זֶרַח
𐤆𐤓𐤇
zerach
H2225 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Zerach – a rising, shining, or appearance, most often referring to the emergence of light, such as the sunrise, or to a figurative dawning or manifestation. In personal names, denotes the idea of brightness or shining forth. Semantic range includes literal rising of the sun or other luminous bodies, metaphorical appearance or manifestation, and as a proper name indicating brightness or prominence.
Semantic Range
rising of the sun, sunrise, shining, radiance, appearance of light, figurative manifestation, personal name indicating prominence or presence
Root / Etymology
The word derives from the root זרח (z-r-ḥ), meaning 'to rise, shine, come forth (of light)'. זֶרַח is the noun form, denoting the act or state of rising or shining. The root conveys the idea of emergence or radiance rather than simply 'rise.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, זֶרַח appears as both a common noun and, more frequently, as a personal name (e.g., a son of Judah, Genesis 38:30; 1 Chronicles 2:4), likely bestowing a sense of prominence or bright appearance to the bearer. As a common noun, it primarily refers poetically to the act of sunrise or appearance of light (Malachi 4:2). The personal name Zerach is often transliterated directly in modern scholarship to avoid anachronistic renderings like 'Zarah.' In later Jewish tradition and English Bible translations, the name is sometimes rendered as 'Zerah,' but this obscures the meaning embedded in the original Hebrew. The term is distinct from similar words like שַׁחַר (shaḥar, 'dawn') and אוֹר (or, 'light') in that it emphasizes the process of appearing or radiating rather than simply the time of day or the thing itself. As a personal name, its use likely connotes favorable associations with light and emergence.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from זָרַח; a rising of light; rising.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
זרח (z-r-ḥ) — to rise, to shine, to appear (of light)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2224 | זָרַח | as shining forth |
| H2226 | זֶרַח | to Shining-One |
| H2227 | זַרְחִי | the Zerahite |
| H2228 | זְרַחְיָה | and Yah-has-shone-forth |
| H249 | אֶזְרָח | native-born one |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2225-01 |
זַרְחֵֽ/ךְ | zarechekhe | HNcmsc/Sp2fs |
of your rising | your shining-forth | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2225-01 |
Isaiah 60:3 | זַרְחֵֽ/ךְ | zarechekhe | HNcmsc/Sp2fs |
of your rising | your shining-forth |