What does צֶלֶם (ṣelem) mean in the Bible?
צֶלֶם (ṣelem): Divine image-bearing capacity in humanity; idolatry inverts this by making false visible forms
Hebrew · H6755
צֶלֶם
An idolatrous figure
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צֶלֶם H6755
Pronunciation ṣelem
What does צֶלֶם (ṣelem) mean in the Bible?
צֶלֶם (ṣelem): Divine image-bearing capacity in humanity; idolatry inverts this by making false visible forms
Full entry for צֶלֶם (H6755) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6755?
The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include statue (8), of the statue (3), the statue (3), [it] (1), and the expression (1).
Where does צֶלֶם (ṣelem) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Daniel 2:31. Its strongest book concentrations include Daniel (17).
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 statue 8× Daniel 2:31, Daniel 3:1, Daniel 3:7, Daniel 3:10
of the statue 3× Daniel 2:32, Daniel 3:2, Daniel 3:3
the statue 3× Daniel 2:34, Daniel 2:35, Daniel 3:15
[it] 1× Daniel 3:3
and the expression 1× Daniel 3:19
statue that 1× Daniel 3:5
Show sample aligned rows
Daniel 2:31 צְלֵ֥ם to statue Noun - masculine singular Daniel 2:31 צַלְמָ֨א to statue Noun - masculine singular determinate Daniel 2:32 צַלְמָ֗א to of the statue Noun - masculine singular determinate Daniel 2:34 לְצַלְמָא֙ to the statue Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular determinate Daniel 2:35 לְצַלְמָ֗א to the statue Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular determinate Daniel 3:1 צְלֵ֣ם to statue Noun - masculine singular Daniel 3:2 צַלְמָ֔א to of the statue Noun - masculine singular determinate Daniel 3:3 צַלְמָ֔א to of the statue Noun - masculine singular determinate Daniel 3:3 צַלְמָ֔א to [it] Noun - masculine singular determinate Daniel 3:5 לְצֶ֣לֶם to statue that Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Daniel 2:31
Aligned rows 17
Books represented 1
Daniel 17
Source forms
וּלְצֶ֧לֶם 3x ū·lə·ṣe·lem Daniel 3:12, Daniel 3:14, Daniel 3:18
צַלְמָ֔א 3x ṣal·mā Daniel 3:2, Daniel 3:3
לְצֶ֣לֶם 2x lə·ṣe·lem Daniel 3:5, Daniel 3:7
וּצְלֵ֤ם 1x ū·ṣə·lêm Daniel 3:19
לְצֶ֥לֶם 1x lə·ṣe·lem Daniel 3:10
לְצַלְמָא֙ 1x lə·ṣal·mā Daniel 2:34
לְצַלְמָ֗א 1x lə·ṣal·mā Daniel 2:35
לְצַלְמָ֣א 1x lə·ṣal·mā Daniel 3:15
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular determinate 5x Daniel 2:31, Daniel 2:32, Daniel 3:2, Daniel 3:3
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct 3x Daniel 3:12, Daniel 3:14, Daniel 3:18
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct 3x Daniel 3:5, Daniel 3:7, Daniel 3:10
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular determinate 3x Daniel 2:34, Daniel 2:35, Daniel 3:15
Noun - masculine singular 2x Daniel 2:31, Daniel 3:1
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x Daniel 3:19
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Divine image-bearing capacity in humanity; idolatry inverts this by making false visible forms
Source Gloss
an idolatrous figure
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Divine image-bearing capacity in humanity; idolatry inverts this by making false visible forms
an idolatrous figure BDB: image Usage: form, image.
Word Origins
צֶלֶם is built from this root:
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