What does צוּם (ṣûm) mean in the Bible?
צוּם (ṣûm): Fasting as voluntary self-denial through covering the mouth; physical discipline expressing repentance or mourning before God
Hebrew · H6684
צוּם
To cover over (the mouth), i.e. to fast
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צוּםH6684
Pronunciationṣûm
What does צוּם (ṣûm) mean in the Bible?
צוּם (ṣûm): Fasting as voluntary self-denial through covering the mouth; physical discipline expressing repentance or mourning before God
Full entry for צוּם (H6684) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6684?
The BSB source-word alignment has 21 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and fasted (3), fast (2), they fasted (2), you fasted (2), . . . (1).
Where does צוּם (ṣûm) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Judges 20:26. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Samuel (5), Isaiah (3), Zechariah (3), 1 Samuel (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itand fasted3×2 Samuel 1:12, 1 Kings 21:27, 1 Chronicles 10:12
fast2×2 Samuel 12:23, Isaiah 58:4
they fasted2×Judges 20:26, 1 Samuel 7:6
you fasted2×2 Samuel 12:21, Zechariah 7:5
. . .1×Zechariah 7:5
and fast1×Esther 4:16
and they fasted1×1 Samuel 31:13
fasted1×2 Samuel 12:16
fasting1×Nehemiah 1:4
have we fasted1×Isaiah 58:3
I fasted1×2 Samuel 12:22
So we fasted1×Ezra 8:23
that you fasted1×Zechariah 7:5
they may fast1×Jeremiah 14:12
will fast1×Esther 4:16
You fast1×Isaiah 58:4
Show sample aligned rows
Judges 20:26וַיָּצ֥וּמוּtothey fastedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1 Samuel 7:6וַיָּצ֙וּמוּ֙tothey fastedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1 Samuel 31:13וַיָּצֻ֖מוּtoand they fastedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural2 Samuel 1:12וַיָּצֻ֖מוּtoand fastedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural2 Samuel 12:16וַיָּ֤צָםtofastedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular2 Samuel 12:21צַ֣מְתָּtoyou fastedVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular2 Samuel 12:22צַ֖מְתִּיtoI fastedVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular2 Samuel 12:23צָ֔םtofastVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular1 Kings 21:27וַיָּצ֑וֹםtoand fastedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular1 Chronicles 10:12וַיָּצ֖וּמוּtoand fastedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowJudges 20:26
Aligned rows21
Books represented11
Judges11 Samuel22 Samuel51 Kings11 Chronicles1Ezra1Nehemiah1Esther2Isaiah3Jeremiah1Zechariah3
Source forms
וַיָּצֻ֖מוּ2xway·yā·ṣu·mū1 Samuel 31:13, 2 Samuel 1:12
אָצ֣וּם1x’ā·ṣūmEsther 4:16
הֲצ֥וֹם1xhă·ṣō·wmZechariah 7:5
וַיָּצ֑וֹם1xway·yā·ṣō·wm1 Kings 21:27
וַיָּצ֥וּמוּ1xway·yā·ṣū·mūJudges 20:26
וַיָּצ֙וּמוּ֙1xway·yā·ṣū·mū1 Samuel 7:6
וַיָּצ֖וּמוּ1xway·yā·ṣū·mū1 Chronicles 10:12
וַיָּ֤צָם1xway·yā·ṣām2 Samuel 12:16
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural5xJudges 20:26, 1 Samuel 7:6, 1 Samuel 31:13, 2 Samuel 1:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular2x2 Samuel 12:16, 1 Kings 21:27
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural2xIsaiah 58:4
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular2x2 Samuel 12:23, Nehemiah 1:4
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural | third person feminine singular1xEzra 8:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural1xEsther 4:16
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular1xEsther 4:16
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural1xJeremiah 14:12
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Fasting as voluntary self-denial through covering the mouth; physical discipline expressing repentance or mourning before God
Strong'sH6684
Lexical occurrences21 versesWord forms1 form10 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkNehemiah 9:1-5Source Gloss
to cover over (the mouth), i.e. to fast
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Fasting as voluntary self-denial through covering the mouth; physical discipline expressing repentance or mourning before God
to cover over (the mouth), i.e. to fast BDB: abstain from food Usage: × at all, fast.
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 groups1Aligned forms10
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense10×
ImperfectIsa 58:4 · Esth 4:16 · Jer 14:124×
Perfect2Sam 12:21 · 2Sam 12:22 · Isa 58:3 · Zech 7:54×
Participle active2Sam 12:23 · Neh 1:42×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
abstaining from food as an act of repentance and religious observance
Showing 1 selected witness from 21 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
צוּם is a primitive root - no further derivation.