What does צֵל (ṣēl) mean in the Bible?
צֵל (ṣēl): Protective shadow—literal shade and figurative refuge, expressing divine safeguarding in psalmic covenantal language
Hebrew · H6738
צֵל
Shade , whether literal or figurative
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צֵלH6738
Pronunciationṣēl
What does צֵל (ṣēl) mean in the Bible?
צֵל (ṣēl): Protective shadow—literal shade and figurative refuge, expressing divine safeguarding in psalmic covenantal language
Full entry for צֵל (H6738) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6738?
The BSB source-word alignment has 49 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include in the shadow (6), shade (4), shadow (4), in its shade (3), in his shade (2).
Where does צֵל (ṣēl) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 19:8. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (11), Psalms (10), 2 Kings (4), Ecclesiastes (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itin the shadow6×Psalms 17:8, Psalms 36:7, Psalms 57:1, Psalms 63:7
shade4×Job 7:2, Isaiah 30:2, Isaiah 30:3, Jonah 4:6
shadow4×Psalms 109:23, Psalms 144:4, Isaiah 38:8, Jeremiah 48:45
in its shade3×Ezekiel 31:6, Ezekiel 31:17, Jonah 4:5
in his shade2×Song Of Solomon 2:3, Hosea 14:7
like a shadow2×Ecclesiastes 6:12, Ecclesiastes 8:13
-1×Ecclesiastes 7:12
[is] a shelter1×Ecclesiastes 7:12
[is] the shade1×Psalms 121:5
[Would you like] the shadow1×2 Kings 20:9
a shade1×Isaiah 25:4
are but a shadow1×Job 8:9
are like a shadow1×1 Chronicles 29:15
As the shade1×Isaiah 25:5
by its shade1×Psalms 80:10
for it1×2 Kings 20:10
for the shadow1×2 Kings 20:10
her brood under her shadow1×Isaiah 34:15
in my shade1×Judges 9:15
in the shade1×Ezekiel 17:23
is but a shadow1×Job 17:7
its shade1×Ezekiel 31:12
like a fleeting shadow1×Job 14:2
like the shadow1×Isaiah 32:2
shadows1×Psalms 102:11
the shadow1×2 Kings 20:11
The shadows1×Judges 9:36
Their protection1×Numbers 14:9
their shade1×Hosea 4:13
to [give] shade1×Isaiah 4:6
Under his shadow1×Lamentations 4:20
under the protection1×Genesis 19:8
with shade1×Isaiah 16:3
with the shadow1×Isaiah 51:16
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 19:8בְּצֵ֥לtounder the protectionPreposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructNumbers 14:9צִלָּ֧םtoTheir protectionNoun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralJudges 9:15בְצִלִּ֑יtoin my shadePreposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularJudges 9:36צֵ֧לtoThe shadowsNoun - masculine singular construct2 Kings 20:9הַצֵּל֙to[Would you like] the shadowArticle | Noun - masculine singular2 Kings 20:10לַצֵּ֔לtofor the shadowPreposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular2 Kings 20:10הַצֵּ֛לtofor itArticle | Noun - masculine singular2 Kings 20:11הַצֵּ֗לtothe shadowArticle | Noun - masculine singular1 Chronicles 29:15כַּצֵּ֧ל׀toare like a shadowPreposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularJob 7:2צֵ֑לtoshadeNoun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 19:8
Aligned rows49
Books represented15
Genesis1Numbers1Judges22 Kings41 Chronicles1Job4Psalms10Ecclesiastes4Song Of Solomon1Isaiah11Jeremiah1Lamentations1Ezekiel4Hosea2Jonah2
Source forms
בְּצֵ֥ל9xbə·ṣêlGenesis 19:8, Psalms 17:8, Psalms 36:7, Psalms 91:1
בְּצֵ֣ל2xbə·ṣêlEcclesiastes 7:12, Isaiah 25:5
כְּצֵ֣ל2xkə·ṣêlPsalms 102:11, Psalms 144:4
כַּצֵּ֑ל2xkaṣ·ṣêlEcclesiastes 6:12, Ecclesiastes 8:13
צֵ֣ל2xṣêlIsaiah 25:4, Isaiah 38:8
צִלָּ֑הּ2xṣil·lāhPsalms 80:10, Hosea 4:13
בַּצֵּ֔ל1xbaṣ·ṣêlJonah 4:5
בְּצֵל־1xbə·ṣêl-Isaiah 30:3
Parsing patterns
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct10xGenesis 19:8, Psalms 17:8, Psalms 36:7, Psalms 91:1
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular5x1 Chronicles 29:15, Job 14:2, Job 17:7, Ecclesiastes 6:12
Noun - masculine singular4xJob 7:2, Job 8:9, Isaiah 25:4, Jonah 4:6
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular4xSong Of Solomon 2:3, Lamentations 4:20, Ezekiel 31:17, Hosea 14:7
Article | Noun - masculine singular3x2 Kings 20:9, 2 Kings 20:10, 2 Kings 20:11
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct3xPsalms 57:1, Psalms 63:7, Isaiah 51:16
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular3xPsalms 102:11, Psalms 109:23, Psalms 144:4
Noun - masculine singular construct2xJudges 9:36, Isaiah 38:8
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Protective shadow—literal shade and figurative refuge, expressing divine safeguarding in psalmic covenantal language
Source Gloss
shade , whether literal or figurative
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Protective shadow—literal shade and figurative refuge, expressing divine safeguarding in psalmic covenantal language
shade, whether literal or figurative BDB: shadow Usage: defence, shade(-ow).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
צֵל is built from this root:
צָלַלH6751
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.