צָנִיף
𐤑𐤍𐤉𐤐
tsânîyph
H6797 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A type of head covering or head-dress, specifically a cloth or band wrapped around the head, often indicating rank, dignity, or sacred function. The term refers both to secular and priestly headgear in ancient Israelite contexts. In priestly use, it denotes a specific element of the high priest's ceremonial attire; in non-priestly contexts, it may indicate a head covering of the nobility or officials.
Semantic Range
head-wrap, turban, cloth head-dress, diadem (royal or priestly), ceremonial headpiece, mitre (priestly head-dress), hood
Root / Etymology
From the root צנף (ts-n-p), meaning 'to wrap, wind, or coil'. The noun form derives from the verbal action of wrapping, indicating a wrapped or coiled head covering. The word may be masculine or feminine (צָנִיפָה), and is closely related to the verb's concrete action of enveloping or binding.
Historical & Contextual Notes
צָנִיף appears in the Hebrew Bible as a general term for headgear, but acquires a more specific meaning in priestly contexts. In passages such as Isaiah 62:3, it refers to a 'diadem'—a sign of dignity or royalty. In priestly texts (e.g., Exodus 28:4, 39), it designates the mitre of the high priest, distinguishing this sacred headpiece from the turbans (מִצְנֶפֶת) worn by ordinary priests. The translation 'mitre' in older English Bibles is inherited from the KJV and may mislead modern readers; the item is better understood as a wound turban or cloth diadem, often made of fine linen. The use of צָנִיף to translate both ceremonial and secular headgear points to flexibility across time, but the priestly connotations become dominant in the Second Temple period. The term is distinct from מִצְנֶפֶת, the general priestly turban, and from עֲטָרָה, which more strictly means a crown or circlet. Post-exilic and later Jewish tradition often translated the term as 'mitre' or 'diadem,' which contributed to later religious associations, but in the First Temple period these nuances were not yet fully developed.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or צָנוֹף; or (feminine) צָנִיפָה; from צָנַף; a head-dress (i.e. piece of cloth wrapped around); diadem, hood, mitre.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צנף (ts-n-p) — to wrap, to wind, to coil
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4701 | מִצְנֶפֶת | the wrapped priestly turban |
| H6801 | צָנַף | to wrap a turban |
| H6802 | צְנֵפָה | wound headdress |
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6797-02 |
צָנִ֥יף | tsanif | HNcbsa |
turban | wrapped headpiece | 1 |
H6797-05 |
וְ֝/צָנִ֗יף | vetsanif | HC/Ncbsa |
and a turban | wrapped head-dress | 1 |
H6797-04 |
וְ/הַ/צְּנִיפ֖וֹת | vehatsenifot | HC/Td/Ncbpa |
and the turbans | and the head-wraps | 1 |
H6797-06 |
ו/צנוף | vtsnvf | HC/Vqa |
and a diadem | and wrapping | 1 |
H6797-03 |
וּ/צְנִ֥יף | utsenif | HC/Ncbsc |
diadem | wrapped head-wrap of | 1 |
H6797-01 |
הַ/צָּנִ֨יף | hatsanif | HTd/Ncbsa |
the turban | the wrapped head-dress | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6797-04 |
Isaiah 3:23 | וְ/הַ/צְּנִיפ֖וֹת | vehatsenifot | HC/Td/Ncbpa |
and the turbans | and the head-wraps |
H6797-06 |
Isaiah 62:3 | ו/צנוף | vtsnvf | HC/Vqa |
and a diadem | and wrapping |
H6797-03 |
Isaiah 62:3 | וּ/צְנִ֥יף | utsenif | HC/Ncbsc |
diadem | wrapped head-wrap of |
H6797-02 |
Zechariah 3:5 | צָנִ֥יף | tsanif | HNcbsa |
turban | wrapped headpiece |
H6797-01 |
Zechariah 3:5 | הַ/צָּנִ֨יף | hatsanif | HTd/Ncbsa |
the turban | the wrapped head-dress |
H6797-05 |
Job 29:14 | וְ֝/צָנִ֗יף | vetsanif | HC/Ncbsa |
and a turban | wrapped head-dress |