צִקְלֹן

𐤑𐤒𐤋𐤍

tsiqlôn

H6861 noun

SILEX Entry

Root צקל to wind, to bind, to twist

Definition

A container made from coarse fabric, usually crafted for holding or carrying various goods, particularly grain or foodstuffs. In some contexts, refers more generally to a sack, bag, or pouch, with possible extension to a 'husk' or outer covering when referring to the shell or covering of seeds or grains. The term may also carry the nuance of something bound or tied securely, especially at the opening.

Semantic Range

sack, bag, pouch, sack with tied mouth, husk, refuse sweepings

Root / Etymology

Related to an unused root צקל, tentatively connected to the semantic field 'to wind' or 'to bind.' The formation suggests a nominal derivative denoting something that is twisted or bound, referencing the tied-mouth sack. Direct etymology and root meaning remain uncertain and are reconstructed from context.

Historical & Contextual Notes

צִקְלֹן appears only in Amos 8:6, where the context is commerce — selling refuse or low-grade grain in the marketplace. Its meaning as a 'sack' or 'husk' aligns with ancient Near Eastern agrarian practice, where bulk goods were commonly stored or sold in fabric sacks tied at the mouth for security. The distinction between 'sack' and 'husk' lies in textual context: in Amos, the semantic nuance could be the bag containing sweepings/husks rather than edible grain. Unlike the more common Hebrew term שַׂק (saq), which typically connotes sackcloth associated with mourning or rough garments, צִקְלֹן seems to pertain specifically to a container for produce or its byproducts. Later tradition and versions sometimes translate this generically as 'sack' or 'refuse,' but the precise identification remains debated. The word does not persist into later Hebrew, nor into post-biblical literature.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to wind; a sack (as tied at the mouth); husk.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

צקל (ṣ-q-l) — to wind, to bind, to twist

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6861-01 בְּ/צִקְלֹנ֑/וֹ betsiqelono HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his sack in his tied sack 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6861-01 2 Kings 4:42 בְּ/צִקְלֹנ֑/וֹ betsiqelono HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his sack in his tied sack