צִינֹק
𐤑𐤉𐤍𐤒
tsîynôq
H6729 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A device used to restrain or confine a person, specifically a wooden apparatus for securing the feet (and sometimes hands or neck) of a prisoner; commonly referred to as 'stocks' or a form of pillory. By extension, a symbol of physical restraint, restriction, or public disgrace imposed upon a captive or offender.
Semantic Range
stocks, pillory, device for constraining feet; instrument for public restraint or confinement; symbol of restriction or judicial punishment
Root / Etymology
Root/Etymology: Likely derived from the root צנק, possibly meaning 'to confine, restrain' or 'to enclose,' although this root is otherwise unattested in Biblical Hebrew and labeled as 'unused.' The noun form צִינֹק (tsîynôq) is attested as a physical restraint device, with etymology uncertain beyond its likely association with restriction or enclosure.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term צִינֹק (tsîynôq) is rare in the Hebrew Bible, only attested in Jeremiah 29:26. In this context, it describes a physical restraint apparatus (traditionally rendered 'stocks') used for confining prisoners or offenders, likely within a public or judicial setting. The device limited movement and often served not only for detention but as a means of public humiliation. The term must be distinguished from related words such as מַהְפֶּכֶת (mahpeket), another type of restraining device (possibly for the neck), emphasizing that צִינֹק refers explicitly to stocks for the feet. Later translations and traditions sometimes identified the word with other forms of pillorying, and in some post-biblical and early rabbinic sources, its meaning may merge with related terms for shackling or public punishment. The practice is attested within the context of judicial punishment in ancient Israelite society and reflects penal methods common across the ancient Near East. English translations usually render as 'stocks,' but the nuance of public shame or confinement is not always captured fully. Its occurrence in a late monarchic/early exilic context reflects contact with Babylonian or broader Mesopotamian penal customs.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to confine; the pillory; stocks.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צנק (ṣ-n-q) — to confine, to restrain, to enclose
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6729-01 |
הַ/צִּינֹֽק | hatsinoq | HTd/Ncmsa |
the-collar | the restraining-stock | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6729-01 |
Jeremiah 29:26 | הַ/צִּינֹֽק | hatsinoq | HTd/Ncmsa |
the-collar | the restraining-stock |