זְמָן
𐤆𐤌𐤍
zᵉmân
H2165 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A fixed or appointed time, period, or occasion associated with scheduling or designation in advance; refers to a specifically set or predetermined point in time for an event, rather than a general or indefinite time. Semantic range includes the sense of an arranged or previously established time or season, particularly in formal or communal contexts.
Semantic Range
appointed time, fixed time, designated time, set occasion, scheduled period, appointed season
Root / Etymology
From the root זָמַן (z-m-n), whose core meaning relates to appointing, fixing, or setting (especially in terms of time). The noun זְמָן derives from this verbal root, denoting a time that has been deliberately set or designated.
Historical & Contextual Notes
זְמָן appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in post-exilic writings such as Ecclesiastes and Daniel, reflecting a tendency toward more precise or formalized concepts of time (parallel to Aramaic usage in later periods). In contrast to עֵת ('et, general time/opportunity) or מוֹעֵד (mo'ed, appointed time/festival/assembly), זְמָן specifically connotes a scheduled or predetermined moment, often established by prior arrangement. The word persists in later Hebrew (e.g., Rabbinic, Modern) as the standard term for 'time,' but in biblical usage it carries a more formal or fixed sense. English translations typically render this term as 'season' or 'time,' though 'appointed time' conveys the specificity implied in biblical contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from זָמַן; an appointed occasion; season, time.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
זמן (z-m-n) — to appoint, to set, to fix (in time)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2163 | זָמַן | those appointed |
| H2164 | זְמַן | they appointed themselves |
| H2166 | זְמָן | and the appointed time |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2165-03 |
זְמָ֑ן | zeman | HNcmsa |
a time | appointed time | an appointed time | 2 |
H2165-02 |
וְ/כִ/זְמַנָּ֑/ם | vekhizemanam | HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3mp |
and according to their appointed time | and according to their appointed time | and according to their appointed time | 1 |
H2165-01 |
בִּ/זְמַנֵּי/הֶ֗ם | bizemaneyhem | HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp |
in their times | in their appointed times | in their appointed times | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2165-03 |
Ecclesiastes 3:1 | זְמָ֑ן | zeman | HNcmsa |
appointed time | an appointed time | |
H2165-02 |
Esther 9:27 | וְ/כִ/זְמַנָּ֑/ם | vekhizemanam | HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3mp |
and according to their appointed time | and according to their appointed time | and according to their appointed time |
H2165-01 |
Esther 9:31 | בִּ/זְמַנֵּי/הֶ֗ם | bizemaneyhem | HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp |
in their times | in their appointed times | in their appointed times |
H2165-03 |
Nehemiah 2:6 | זְמָֽן | zeman | HNcmsa |
a time | appointed time | an appointed time |