← H6792 H6794 →

צִנָּה

𐤑𐤍𐤄

tsinnâh

H6793 noun

SILEX Entry

Root צנן to be sharp, to be cold, to prick, to pierce

Definition

A large shield, especially one designed to cover and protect the entire body; occasionally refers to a defensive or protective object. In rare contexts may denote a piercing implement, such as a hook, but predominantly used for military equipment. The term can also, in other forms, relate to the concept of coldness or sharpness (piercing quality), though this is not the main sense in biblical text.

Semantic Range

large shield, body-shield, defensive implement, (rare) hook or pointed object; by root association, sharpness or piercing; (in related forms) cold or chill

Root / Etymology

Root/Etymology: Derived from the root צנן (ts-n-n), meaning 'to be sharp, to be cold, to prick.' The noun form צִנָּה is developed from this root with the base sense of 'sharpness' or 'prickliness,' which is reflected metaphorically in its application to a large, protective shield, and possibly to pointed objects like a hook. The sense of 'cold' (piercing coldness) in related roots or forms stems from the associated sense of sharpness or piercing, but is not generally the sense of this term in its biblical uses.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Israelite warfare, the צִנָּה denotes a large, body-length shield, often contrasted with the מָגֵן (small round shield). The צִנָּה was typically used by infantry for maximum protection, particularly in ceremonial or royal contexts (cf. 2 Chronicles 9:15-16, Solomon’s golden shields). In contrast to the מָגֵן which was more maneuverable, the צִנָּה was heavy, possibly rectangular or oval, and used to shield the whole body. In poetic passages, the shield is sometimes a metaphor for divine protection (e.g., Psalms). The meaning as a 'hook' is rare and contextually distinct; the ‘piercing’ or ‘pointed’ sense underlying both usages comes from the root idea of sharpness. Comparison with terms such as שָׁלֵט points to fine distinctions in Israelite military equipment. Later biblical and post-biblical Hebrew sometimes draws connections with ‘cold’ based on root similarity, but this is not attested for צִנָּה itself in the Hebrew Bible. English translations often use 'shield' or 'buckler,' but 'buckler' is misleading since that term refers to a small shield, whereas צִנָּה specifies the large, body-covering shield.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of צֵן; a hook (as pointed); also a (large) shield (as if guarding by prickliness); also cold (as piercing); buckler, cold, hook, shield, target.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

צנן (ts-n-n) — sharpness, coldness, pricking, piercing

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6799 צְנָן Tsᵉnan
H6803 צִנְצֶנֶת tapered flask of

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6793-06 צִנָּ֖ה tsinah HNcfsa shield large body-shield 9
H6793-08 וְ/צִנָּ֔ה vetsinah HC/Ncfsa and shield and large body-shield 4
H6793-03 הַ/צִּנָּ֖ה hatsinah HTd/Ncfsa the shield the body-shield 4
H6793-07 צִנּ֣וֹת tsinot HNcfpa shields body-shields 1
H6793-02 בְּ/צִנּ֔וֹת betsinot HR/Ncmpa with-hooks with body-shields 1
H6793-04 כַּ֝/צִּנָּ֗ה katsinah HRd/Ncfsa as a shield large body-shield 1
H6793-01 בְּ/צִנָּ֣ה betsinah HR/Ncfsa with shield with a body-shield 1
H6793-05 כְּ/צִנַּת ketsinat HR/Ncfsc like the cold like a body-shield of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

22 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6793-03 1 Samuel 17:7 הַ/צִּנָּ֖ה hatsinah HTd/Ncfsa of the shield the body-shield
H6793-03 1 Samuel 17:41 הַ/צִּנָּ֖ה hatsinah HTd/Ncfsa the shield the body-shield
H6793-06 1 Kings 10:16 צִנָּ֖ה tsinah HNcfsa shields large body-shield
H6793-03 1 Kings 10:16 הַ/צִּנָּ֥ה hatsinah HTd/Ncfsa the shield the body-shield
H6793-08 Jeremiah 46:3 וְ/צִנָּ֔ה vetsinah HC/Ncfsa and shield and large body-shield
H6793-06 Ezekiel 23:24 צִנָּ֤ה tsinah HNcfsa buckler large body-shield
H6793-06 Ezekiel 26:8 צִנָּֽה tsinah HNcfsa a shield large body-shield
H6793-06 Ezekiel 38:4 צִנָּ֣ה tsinah HNcfsa buckler large body-shield
H6793-08 Ezekiel 39:9 וְ/צִנָּה֙ vetsinah HC/Ncfsa and bucklers and large body-shield
H6793-02 Amos 4:2 בְּ/צִנּ֔וֹת betsinot HR/Ncmpa with-hooks with body-shields
← H6792 Hebrew Lexicon H6794 →