What does צָמַח (ṣāmaḥ) mean in the Bible?
צָמַח (ṣāmaḥ): Organic growth from the ground up—literal vegetation or figurative flourishing of people, dynasties, messianic promise.
Hebrew · H6779
צָמַח
To sprout (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative)
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צָמַחH6779
Pronunciationṣāmaḥ
What does צָמַח (ṣāmaḥ) mean in the Bible?
צָמַח (ṣāmaḥ): Organic growth from the ground up—literal vegetation or figurative flourishing of people, dynasties, messianic promise.
Full entry for צָמַח (H6779) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6779?
The BSB source-word alignment has 33 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include sprouted (3), grow (2), have grown back (2), to grow (2), to spring up (2).
Where does צָמַח (ṣāmaḥ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 2:5. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (8), Genesis (5), Psalms (4), Ezekiel (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itsprouted3×Genesis 2:5, Genesis 41:6, Genesis 41:23
grow2×Psalms 104:14, Psalms 132:17
have grown back2×2 Samuel 10:5, 1 Chronicles 19:5
to grow2×Judges 16:22, Psalms 147:8
to spring up2×Isaiah 61:11
and He will branch out1×Zechariah 6:12
and make it sprout1×Job 38:27
and sprout1×Isaiah 55:10
and unproductive1×Deuteronomy 29:23
bring about1×2 Samuel 23:5
gave growth1×Genesis 2:9
grew1×Ezekiel 16:7
has grown1×Leviticus 13:37
I will cause to sprout1×Jeremiah 33:15
it {will} yield1×Genesis 3:18
it is coming1×Isaiah 43:19
It sprouted1×Ezekiel 17:6
of flourishing1×Ecclesiastes 2:6
spring up1×Isaiah 45:8
sprout1×Job 5:6
sprouts1×Psalms 85:11
that grows1×Exodus 10:5
they spring forth1×Isaiah 42:9
They will sprout1×Isaiah 44:4
to sprout1×Ezekiel 29:21
will come1×Isaiah 58:8
will spring1×Job 8:19
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 2:5יִצְמָ֑חtosproutedVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 2:9וַיַּצְמַ֞חtogave growthConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 3:18תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽtoit {will} yieldVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singularGenesis 41:6צֹמְח֖וֹתtosproutedVerb - Qal - Participle - feminine pluralGenesis 41:23צֹמְח֖וֹתtosproutedVerb - Qal - Participle - feminine pluralExodus 10:5הַצֹּמֵ֥חַtothat growsArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularLeviticus 13:37צָֽמַח־tohas grownVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 29:23תַצְמִ֔חַtoand unproductiveVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singularJudges 16:22לְצַמֵּ֖חַtoto growPreposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct2 Samuel 10:5יְצַמַּ֥חtohave grown backVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 2:5
Aligned rows33
Books represented14
Genesis5Exodus1Leviticus1Deuteronomy1Judges12 Samuel21 Chronicles1Job3Psalms4Ecclesiastes1Isaiah8Jeremiah1Ezekiel3Zechariah1
Source forms
יְצַמַּ֥ח2xyə·ṣam·maḥ2 Samuel 10:5, 1 Chronicles 19:5
צֹמְח֖וֹת2xṣō·mə·ḥō·wṯGenesis 41:6, Genesis 41:23
אַצְמִ֣יחַ1x’aṣ·mî·aḥPsalms 132:17
אַצְמִ֥יחַ1x’aṣ·mî·aḥJeremiah 33:15
אַצְמִ֤יחַ1x’aṣ·mî·aḥEzekiel 29:21
הַמַּצְמִ֖יחַ1xham·maṣ·mî·aḥPsalms 147:8
הַצֹּמֵ֥חַ1xhaṣ·ṣō·mê·aḥExodus 10:5
וְהִצְמִיחָ֑הּ1xwə·hiṣ·mî·ḥāhIsaiah 55:10
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular4xGenesis 3:18, Deuteronomy 29:23, Isaiah 45:8, Isaiah 61:11
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular3xPsalms 132:17, Jeremiah 33:15, Ezekiel 29:21
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular3xPsalms 85:11, Isaiah 43:19, Isaiah 58:8
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular3xGenesis 2:5, Job 5:6, Zechariah 6:12
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular2x2 Samuel 23:5, Isaiah 61:11
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular2x2 Samuel 10:5, 1 Chronicles 19:5
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural2xGenesis 41:6, Genesis 41:23
Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular1xPsalms 147:8
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Organic growth from the ground up—literal vegetation or figurative flourishing of people, dynasties, messianic promise.
Strong'sH6779
Lexical occurrences33 versesWord forms3 forms25 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkIsaiah 61:10-11Source Gloss
to sprout (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Organic growth from the ground up—literal vegetation or figurative flourishing of people, dynasties, messianic promise.
to sprout (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative) BDB: sprout Usage: bear, bring forth, (cause to, make to) bud (forth), (cause to, make to) grow (again, up), (cause to) spring (forth, up).
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 groups3Aligned forms25
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action10×
ImperfectDeut 29:22 · Gen 3:18 · Isa 45:8 · Isa 61:11 · Ezek 29:21 · Jer 33:15 · Ps 132:17 · 2Sam 23:59×
Participle activePs 104:141×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense12×
ImperfectGen 2:5 · Job 5:6 · Zech 6:12 · Isa 43:19 · Isa 58:8 · Ps 85:12 · Isa 42:9 · Job 8:198×
Participle activeEccl 2:6 · Gen 41:6 · Gen 41:233×
PerfectLev 13:371×
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action3×
Imperfect1Chr 19:5 · 2Sam 10:52×
PerfectEzek 16:71×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Figurative sense of righteousness and praise growing or sprouting before nations
Literal sense of vegetation sprouting or growing on the earth by divine provision
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 33 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
צָמַח is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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.