צֹרִי
𐤑𐤓𐤉
Tsôrîy
H6876 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Demonym meaning 'person of Tyre,' indicating an inhabitant or native of the Phoenician city of Tyre. Used to denote a person’s geographic or civic origin, specifically one associated with the city-state of Tyre on the Mediterranean coast, rather than ethnicity or religious identity. The term primarily identifies someone as originating from Tyre, which played a major role in ancient Levantine trade, politics, and culture.
Semantic Range
inhabitant of Tyre, native of Tyre, Tyrian, person from Tyre, man of Tyre, (rarely) Tyrian merchant or craftsman
Root / Etymology
Formed from the proper noun צֹר (Tsor, 'Tyre'), with the gentilic suffix ־ִי (-î), producing a demonym. The base proper noun, צֹר, is of debated etymology, usually understood to mean 'rock' or 'fortress,' reflecting the coastal city's famed rocky island location. The gentilic ending transforms place names into the sense of 'one from' or 'belonging to.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
צֹרִי specifically denotes someone 'of Tyre' and appears within genealogical and narrative lists to indicate foreign origin for characters or groups. Tyre was a prominent Phoenician city and trading power, often in both conflict and alliance with Israelite and Judahite kingdoms. The English equivalents ('Tyrian' or 'man of Tyre') generally convey the same demonymic sense. The term does not correspond to 'Syrian' in ancient sources; Phoenician Tyre was ethnically and politically distinct from the inland Syrian polities. Use of 'Tyrian' avoids the later English term 'Syrian,' which sometimes appears in older translations but is linguistically and historically inaccurate for this period and context. The word does not imply religious or ethnic affiliation, instead focusing purely on geographic association. In the Hebrew Bible, צֹרִי is used chiefly in passages relating to trade, political contact, and, less frequently, personal genealogy. It should not be confused with broader terms for Phoenicians or more general foreigners.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patrial from צֹר; a Tsorite or inhabitant of Tsor (i.e. Syrian); (man) of Tyre.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צר (ṣ-r) — hardness, strength, rock, fortress
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6876-01 |
צֹרִי֮ | tsori | HNgmsa |
of Tyre | Tyrian man | 2 |
H6876-02 |
וְ/הַ/צֹּרִים֙ | vehatsorim | HC/Td/Ngmpa |
and-the-men-of-Tyre | the Tyrians | 2 |
H6876-03 |
וְ/לַ/צֹּרִ֔ים | velatsorim | HC/Rd/Ngmpa |
and to the Tyrians | Tyrian men | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6876-01 |
1 Kings 7:14 | צֹרִי֮ | tsori | HNgmsa |
of Tyre | Tyrian man |
H6876-03 |
Ezra 3:7 | וְ/לַ/צֹּרִ֔ים | velatsorim | HC/Rd/Ngmpa |
and to the Tyrians | Tyrian men |
H6876-02 |
Nehemiah 13:16 | וְ/הַ/צֹּרִים֙ | vehatsorim | HC/Td/Ngmpa |
and-the-men-of-Tyre | the Tyrians |
H6876-02 |
1 Chronicles 22:4 | וְ/הַ/צֹּרִ֜ים | vehatsorim | HC/Td/Ngmpa |
and-the Tyrians | the Tyrians |
H6876-01 |
2 Chronicles 2:13 | צֹרִ֡י | tsori | HNgmsa |
Tyrian | Tyrian man |