from Tsiyon and from Tsion 1

Occurrences in Scripture

153 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6726-04 2 Samuel 5:7 צִיּ֑וֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 1 Kings 8:1 צִיּֽוֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 2 Kings 19:21 צִיּ֔וֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 2 Kings 19:31 צִיּ֑וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 1:8 צִיּ֖וֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 1:27 צִיּ֖וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-03 Isaiah 2:3 מִ/צִּיּוֹן֙ mitsion HR/Np from-Zion from Zion from Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 3:16 צִיּ֔וֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 3:17 צִיּ֑וֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-01 Isaiah 4:3 בְּ/צִיּ֗וֹן betsion HR/Np in Zion in Tsiyon in Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 4:4 צִיּ֔וֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 4:5 צִיּ֜וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 8:18 צִיּֽוֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 10:12 צִיּ֖וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 10:24 צִיּ֖וֹן tsion HNp in Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 12:6 צִיּ֑וֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 14:32 צִיּ֔וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 16:1 צִיּֽוֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 18:7 צִיּֽוֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 24:23 צִיּוֹן֙ tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-01 Isaiah 28:16 בְּ/צִיּ֖וֹן betsion HR/Np in Zion in Tsiyon in Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 29:8 צִיּֽוֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-01 Isaiah 30:19 בְּ/צִיּ֥וֹן betsion HR/Np in Zion in Tsiyon in Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 31:4 צִיּ֖וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-01 Isaiah 31:9 בְּ/צִיּ֔וֹן betsion HR/Np in Zion in Tsiyon in Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 33:5 צִיּ֔וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-09 Isaiah 33:14 בְ/צִיּוֹן֙ vetsion HR/Np in Zion in Zion in Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 33:20 צִיּ֔וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 34:8 צִיּֽוֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 35:10 צִיּוֹן֙ tsion HNp to Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 37:22 צִיּ֔וֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 37:32 צִיּ֑וֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 40:9 צִיּ֔וֹן tsion HNp O Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-02 Isaiah 41:27 לְ/צִיּ֖וֹן letsion HR/Np to Zion to Zion to Tsion
H6726-09 Isaiah 46:13 בְ/צִיּוֹן֙ vetsion HR/Np in Zion in Zion in Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 49:14 צִיּ֖וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 51:3 צִיּ֗וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 51:11 צִיּוֹן֙ tsion HNp to-Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-02 Isaiah 51:16 לְ/צִיּ֖וֹן letsion HR/Np to-Zion to Zion to Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 52:1 צִיּ֑וֹן tsion HNp O Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 52:2 צִיּֽוֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-02 Isaiah 52:7 לְ/צִיּ֖וֹן letsion HR/Np to Zion to Zion to Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 52:8 צִיּֽוֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-02 Isaiah 59:20 לְ/צִיּוֹן֙ letsion HR/Np to Zion to Zion to Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 60:14 צִיּ֖וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 61:3 צִיּ֗וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 62:1 צִיּוֹן֙ tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 62:11 צִיּ֔וֹן tsion HNp of Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 64:9 צִיּוֹן֙ tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
H6726-04 Isaiah 66:8 צִיּ֖וֹן tsion HNp Zion Tsiyon Tsion
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