צֹעַר
𐤑𐤏𐤓
Tsoar
H6820 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun: Tsôʻar, a town located in the area of the plain near the southeastern shore of the Dead Sea, frequently identified with one of the 'cities of the plain' spared during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The name is etymologically linked to the idea of 'littleness' or 'smallness,' likely reflecting the city's relative size or importance. In some texts, it appears with the narrative function of providing a place of refuge.
Semantic Range
proper noun for a town (Tsôʻar), descriptor of smallness, place of refuge; by extension, a settlement regarded as 'insignificant'
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root צָעַר (ṣaʿar), meaning 'to be small,' 'to be insignificant,' or 'to diminish.' Tsôʻar is a toponym with the sense of 'Smallness,' possibly indicating the size or status of the city. The root conveys a general meaning of reduction or littleness.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the patriarchal narratives, Tsôʻar is mentioned as one of the cities of the plain threatened in the account of Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction (Genesis 19). Lot flees there as a place of refuge because it is 'small' (Genesis 19:20-23), creating a direct literary link between the city's name and its size. Later in biblical tradition, Tsôʻar is rarely mentioned, and its precise location remains uncertain, though it is generally placed at the southern end of the Dead Sea. The historical memory of the city faded post-exile, and it does not play a significant role in prophetic or post-exilic literature. English translations often render it as 'Zoar,' influenced by Greek and Latin traditions; the original Hebrew conveys more of a descriptive sense ('Little' City), which is sometimes retained in the narrative context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from צָעַר; little; Tsoar, a place East of the Jordan; Zoar.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צער (ṣ-ʿ-r) — to be small, to diminish, to be insignificant
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4705 | מִצְעָר | for a little while |
| H4706 | מִצְעָר | Small Peak |
| H6686 | צוּעָר | Tsuar |
| H6730 | צִיעֹר | and Zior |
| H6810 | צָעִיר | the lesser one |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6820-03 |
צֹֽעַר | tsoar | HNp |
Zoar | Smallness | 6 |
H6820-02 |
מִ/צּ֜וֹעַר | mitsoar | HR/Np |
from Zoar | from Smallness | 2 |
H6820-04 |
צֹֽעֲרָ/ה | tsoarah | HNp/Sd |
Zoar | toward Smallness | 1 |
H6820-01 |
בְּ/צ֑וֹעַר | betsoar | HR/Np |
in Zoar | in Smallness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6820-03 |
Genesis 13:10 | צֹֽעַר | tsoar | HNp |
to Zoar | Smallness |
H6820-03 |
Genesis 14:2 | צֹֽעַר | tsoar | HNp |
Zoar | Smallness |
H6820-03 |
Genesis 14:8 | צֹ֑עַר | tsoar | HNp |
Zoar | Smallness |
H6820-03 |
Genesis 19:22 | צֽוֹעַר | tsoar | HNp |
Zoar | Smallness |
H6820-04 |
Genesis 19:23 | צֹֽעֲרָ/ה | tsoarah | HNp/Sd |
Zoar | toward Smallness |
H6820-02 |
Genesis 19:30 | מִ/צּ֜וֹעַר | mitsoar | HR/Np |
from Zoar | from Smallness |
H6820-01 |
Genesis 19:30 | בְּ/צ֑וֹעַר | betsoar | HR/Np |
in Zoar | in Smallness |
H6820-03 |
Deuteronomy 34:3 | צֹֽעַר | tsoar | HNp |
Zoar | Smallness |
H6820-03 |
Isaiah 15:5 | צֹ֖עַר | tsoar | HNp |
Zoar | Smallness |
H6820-02 |
Jeremiah 48:34 | מִ/צֹּ֨עַר֙ | mitsoar | HR/Np |
from Zoar | from Smallness |