זָג (zag)
zag
skin
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew word zag appears only once in the Old Testament, in Numbers 6:4, within the regulations for the Nazirite vow. Its precise meaning is uncertain, but scholars generally agree it refers to a minor part of the grapevine that was forbidden to those under this special commitment. The Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon describes it as an insignificant product of the vine, suggesting it might be the stem or skin rather than the fruit itself.
This distinction highlights the strictness of the Nazirite separation. By avoiding even the least valuable parts of the grape, such as zag, the vow-taker demonstrated a complete renunciation of wine and its byproducts. The rarity of the term in Scripture underscores how specific these ritual boundaries were, leaving little room for ambiguity about what constituted defilement through vine-derived substances.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word zag refers to the skin or peel of a grape, appearing in the strict regulations for the Nazirite vow found in Numbers. This detail shows that the commitment required total separation from the vine, down to its smallest and least valuable parts. It was not enough to avoid wine; even the fruit's outer layer was off-limits.
For your faith life, this highlights the beauty of wholehearted devotion. When we set ourselves apart for God, it is not about rigid rules for their own sake, but about a deep desire to honor Him in every detail. Just as the Nazirite avoided even the skin, we are invited to offer God our full attention and love, without holding back.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- skin1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- זָ֖ג1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 6:4
All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skins.
This verse explicitly includes zag (skins) in the prohibition, demonstrating that the Nazirite vow extended to every part of the grapevine, no matter how insignificant.