What does צָרַר (ṣārar) mean in the Bible?
צָרַר (ṣārar): Constriction metaphor: physical cramping extends to psychological/spiritual distress, oppression, and enemy hostility.
Hebrew · H6887
צָרַר
To cramp , literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive
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צָרַר H6887
Pronunciation ṣārar
What does צָרַר (ṣārar) mean in the Bible?
צָרַר (ṣārar): Constriction metaphor: physical cramping extends to psychological/spiritual distress, oppression, and enemy hostility.
Full entry for צָרַר (H6887) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6887?
The BSB source-word alignment has 53 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the enemy (4), my enemies (3), I am in distress (2), in labor (2), they have persecuted me (2).
Where does צָרַר (ṣārar) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 12:34. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (18), Esther (4), Numbers (4), 2 Chronicles (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 It the enemy 4× Esther 3:10, Esther 8:1, Esther 9:10, Esther 9:24
my enemies 3× Psalms 23:5, Psalms 31:11, Psalms 42:10
I am in distress 2× Psalms 31:9, Psalms 69:17
in labor 2× Jeremiah 48:41, Jeremiah 49:22
they have persecuted me 2× Psalms 129:1, Psalms 129:2
They will besiege 2× Deuteronomy 28:52
[is] bound up 1× Hosea 13:12
and bring distress 1× Jeremiah 10:18
And in his distress 1× 2 Chronicles 33:12
and mended 1× Joshua 9:4
as a rival wife 1× Leviticus 18:18
assailed 1× Numbers 25:18
Attack 1× Numbers 25:17
besieges 1× 1 Kings 8:37
Bind up 1× Isaiah 8:16
bound securely 1× 1 Samuel 25:29
but afflicted 1× 2 Chronicles 28:20
confined 1× 2 Samuel 20:3
distressed 1× 1 Samuel 28:15
harass 1× Isaiah 11:13
has bound up 1× Proverbs 30:4
has wrapped 1× Hosea 4:19
He wraps up 1× Job 26:8
his foes 1× Psalms 10:5
I grieve 1× 2 Samuel 1:26
I will bring such distress 1× Zephaniah 1:17
Like binding 1× Proverbs 26:8
my adversaries 1× Psalms 69:19
my foe 1× Psalms 7:4
my foes 1× Psalms 6:7
of distress 1× Psalms 102:2
of his distress 1× 2 Chronicles 28:22
of my enemies 1× Psalms 7:6
of trouble 1× Psalms 59:16
of Your adversaries 1× Psalms 74:23
they will harass 1× Numbers 33:55
to your foes 1× Exodus 23:22
too small 1× Isaiah 28:20
who afflict 1× Psalms 143:12
who attacks 1× Numbers 10:9
wrapped 1× Exodus 12:34
You oppress 1× Amos 5:12
Your adversaries 1× Psalms 8:2
Your foes 1× Psalms 74:4
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 12:34 צְרֻרֹ֥ת to wrapped Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural Exodus 23:22 צֹרְרֶֽיךָ׃ to to your foes Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Leviticus 18:18 לִצְרֹ֗ר to as a rival wife Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Numbers 10:9 הַצֹּרֵ֣ר to who attacks Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Numbers 25:17 צָר֖וֹר to Attack Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute Numbers 25:18 צֹרְרִ֥ים to assailed Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Numbers 33:55 וְצָרֲר֣וּ to they will harass Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Deuteronomy 28:52 וְהֵצַ֨ר to They will besiege Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 28:52 וְהֵצַ֤ר to They will besiege Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Joshua 9:4 וּמְצֹרָרִֽים׃ to and mended Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 12:34
Aligned rows 53
Books represented 18
Exodus 2 Leviticus 1 Numbers 4 Deuteronomy 2 Joshua 1 1 Samuel 2 2 Samuel 2 1 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 3 Esther 4 Job 1 Psalms 18 Proverbs 2 Isaiah 3 Jeremiah 3 Hosea 2 Amos 1 Zephaniah 1
Source forms
צַר־ 4x ṣar- 1 Samuel 28:15, 2 Samuel 1:26, Psalms 59:16, Psalms 69:17
צוֹרְרָ֑י 2x ṣō·wr·rāy Psalms 7:6, Psalms 42:10
צוֹרְרָֽי׃ 2x ṣō·wr·rāy Psalms 6:7, Psalms 69:19
צֹרֵ֥ר 2x ṣō·rêr Esther 3:10, Esther 9:10
צְרָר֣וּנִי 2x ṣə·rā·rū·nî Psalms 129:1, Psalms 129:2
הָצֵ֣ר 1x hā·ṣêr 2 Chronicles 28:22
הַצֹּרֵ֣ר 1x haṣ·ṣō·rêr Numbers 10:9
וְהֵצַ֨ר 1x wə·hê·ṣar Deuteronomy 28:52
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 8x 1 Samuel 28:15, 2 Samuel 1:26, Psalms 31:9, Psalms 59:16
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular 6x Psalms 6:7, Psalms 7:6, Psalms 23:5, Psalms 31:11
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 5x Esther 3:10, Esther 8:1, Esther 9:10, Esther 9:24
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular 4x Exodus 23:22, Psalms 8:2, Psalms 74:4, Psalms 74:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 2x Jeremiah 10:18, Zephaniah 1:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 2x Deuteronomy 28:52
Verb - Hifil - Participle - feminine singular 2x Jeremiah 48:41, Jeremiah 49:22
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct 2x Psalms 143:12, Amos 5:12
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Constriction metaphor: physical cramping extends to psychological/spiritual distress, oppression, and enemy hostility.
Strong's H6887
Lexical occurrences 53 verses Word forms 2 forms 27 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 26:8 Source Gloss
to cramp , literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Constriction metaphor: physical cramping extends to psychological/spiritual distress, oppression, and enemy hostility.
to cramp, literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive BDB: confine Usage: adversary, (be in) afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait (trouble), vex.
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 27
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 22×
Participle active Amos 5:12 · Esth 3:10 · Esth 8:1 · Esth 9:10 · Esth 9:24 · Job 26:8 · Num 25:18 · Ps 143:12 8×
Perfect 1Sam 28:15 · 2Sam 1:26 · Hos 4:19 · Prov 30:4 · Ps 31:10 · Ps 69:18 · Isa 28:20 7×
Participle passive 1Sam 25:29 · 2Sam 20:3 · Exod 12:34 · Hos 13:12 4×
Sequential imperfect Isa 8:16 1×
Imperfect Isa 11:13 1×
Infinitive absolute Num 25:17 1×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 4×
Participle active Jer 48:41 · Jer 49:22 2×
Imperfect 1Kgs 8:37 1×
Infinitive construct 2Chr 28:22 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
to confine or bind up, restricting movement or freedom
Showing 1 selected witness from 53 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
צָרַר 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.
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