צַעֲנַנִּים
𐤑𐤏𐤍𐤍𐤉𐤌
Tsaananim
H6815 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Tsaanannim – a place name likely meaning either 'Place of Wanderings' or 'Home of Departures,' attested as both singular ('Tsaanannim') and dual ('Tsaanayim'). The name occurs in descriptions of tribal boundaries, indicating a location on the periphery of Naphtali's territory.
Semantic Range
place of wanderings, place of departures, name of a boundary location, possibly associated with travel or migration, toponym
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root צען (tsaʿan), which may mean 'to migrate, to depart, to wander.' The form צַעֲנַנִּים (Tsa‘ănannîm) is a plural (or possibly collective) formed with the -ים ending. Sometimes attested in the dual, צַעֲנַיִם (Tsa‘anayim), likely referring to a place characterized by 'departures' or 'outgoings.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical texts, Tsaanannim is used as a boundary marker for the tribe of Naphtali (Joshua 19:33) and is mentioned as the location near which Heber the Kenite pitched his tent (Judges 4:11, as 'near the oak at Zaanaim'). Its precise location is debated, but it is often identified near modern Dayr Abu Qarun or on the northern edge of the Esdraelon Valley. The name may reference movements or transitional spaces, perhaps indicating a location at a road crossing or shepherds' migration routes. English renderings such as 'Zaannannim' or 'Zaanaim' follow the conventions of the Septuagint and other versions, but do not convey the Hebrew sense of movement or departure implicit in the name. Later tradition sometimes associates it with 'removals' or 'wandering tents,' though the word primarily functions as a geographic toponym in biblical contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or (dual) צַעֲנַיִם; plural from צָעַן; removals; Tsaanannim or Tsaanajim, a place in Palestine; Zaannannim, Zaanaim.
Bantu Hebrew
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צען (ṣ-ʿ-n) — to wander, to migrate, to depart, to remove oneself
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6815-01 |
בְּ/צַעֲנַנִּ֗ים | betsaananim | HR/Np |
in Zaanannim | in Place of Wanderings | 2 |
H6815-02 |
ב/צענים | vtsnym | HR/Np |
in Zaanannim | in Place of Wanderings | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6815-01 |
Joshua 19:33 | בְּ/צַעֲנַנִּ֗ים | betsaananim | HR/Np |
in Zaanannim | in Place of Wanderings |
H6815-02 |
Judges 4:11 | ב/צענים | vtsnym | HR/Np |
in Zaanannim | in Place of Wanderings |
H6815-01 |
Judges 4:11 | בְּ/צַעֲנַנִּ֖ים | betsaananim | HR/Np |
in Zaanannim | in Place of Wanderings |