זוּלָה (zu.lah)
zu.lah
exception
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 13 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew word zulah functions as a preposition or conjunction meaning "except," "besides," or "with the exception of." Its core sense involves the idea of removal or setting aside, effectively carving out a specific case from a general rule or list.
It appears in thirteen verses across the Old Testament, with notable usage in Deuteronomy, 1 Kings, and Isaiah. For instance, it is used to specify exclusions in legal or prophetic contexts, such as when listing who is excluded from a certain status or blessing. The word helps clarify boundaries by indicating what is not included in a preceding statement.
Translators typically render zulah as "except" or "save," depending on the context. Its presence often signals a precise limitation, ensuring that the reader understands the full scope of a command or description. This precision is valuable for interpreting passages where exceptions are critical to the meaning.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word zulah marks a boundary, carving out a specific exception to a general rule. In Deuteronomy 1:36, it highlights Caleb as the sole survivor of a generation that lacked faith, showing how God preserves those who remain loyal even when others fall away. This precision reminds us that our standing before God is not lost in a crowd but known by name.
Isaiah uses this term to define God’s uniqueness. When Isaiah 45:5 states there is no god besides Him, it excludes every other power from ultimate authority. This clarity offers stability; we do not serve a deity among many competing forces, but the one true Lord who alone saves.
Understanding these exceptions helps us see God’s faithfulness in detail. Whether noting who remains with Him or who stands alone as Savior, zulah directs our eyes to specific truths that anchor our hope in His character rather than in vague generalities.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 13 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- except6×
- except/ you4×
- besides/ me3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- זוּלָתִ֥י3×
- זוּלָתֶ֑/ךָ1×
- זוּלָתִֽ/י\׃1×
- זוּלָתִ֛י1×
- זוּלָתִ֖/י1×
- זוּלָֽתְ/ךָ֙1×
- זוּלַ֖ת1×
- זֽוּלָתֶ֔/ךָ1×
- זֽוּלָתֶ֑/ךָ1×
- זֽוּלָתִ֞י1×
- זֽוּלָתִ/י֙1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 1:36
except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it. I will give the land that he has trodden on to him and to his children, because he has wholly followed Yahweh.”
This verse uses the word to isolate Caleb as the only exception to the judgment against his generation, highlighting individual faithfulness.
-
Isaiah 45:5
I am Yahweh, and there is no one else. Besides me, there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not known me,
Here the term excludes all other deities from existence, asserting Yahweh’s absolute and exclusive sovereignty over creation.
-
Hosea 13:4
“Yet I am Yahweh your God from the land of Egypt; and you shall acknowledge no god but me, and besides me there is no savior.
The word clarifies that no other entity functions as a savior, reinforcing the exclusivity of God's redemptive role for Israel.