זָמַן
𐤆𐤌𐤍
zâman
H2163 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To set, determine, or appoint a specific time or occasion. In biblical usage, most commonly refers to designating a particular point in time for an event or gathering by deliberate action. Can denote making arrangements or preparations by fixing a date or season.
Semantic Range
to fix a time, to appoint (an occasion), to set an appointed time, to arrange, to designate a date or period, to make arrangements (for a future event)
Root / Etymology
Root: ז-מ-ן (z-m-n). The root primarily conveys the notion of setting, determining, or appointing—usually with reference to time. The verb זָמַן is derived directly from this triliteral root, and its form and usage typify standard Hebrew verbal derivation, with no evidence of borrowing from other Semitic languages.
Historical & Contextual Notes
זָמַן is a rare verb in the Hebrew Bible, with principal occurrences in later biblical Hebrew and post-biblical literature. Its usage is sparse in the canonical texts, but it becomes more common in later Hebrew and Aramaic, especially in post-biblical and rabbinic sources, where it is a standard term for designating times or seasons. The concept of fixing or appointing a time often carries a sense of human agency or deliberate decision, distinguishing it from words denoting general 'times' or 'seasons' (like עֵת or מוֹעֵד). In later Jewish liturgy and calendrical texts, זָמַן is the standard verb for setting times for festivals or events. English translations employing 'appoint', 'set', or 'determine' generally capture the essential meaning, though the nuance of deliberate scheduling is hard to convey in one English word. The verb should be distinguished from nouns or participles meaning 'invited guest' (e.g., זְמוּן in Aramaic), which are later developments from the same root. No theological nuance is inherent in the term; it is practical and administrative in meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to fix (a time); appoint.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
זמן (z-m-n) — to set, to appoint, to fix a time, to determine
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2164 | זְמַן | they appointed themselves |
| H2165 | זְמָן | in their appointed times |
| H2166 | זְמָן | and the appointed time |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2163-01 |
מְזֻמָּנִ֔ים | mezumanim | HVPsmpa |
appointed | those appointed | 2 |
H2163-02 |
מְזֻמָּנ֖וֹת | mezumanot | HVPsfpa |
appointed | appointed ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2163-01 |
Ezra 10:14 | מְזֻמָּנִ֔ים | mezumanim | HVPsmpa |
appointed | those appointed |
H2163-01 |
Nehemiah 10:35 | מְזֻמָּנִ֖ים | mezumanim | HVPsmpa |
appointed | those appointed |
H2163-02 |
Nehemiah 13:31 | מְזֻמָּנ֖וֹת | mezumanot | HVPsfpa |
appointed | appointed ones |