What does זָלַל (zālal) mean in the Bible?
זָלַל (zālal): Physical instability (shaking) maps to moral instability (worthlessness, profligacy, dissolution)
Hebrew · H2151
זָלַל
To shake (as in the wind), i.e. to quake ; figuratively, to be loose morally, worthless or prodigal
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זָלַל H2151
Pronunciation zālal
What does זָלַל (zālal) mean in the Bible?
זָלַל (zālal): Physical instability (shaking) maps to moral instability (worthlessness, profligacy, dissolution)
Full entry for זָלַל (H2151) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2151?
The BSB source-word alignment has 9 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and the glutton (1), despised (1), He is a glutton (1), impulsive you are (1), instead of worthless (1).
Where does זָלַל (zālal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 21:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (3), Isaiah (2), Jeremiah (2), Deuteronomy (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It and the glutton 1× Proverbs 23:21
despised 1× Lamentations 1:11
He is a glutton 1× Deuteronomy 21:20
impulsive you are 1× Jeremiah 2:36
instead of worthless 1× Jeremiah 15:19
of gluttons 1× Proverbs 28:7
or gorge 1× Proverbs 23:20
trembled 1× Isaiah 64:3
would quake 1× Isaiah 64:1
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 21:20 זוֹלֵ֖ל to He is a glutton Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Proverbs 23:20 בְּזֹלֲלֵ֖י to or gorge Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Proverbs 23:21 וְ֭זוֹלֵל to and the glutton Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Proverbs 28:7 זֽ֝וֹלְלִ֗ים to of gluttons Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Isaiah 64:1 נָזֹֽלּוּ׃ to would quake Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural Isaiah 64:3 נָזֹֽלּוּ׃ to trembled Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural Jeremiah 2:36 תֵּזְלִ֥י to impulsive you are Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular Jeremiah 15:19 מִזּוֹלֵ֖ל to instead of worthless Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Lamentations 1:11 זוֹלֵלָֽה׃ס to despised Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Deuteronomy 21:20
Aligned rows 9
Books represented 5
Deuteronomy 1 Proverbs 3 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 2 Lamentations 1
Source forms
נָזֹֽלּוּ׃ 2x nā·zōl·lū Isaiah 64:1, Isaiah 64:3
בְּזֹלֲלֵ֖י 1x bə·zō·lă·lê Proverbs 23:20
וְ֭זוֹלֵל 1x wə·zō·w·lêl Proverbs 23:21
זוֹלֵ֖ל 1x zō·w·lêl Deuteronomy 21:20
זוֹלֵלָֽה׃ס 1x zō·w·lê·lāh Lamentations 1:11
זֽ֝וֹלְלִ֗ים 1x zō·wl·lîm Proverbs 28:7
מִזּוֹלֵ֖ל 1x miz·zō·w·lêl Jeremiah 15:19
תֵּזְלִ֥י 1x tê·zə·lî Jeremiah 2:36
Parsing patterns
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural 2x Isaiah 64:1, Isaiah 64:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1x Proverbs 23:21
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct 1x Proverbs 23:20
Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1x Jeremiah 15:19
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular 1x Jeremiah 2:36
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular 1x Lamentations 1:11
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 1x Proverbs 28:7
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1x Deuteronomy 21:20
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical instability (shaking) maps to moral instability (worthlessness, profligacy, dissolution)
Strong's H2151
Lexical occurrences 8 verses Word forms 2 forms 5 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 23:19-21 Source Gloss
to shake (as in the wind), i.e. to quake ; figuratively, to be loose morally, worthless or prodigal
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical instability (shaking) maps to moral instability (worthlessness, profligacy, dissolution)
to shake (as in the wind), i.e. to quake; figuratively, to be loose morally, worthless or prodigal BDB: shake Usage: blow down, glutton, riotous (eater), vile.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 5
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 3×
Participle active Deut 21:20 · Lam 1:11 · Prov 28:7 3×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 2×
Perfect Isa 63:19 · Isa 64:2 2×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
One who is morally loose and wasteful, indulging excessively in food and drink
A person of worthless character who associates with gluttons and brings shame to parents
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 8 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
זָלַל is built from this root:
זוּל H2107
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain