צוּעָר
𐤑𐤅𐤏𐤓
Tsuar
H6686 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name designating an individual of Israelite lineage, specifically Tsûwʻâr, identified as a chief of the tribe of Issachar in the wilderness accounts. The name itself derives from a root connoting smallness or insignificance, but for this individual, it functions as a patronymic without evaluative semantic application. The lexical sense is strictly that of a personal name, not employed generically for 'small' in any narrative context.
Semantic Range
proper name (Israelite man, father of Nethanel, chief of Issachar); not used in the sense of 'small' as a common noun or adjective
Root / Etymology
From the root צער meaning 'to be small, insignificant.' Tsûwʻâr is a masculine proper name formed via nominal patterning from this root, but its application is as a personal name rather than a descriptive adjective. The root is shared with other words indicating smallness or insignificance.
Historical & Contextual Notes
צוּעָר appears only as a personal name, specifically that of the father of Nethanel, leader of Issachar during the wilderness period (Numbers 1:8; 2:5; 7:18, 23; 10:15). There is no attestation or suggestion that the name functioned as a title, epithet, or common noun in ancient Israelite society. The root צער underlies several words denoting 'small' or 'little,' and names constructed from this root may reflect humility or parental hope against insignificance, but such associations are interpretive and not explicit in the biblical text. English translations consistently transliterate the name as 'Zuar,' though the initial sound is more accurately represented as 'Ts-' (tsade). The differences between English 'Zuar' and the Hebrew 'Tsûwʻâr' reflect later transliteration conventions, not semantic shifts within the biblical period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from צָעַר; small; Tsuar, an Israelite; Zuar.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צער (ṣ-ʿ-r) — to be small, to be insignificant, to diminish
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4705 | מִצְעָר | for a little while |
| H4706 | מִצְעָר | Small Peak |
| H6730 | צִיעֹר | and Zior |
| H6810 | צָעִיר | the lesser one |
| H6811 | צָעִיר | toward Tsair |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6686-01 |
צוּעָֽר | tsuar | HNp |
Zuar | Tsuar | 5 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6686-01 |
Numbers 1:8 | צוּעָֽר | tsuar | HNp |
Zuar | Tsuar |
H6686-01 |
Numbers 2:5 | צוּעָֽר | tsuar | HNp |
of Zuar | Tsuar |
H6686-01 |
Numbers 7:18 | צוּעָ֑ר | tsuar | HNp |
Zuar | Tsuar |
H6686-01 |
Numbers 7:23 | צוּעָֽר | tsuar | HNp |
Zuar | Tsuar |
H6686-01 |
Numbers 10:15 | צוּעָֽר | tsuar | HNp |
of Zuar | Tsuar |