צׇרְעָה
𐤑𐤓𐤏𐤄
Tsreah
H6881 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Tsorʻâh is a proper noun denoting a town assigned to the tribal territory of Dan, located in the Shephelah (lowland) region of ancient Israel. The primary lexical meaning refers to this specific geographic locality. The term's semantic range is limited to its function as a place name but may, by extension, refer collectively to its inhabitants or to events occurring there in narrative contexts.
Semantic Range
the town of Tsorʻâh in the territory of Dan; by extension, its inhabitants or events associated with the town
Root / Etymology
From the root צרע (ṣrʻ), meaning 'to sting' or 'wound,' though the relationship between the root and the place name is uncertain. Tsorʻâh (צׇרְעָה) appears as a variant spelling of צִרְעָה (Tzirʻâh), possibly reflecting dialectal variation or alternate orthographic traditions. The word functions as a toponym rather than retaining an active sense of the root verb in ordinary usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Tsorʻâh is best known as the birthplace and home of Samson, according to Judges 13:2, 19, 24-25. It is one of the towns designated to the tribe of Dan in Joshua 19:41, often listed with neighboring Eshtaol. Archaeological surveys locate it near modern-day Sar'a, west of Jerusalem, in the Shephelah. In the biblical text, the orthography alternates between צׇרְעָה and צִרְעָה; both refer to the same locality. Later traditions associate it with significant events in Israelite pre-monarchic history, especially related to the Judges period. English translations may vary in spelling (Zorah, Zoreah, Zareah), reflecting differences in transliteration conventions over time. The Hebrew does not suggest any association with the later English word 'Zorah' other than as a transliteration. There is no evidence of the term's use beyond the scope of the geographical reference in the Hebrew Bible.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently another form for צִרְעָה; Tsorah, a place in Palestine; Zareah, Zorah, Zoreah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צרע (ṣ-r-ʿ) — to sting, wound
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6871 | צְרוּעָה | skin-diseased woman |
| H6879 | צָרַע | the skin-diseased one |
| H6880 | צִרְעָה | the hornet |
| H6882 | צׇרְעִי | the Tsorahite |
| H6883 | צָרַעַת | the struck-affliction |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6881-02 |
צָרְעָ֥ה | tsareah | HNp |
Zorah | Tsorʿah | 5 |
H6881-01 |
מִ/צָּרְעָ֛ה | mitsareah | HR/Np |
from Zorah | from Tsorʻâh | 3 |
H6881-03 |
וּ/בְ/צָרְעָ֖ה | uvetsareah | HC/R/Np |
and in Zorah | and in Tsorʿah | 1 |
H6881-04 |
וְ/צָרְעָ֖ה | vetsareah | HC/Np |
and Zorah | and Tsorʻah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6881-04 |
Joshua 15:33 | וְ/צָרְעָ֖ה | vetsareah | HC/Np |
and Zorah | and Tsorʻah |
H6881-02 |
Joshua 19:41 | צָרְעָ֥ה | tsareah | HNp |
Zorah | Tsorʿah |
H6881-01 |
Judges 13:2 | מִ/צָּרְעָ֛ה | mitsareah | HR/Np |
from Zorah | from Tsorʻâh |
H6881-02 |
Judges 13:25 | צָרְעָ֖ה | tsareah | HNp |
Zorah | Tsorʿah |
H6881-02 |
Judges 16:31 | צָרְעָה֙ | tsareah | HNp |
Zorah | Tsorʿah |
H6881-01 |
Judges 18:2 | מִ/צָּרְעָ֣ה | mitsareah | HR/Np |
from Zorah | from Tsorʻâh |
H6881-02 |
Judges 18:8 | צָרְעָ֖ה | tsareah | HNp |
Zorah | Tsorʿah |
H6881-01 |
Judges 18:11 | מִ/צָּרְעָ֖ה | mitsareah | HR/Np |
from Zorah | from Tsorʻâh |
H6881-03 |
Nehemiah 11:29 | וּ/בְ/צָרְעָ֖ה | uvetsareah | HC/R/Np |
and in Zorah | and in Tsorʿah |
H6881-02 |
2 Chronicles 11:10 | צָרְעָה֙ | tsareah | HNp |
Zorah | Tsorʿah |