← H5517 H5519 →

סִיר

𐤎𐤉𐤓

çîyr

H5518 noun

SILEX Entry

Root סור to turn aside, depart; (as noun) vessel for boiling, thorn

Definition

A vessel typically made of metal or clay, used for boiling or cooking over a fire; in most contexts, refers to a cooking pot, cauldron, or pan. Additionally, in several poetic or rare contexts, the word can denote a thorn, bramble, or hook—by way of visual or functional similarity or through wordplay. The primary sense is as a container for heating or preparing food, with secondary usage referring metaphorically or analogically to thorns or hooks.

Semantic Range

cooking pot, cauldron, kettle, pan, household boiling vessel; thorn, bramble (poetic/figurative); hook or fishhook (instrumental use); pot in ritual or temple context

Root / Etymology

From the root סור (swr), which in some forms means 'to turn aside, depart.' However, the etymology for סִיר as 'pot' is uncertain and may not directly derive from this root. The connection to 'boiling up' is based on later interpretations and may reflect folk etymology or phonetic similarity. The feminine forms סִירָה/סִרָה are attested as grammatical variants, especially in Jeremiah 52:18.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Israelite and Judahite periods, סִיר was a common term for domestic or temple cookware, vessels used for preparing food, sacrificial meat, or boiling water. Archaeological finds of iron and clay cooking pots from the Iron Age and later closely match the biblical references. The use of סִיר for 'thorn' occurs particularly in the poetic books (e.g., Psalms, Ezekiel), often for imagery of quick growth, uselessness, or burning. The same spelling was applied to certain hooks or implements (e.g., fishhooks or temple utensils), especially in Exilic/Second Temple lists of temple inventory. English translations frequently render סִיר as 'pot,' 'caldron,' or 'pan' in culinary contexts, while 'thorn' or 'hook' is used in metaphorical or specific listings. Each sense must be distinguished contextually, and the semantic overlap with other vessel terms (קְדֵרָה, דּוּד) is notable, though סִיר is typically associated with boiling liquid rather than dry-roasting.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (feminine) סִירָה; or סִרָה; (Jeremiah 52:18), from a primitive root meaning to boil up; a pot; also a thorn (as springing up rapidly); by implication, a hook; caldron, fishhook, pan, (wash-)pot, thorn.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

סור (s-w-r) — turn aside, depart; (noun) boiling vessel, thorn

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3249 יָסוּר my departing ones
H5493 סוּר turned-aside one
H5494 סוּר turned-aside ones
H5495 סוּר Sur Gate
H5626 סִרָה the Sirah Cistern

Word Forms

13 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5518-07 הַ/סִּירֹ֤ת hasirot HTd/Ncbpa pots the cooking pots 8
H5518-10 סִ֣יר sir HNcbsc pot cooking-pot of 7
H5518-05 הַ/סִּ֣יר hasir HTd/Ncbsa the pot the boiling-pot 6
H5518-01 בַּ/סִּיר֙ basir HRd/Ncbsa in the pot in the cooking-pot 3
H5518-11 סִירִ֔ים sirim HNcfpa thistles boiling pots 2
H5518-13 סִּֽירֹתֵי/כֶ֣ם siroteykhem HNcbpc/Sp2mp your pots your cooking pots 1
H5518-03 בַּ/סִּיר֤וֹת basirot HRd/Ncbpa in pots in the cooking-pots 1
H5518-02 בַּ/סִּירִ֑ים basirim HRd/Ncfsa with thorns cooking pot 1
H5518-06 הַ/סִּירִים֙ hasirim HTd/Ncfpa the cooking pots 1
H5518-09 לְ/סִ֔יר lesir HR/Ncbsa a pot boiling pot 1

Occurrences in Scripture

34 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5518-10 Exodus 16:3 סִ֣יר sir HNcbsc pot of cooking-pot of
H5518-12 Exodus 27:3 סִּֽירֹתָי/ו֙ sirotayv HNcbpc/Sp3ms its pots his cooking pots
H5518-07 Exodus 38:3 הַ/סִּירֹ֤ת hasirot HTd/Ncbpa the pots the cooking pots
H5518-07 1 Kings 7:45 הַ/סִּיר֨וֹת hasirot HTd/Ncbpa pots the cooking pots
H5518-05 2 Kings 4:38 הַ/סִּ֣יר hasir HTd/Ncbsa the pot the boiling-pot
H5518-10 2 Kings 4:39 סִ֥יר sir HNcbsc pot cooking-pot of
H5518-01 2 Kings 4:40 בַּ/סִּיר֙ basir HRd/Ncbsa in the pot in the cooking-pot
H5518-05 2 Kings 4:41 הַ/סִּ֑יר hasir HTd/Ncbsa the pot the boiling-pot
H5518-01 2 Kings 4:41 בַּ/סִּֽיר basir HRd/Ncbsa in the pot in the cooking-pot
H5518-07 2 Kings 25:14 הַ/סִּירֹ֨ת hasirot HTd/Ncbpa pots the cooking pots
← H5517 Hebrew Lexicon H5519 →