צָנַם
𐤑𐤍𐤌
tsânam
H6798 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To become withered, to shrivel, particularly as a result of drought, intense heat, blight, or some affliction. The term conveys the process by which a living plant, body part, or figuratively a person, becomes dried up, shrunken, or wasted due to adverse conditions. In rare contexts, it may refer more broadly to the idea of fading or decaying.
Semantic Range
to be withered, shriveled by heat or wind; to waste away; to become blasted or scorched; to dry up; (occasionally, to fade or decay)
Root / Etymology
Root: צנם. While the root is attested very sparingly in Hebrew (primarily in poetic or older texts), it is related to a group of Semitic roots relating to withering or drying out. Cognates in other Semitic languages are not well established, so full etymology remains somewhat uncertain, but the core sense is one of becoming withered or shrunken.
Historical & Contextual Notes
צָנַם is an extremely rare verb, appearing only once in the Hebrew Bible (Job 15:30), where it refers to a tree or plant being withered due to heat or a 'blasting' wind. The context of use is poetic, emphasizing the wasting effect of oppressive conditions. The term is not used elsewhere in later biblical or post-biblical texts, and has no significant development in later Hebrew. Unlike other Hebrew verbs such as יבש (yavēsh, to be dry, wither), צנם emphasizes not just dryness but active withering or shriveling, typically under hostile conditions like drought or scorching wind. Standard translations often use 'wither' or 'shrivel', but the nuance may be stronger, indicating a scorched or blasted kind of withering. The word has no known connection to the identities of Israelite, Judahite, or Judean, nor does it acquire any metaphorical or religious significance in post-biblical literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to blast or shrink; withered.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צנם (ts-n-m) — to shrivel, to wither, to become dry or wasted
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6798-01 |
צְנֻמ֥וֹת | tsenumot | HVqsfpa |
withered | withered ones | withered | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6798-01 |
Genesis 41:23 | צְנֻמ֥וֹת | tsenumot | HVqsfpa |
withered | withered ones | withered |