צׇרְעִי
𐤑𐤓𐤏𐤉
Tsorʻîy
H6882 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Demonym indicating an inhabitant or native of Tsorah, a settlement in the territory assigned to the tribe of Judah in the Shephelah region; used to identify individuals and families by their geographic origin within genealogical lists and narratives.
Semantic Range
inhabitant of Tsorah, native of Tsorah, family or clan originating from Tsorah, Tsorahite; rarely used as a simple adjective describing objects or places with an origin in Tsorah
Root / Etymology
Patronymic/demonymic formation from the place name צָרְעָה (Tsorah) by addition of the gentilic -ִי (-î) suffix, indicating origin or association. The place name Tsorah itself is likely derived from a root meaning 'to horn,' 'to scourge,' or possibly 'track down prey' (root צָרַע), though the exact etymology of the placename is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term צָרְעִי (Tsor'i) and its variant form צָרְעָתִי (Tsor'athi) function as gentilic adjectives, describing persons or families originating from the town of Tsorah, which fell within the territory allotted to the tribe of Judah (see Joshua 15:33, Judges 13:2). Notably, Tsorah is associated with the origins of the judge Samson, although this term is not explicitly used of him in the narrative. The form parallels other biblical gentilics marking origin from a town, city, or clan, and is primarily attested in genealogical listings and descriptions of land allocation (e.g., 1 Chronicles 2:53). English translations typically render the term as "Zorathite" or "Zareathite." The term specifies geographic origin rather than ethnic or religious identity; it does not carry distinctions of tribal identity beyond indicating residence or descent from Tsorah. Over later periods, as local ethnic boundaries shifted, the term's significance diminished and is not attested outside biblical genealogies.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or צׇרְעָתִי; patrial from צׇרְעָה; a Tsorite or Tsorathite, i.e. inhabitants of Tsorah; Zorites, Zareathites, Zorathites.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צרע (ṣ-r-ʿ) — to horn, to scourge, to track down (prey)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6871 | צְרוּעָה | skin-diseased woman |
| H6879 | צָרַע | the skin-diseased one |
| H6880 | צִרְעָה | the hornet |
| H6881 | צׇרְעָה | from Tsorʻâh |
| H6883 | צָרַעַת | the struck-affliction |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6882-01 |
הַ/צָּ֣רְעָתִ֔י | hatsareati | HTd/Ngmsa |
of the Zorathites | the Tsorahite | 2 |
H6882-02 |
הַ/צָּרְעִֽי | hatsarei | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Zorites | the Tsorahite | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6882-01 |
1 Chronicles 2:53 | הַ/צָּ֣רְעָתִ֔י | hatsareati | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Zorathites | the Tsorahite |
H6882-02 |
1 Chronicles 2:54 | הַ/צָּרְעִֽי | hatsarei | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Zorites | the Tsorahite |
H6882-01 |
1 Chronicles 4:2 | הַ/צָּֽרְעָתִֽי | hatsareati | HTd/Ngmsa |
of the Zorathites | the Tsorahite |