צָמַק
𐤑𐤌𐤒
tsâmaq
H6784 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To wither, waste away, or become shriveled due to loss of moisture or vitality; denotes the drying up or shriveling of a physical object, organism, or in a figurative sense, of strength or spirit. The primary senses involve the physical process of desiccation, whether of the human body, organic matter, or land.
Semantic Range
to waste away physically, to become thin or gaunt, to shrink or shrivel due to loss of moisture, to dry up, to be emaciated; by extension, to be diminished in strength or vitality
Root / Etymology
Root: צמק. The root meaning is 'to become lean, shriveled, dry up.' The verb form צָמַק functions as a stative or intransitive verb describing something diminishing in moisture, fullness, or vigor, leading to a shriveled or desiccated state.
Historical & Contextual Notes
צָמַק appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, with attested use in contexts referring to physical emaciation or bodily withering, such as Job 16:8 and Lamentations 4:8, often in a context of suffering, famine, or grief. The term is closely related in sense to verbs like יָבֵשׁ (yavesh, 'to be dry'), though צָמַק emphasizes the shriveling or shrinking that results from loss of vital fluids or physical wasting. Later post-biblical Hebrew preserves derivative senses in describing parched or withered conditions. English translations often render it as 'shrivel,' 'waste away,' 'become lean,' or 'be dried up.' Standard English translations capture the sense of physical emaciation or desiccation but may not fully reflect the nuance of shriveling or bodily wasting nor the metaphorical applications visible in laments or poetry. The term is not associated with ritual purity or technical terms for drought, setting it apart from related roots such as חרב ('to be dry, parched' especially of land). There is no theological or distinctly later religious usage; the word remains descriptive and concrete in its biblical attestations.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to dry up; dry.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צמק (ts-m-q) — to become lean, shrivel, dry up, wither
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6778 | צַמּוּק | pressed dried-grape cakes |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6784-01 |
צֹמְקִֽים | tsomeqim | HVqrmpa |
dry | withering ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6784-01 |
Hosea 9:14 | צֹמְקִֽים | tsomeqim | HVqrmpa |
dry | withering ones |