צֶלֶק
𐤑𐤋𐤒
Tseleq
H6768 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper name referring to an individual among David’s warriors (one of the ‘mighty men’), likely with a basic meaning of 'fissure' or 'cleft', or possibly deriving from a place name or descriptive designation. The term appears only as a personal name, and its lexical meaning in ordinary usage is not attested in the Hebrew Bible outside this onomastic context.
Semantic Range
fissure, split, cleft (as possible lexical meaning); personal name; name of an Ammonite warrior in David's army
Root / Etymology
From a root צ-ל-ק, meaning 'to split' or 'to cleave open', though this verbal root is not otherwise attested in Biblical Hebrew (hence, 'unused root'). The formation likely denotes something split or a fissure, which may have informed its use as a personal or place name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name צֶלֶק (Tseleq) appears solely in 2 Samuel 23:37 and 1 Chronicles 11:39, identifying one of the 'thirty' elite warriors of David. The Hebrew text describes him as a native of the Ammonite people, highlighting his non-Israelite origin, despite the Strong’s statement. In genealogical or onomastic contexts, proper names of this form sometimes reflect features of the landscape (e.g., a fissure or ravine), or may serve as descriptive epithets. The name was later rendered as 'Zelek' in English translations, but this reflects transliteration rather than lexical meaning. No noun usage or common noun derrivation occurs in the biblical text; thus, the translation 'fissure' is speculative and based on comparison with similar Semitic roots. English Bibles may obscure the Ammonite connection by rendering the name without reference to ethnic or geographic origin.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to split; fissure; Tselek, an Israelite; Zelek.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צל"ק (ṣ-l-q) — to split, to cleave, to make a fissure
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6768-01 |
צֶ֖לֶק | tseleq | HNp |
Zelek | Cleft | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6768-01 |
2 Samuel 23:37 | צֶ֖לֶק | tseleq | HNp |
Zelek | Cleft |
H6768-01 |
1 Chronicles 11:39 | צֶ֖לֶק | tseleq | HNp |
Zelek | Cleft |