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זַלְזַל

𐤆𐤋𐤆𐤋

zalzal

H2150 noun

SILEX Entry

Root זלל to be light, to be of little worth, to shake (by extension)

Definition

A flexible, trembling shoot or small branch; denotes a slender, swaying twig or sprig, often used to describe young, pliant growths on a plant or tree. The term emphasizes the delicate, quivering quality of the branch due to its thinness and suppleness. Occasionally used metaphorically to convey lightness or insubstantiality.

Semantic Range

tremulous twig, trembling sprig, young flexible shoot, delicate branch, insubstantial or lightly esteemed object (metaphoric)

Root / Etymology

Derived from the Hebrew root זלל, which fundamentally means 'to be light, worthless, or lightly esteemed.' The form זַלְזַל is a reduplication, likely emphasizing the sense of lightness or laxity, here applied concretely to slender, trembling twigs.

Historical & Contextual Notes

זַלְזַל appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, most notably in Isaiah 18:5, where it describes the trembling sprigs or twigs of a vine. Its imagery highlights the fragile, easily moved character of young plant growth and may also evoke a sense of fleetingness or lack of substance in a poetic context. Later Jewish exegetical tradition sometimes interprets it symbolically, but in biblical usage, the term is botanical and descriptive. English versions render it as 'twig,' 'sprig,' or 'branch,' sometimes obscuring its connotation of delicacy and movement. Distinct from other terms for branch (e.g., ענף, זמרה), זַלְזַל specifically refers to thin, flexible, and swaying growths rather than substantial limbs or shoots. The term does not appear widely outside biblical, post-biblical, or rabbinic literature, and its nuance is best preserved through botanical or poetic context. The English term 'twig' does not always capture the trembling nuance inherent in the Hebrew word.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

by reduplication from זָלַל; tremulous, i.e. a twig; sprig.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

זלל (z-l-l) — lightness, worthlessness, shaking, looseness

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2149 זֻלּוּת state of despised worthlessness
H2151 זָלַל among the unrestrained ones

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2150-01 הַ/זַּלְזַלִּים֙ hazalezalim HTd/Ncmpa the shoots the trembling twigs 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2150-01 Isaiah 18:5 הַ/זַּלְזַלִּים֙ hazalezalim HTd/Ncmpa the shoots the trembling twigs
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