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צֵל

𐤑𐤋

tsêl

H6738 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Shade or shadow cast by an object blocking light, primarily indicating an area sheltered from sunlight or illumination. In poetic or metaphorical contexts, it can signify protection, shelter, or a figurative covering—often implying a place of safety or refuge.

Semantic Range

shade, shadow, area sheltered from sunlight, protection, shelter, figurative covering or defense, symbolic of safety or ephemeral nature

Root / Etymology

From the root צ-ל-ל (צָלַל), which means 'to be dark, to shade, to grow dark.' The noun צֵל develops from the verbal sense of 'to shade (something)' or 'to provide darkness,' and signifies the result or state produced by the action of shading—i.e., shadow or shade.

Historical & Contextual Notes

צֵל is widely used in the Hebrew Bible both literally and metaphorically. Literally, it refers to the shadow cast by trees, mountains, or people—an everyday phenomenon experienced in the ancient Near East's harsh sunlight (e.g., Jon 4:5-6, Judg 9:15). It often carries connotations of relief from the sun and danger, a valued benefit in that environment. Metaphorically, צֵל can denote protection or shelter, as when YHWH is described as a 'shadow at your right hand' (Ps 121:5), indicating divine protection or care; also found in expressions like 'the shadow of death' (צַלְמָוֶת), intensifying the sense of darkness or danger (Ps 23:4). While English translations often render צֵל as 'shadow' or 'shade,' the nuance of protective refuge, especially in poetry and wisdom literature (e.g., Isa 25:4, Ps 91:1), may not always be fully captured by the term 'shadow.' In some contexts, especially in prophetic or wisdom texts, the metaphorical sense can include ideas of ephemerality or insubstantiality (Job 8:9) — highlighting the fleeting nature of life. The term does not inherently have the negative connotations sometimes associated with 'shadow' in later English usage; its value is context-dependent.

Translation Consistency

primary "shade" 42 occurrences

"Shade" best captures the primary physical sense (an area sheltered from sunlight) while also naturally covering the common figurative uses (shelter, protection, refuge). It is the most frequent English choice in the P2 data and sounds natural across literal and metaphorical contexts.

Alternatives (7 occurrences):
"shadow" (3x) "shade-of" (3x) "protection" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from צָלַל; shade, whether literal or figurative; defence, shade(-ow).

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

צלל (Betsaleel) — to shade, to shelter, to provide shadow or protection

Root צלל to be dark, to shade, to overshadow
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1212 בְּצַלְאֵל In-the-Shadow-of-God
H6752 צֵלֶל the shadows

Word Forms

19 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6738-02 בְּ/צֵ֥ל betsel HR/Ncmsa in the shadow in shade of in shade of 12
H6738-10 צֵ֣ל tsel HNcmsa shade shade shade of 6
H6738-05 כַּ/צֵּ֧ל katsel HRd/Ncmsa like a shadow like shade like shade 5
H6738-06 כְּ/צֵ֥ל ketsel HR/Ncmsc like a shadow like shade like shade 4
H6738-04 הַ/צֵּל֙ hatsel HTd/Ncmsa the shadow the shade the shade 3
H6738-15 וּ/בְ/צֵ֥ל uvetsel HC/R/Ncmsc and in the shadow and in shade-of and in shade-of 3
H6738-03 בְּ/צִלּ֖/וֹ betsilo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his shadow in his shade in his shade 2
H6738-11 צִלָּ֑/הּ tsilah HNcmsc/Sp3fs its shade Shade-woman its shade 2
H6738-19 בְ/צִלּ֖/וֹ vetsilo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his shadow in his shade in his shade 2
H6738-01 בַּ/צֵּ֔ל batsel HRd/Ncmsa in the shade in the shade in the shade 1

Occurrences in Scripture

49 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6738-02 Genesis 19:8 בְּ/צֵ֥ל betsel HR/Ncmsc under the shelter in shade of in shade of
H6738-12 Numbers 14:9 צִלָּ֧/ם tsilam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their-protection their shade their protection
H6738-18 Judges 9:15 בְ/צִלִּ֑/י vetsili HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs in my shade in my shade in my shade
H6738-10 Judges 9:36 צֵ֧ל tsel HNcmsc shadow shade shade of
H6738-04 2 Kings 20:9 הַ/צֵּל֙ hatsel HTd/Ncmsa the shadow the shade the shade
H6738-07 2 Kings 20:10 לַ/צֵּ֔ל latsel HRd/Ncmsa for the shadow to the shade for the shadow
H6738-04 2 Kings 20:10 הַ/צֵּ֛ל hatsel HTd/Ncmsa the shadow the shade the shade
H6738-04 2 Kings 20:11 הַ/צֵּ֗ל hatsel HTd/Ncmsa the shadow the shade the shade
H6738-08 Isaiah 4:6 לְ/צֵל letsel HR/Ncmsa for shade to shade for shade
H6738-14 Isaiah 16:3 צִלֵּ֖/ךְ tsilekhe HNcmsc/Sp2fs your-shadow your shade your shade
H6738-10 Isaiah 25:4 צֵ֣ל tsel HNcmsa a shadow shade shade of
H6738-02 Isaiah 25:5 בְּ/צֵ֣ל betsel HR/Ncmsc in the shadow in shade of in shade of
H6738-02 Isaiah 30:2 בְּ/צֵ֥ל betsel HR/Ncmsc in the shadow in shade of in shade of
H6738-02 Isaiah 30:3 בְּ/צֵל betsel HR/Ncmsc in the shadow in shade of in shade of
H6738-06 Isaiah 32:2 כְּ/צֵ֥ל ketsel HR/Ncmsc like the shade like shade like the shade
H6738-17 Isaiah 34:15 בְ/צִלָּ֑/הּ vetsilah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs under her shadow Shade-woman in her shadow
H6738-10 Isaiah 38:8 צֵ֣ל tsel HNcmsc the shadow shade shade of
H6738-02 Isaiah 49:2 בְּ/צֵ֥ל betsel HR/Ncmsc in the shadow in shade of in shade of
H6738-15 Isaiah 51:16 וּ/בְ/צֵ֥ל uvetsel HC/R/Ncmsc and-in-shadow and in shade-of and in shade-of
H6738-02 Jeremiah 48:45 בְּ/צֵ֥ל betsel HR/Ncmsc in the shadow in shade of in shade of
H6738-02 Ezekiel 17:23 בְּ/צֵ֥ל betsel HR/Ncmsc in the shade in shade of in shade of
H6738-16 Ezekiel 31:6 וּ/בְ/צִלּ/וֹ֙ uvetsilo HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and in its shadow and in his shade and in its shade
H6738-09 Ezekiel 31:12 מִ/צִּלּ֛/וֹ mitsilo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms from its shade from his shade from his shade
H6738-19 Ezekiel 31:17 בְ/צִלּ֖/וֹ vetsilo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms under his shadow in his shade in his shade
H6738-11 Hosea 4:13 צִלָּ֑/הּ tsilah HNcmsc/Sp3fs its shade Shade-woman its shade
H6738-19 Hosea 14:8 בְ/צִלּ֔/וֹ vetsilo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his shadow in his shade in his shade
H6738-01 Jonah 4:5 בַּ/צֵּ֔ל batsel HRd/Ncmsa in the shade in the shade in the shade
H6738-10 Jonah 4:6 צֵל֙ tsel HNcmsa shade shade shade of
H6738-02 Psalms 17:8 בְּ/צֵ֥ל betsel HR/Ncmsc in the shadow in shade of in shade of
H6738-02 Psalms 36:8 בְּ/צֵ֥ל betsel HR/Ncmsc in-shadow-of in shade of in shade of
H6738-15 Psalms 57:2 וּ/בְ/צֵֽל uvetsel HC/R/Ncmsc and in the shadow and in shade-of and in shade-of
H6738-15 Psalms 63:8 וּ/בְ/צֵ֖ל uvetsel HC/R/Ncmsc and in the shadow and in shade-of and in shade-of
H6738-11 Psalms 80:11 צִלָּ֑/הּ tsilah HNcmsc/Sp3fs its shadow Shade-woman its shadow
H6738-02 Psalms 91:1 בְּ/צֵ֥ל betsel HR/Ncmsc in the shadow in shade of in shade of
H6738-06 Psalms 102:12 כְּ/צֵ֣ל ketsel HR/Ncmsa like a shadow like shade like shade
H6738-06 Psalms 109:23 כְּ/צֵל ketsel HR/Ncmsa like a shadow like shade like shade
H6738-13 Psalms 121:5 צִ֝לְּ/ךָ֗ tsilekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms is your shade your shade your shade
H6738-06 Psalms 144:4 כְּ/צֵ֣ל ketsel HR/Ncmsa as a shadow like shade like shade
H6738-10 Job 7:2 צֵ֑ל tsel HNcmsa shade shade for shade
H6738-10 Job 8:9 צֵ֖ל tsel HNcmsa shadow shade shade of
H6738-05 Job 14:2 כַּ֝/צֵּ֗ל katsel HRd/Ncmsa like a shadow like shade like shade
H6738-05 Job 17:7 כַּ/צֵּ֣ל katsel HRd/Ncmsa like-a-shadow like shade like shade
H6738-03 Song of Songs 2:3 בְּ/צִלּ/וֹ֙ betsilo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his shadow in his shade in his shade
H6738-03 Lamentations 4:20 בְּ/צִלּ֖/וֹ betsilo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms under his shadow in his shade in his shade
H6738-05 Ecclesiastes 6:12 כַּ/צֵּ֑ל katsel HRd/Ncmsa like shade like shade
H6738-02 Ecclesiastes 7:12 בְּ/צֵ֥ל betsel HR/Ncmsa in shade of in shade of
H6738-02 Ecclesiastes 7:12 בְּ/צֵ֣ל betsel-2 HR/Ncmsa in shade of in shade of
H6738-05 Ecclesiastes 8:13 כַּ/צֵּ֑ל katsel HRd/Ncmsa like shade like shade
H6738-05 1 Chronicles 29:15 כַּ/צֵּ֧ל katsel HRd/Ncmsa like a shadow like shade like shade
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