זוּר (zur)
zur
be a stranger; be loathsome
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 61 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb zur primarily describes the state of being a stranger or becoming estranged from a community. In its basic sense, it marks the boundary between the insider and the outsider, often referring to foreigners or enemies who stand apart from the covenant people. This usage appears frequently in historical books like Numbers, where it distinguishes those outside the Israelite camp from those within it.
Proverbs expands this concept into moral territory, using the word to describe a "strange woman" or an adulteress. Here, being a stranger is not just about ethnicity but about loyalty; she is alien to the faithful marriage covenant and thus dangerous to the family structure. The text warns that her path leads away from wisdom and toward destruction, framing moral deviation as a form of social and spiritual exile.
In a striking shift of meaning, the participle also carries the sense of being loathsome or repulsive. This rare usage appears in Job 19:17, where the speaker describes his breath as offensive to his wife. In this context, the word moves from physical distance to visceral rejection, illustrating how deep alienation can make even one’s presence intolerable to loved ones.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word zur marks a boundary between those who belong and those who stand apart. In the Old Testament, it often describes foreigners or outsiders who do not share in the covenant community's sacred privileges. This distinction was not merely about geography but about spiritual alignment and loyalty to God’s commands.
Proverbs uses this concept to warn against moral deviation, describing a 'strange woman' as one who is alien to the faithful marriage covenant. Her path leads away from wisdom, showing that being a stranger can also mean being estranged from right living. In Job 19:17, the word takes on a deeper emotional weight, describing how deep alienation can make even one’s presence intolerable to loved ones.
For believers today, this word reminds us of the importance of belonging to God’s people and maintaining loyalty to His ways. It invites reflection on our own relationships with God and others, encouraging us to foster unity and faithfulness rather than estrangement. May we find our true home in Christ, where all barriers are broken down.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 61 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- strangers14×
- strange11×
- a stranger9×
- and/ the/ stranger4×
- to/ strangers2×
- they have become estranged2×
- stranger2×
- and/ a stranger2×
- with/ a strange [woman]1×
- to/ a stranger1×
- to <the>/ strangers1×
- they had become estranged1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- זָ֑ר8×
- זָרִ֖ים5×
- זָרִים֙4×
- זָ֖ר4×
- וְ/הַ/זָּ֥ר4×
- זָרָ֑ה3×
- זָרִ֔ים3×
- זָ֣ר3×
- זָרָ֖ה2×
- זָרִֽים\׃2×
- זָרִ֣ים2×
- זָר֑וֹת2×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 29:33
They shall eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and sanctify them; but a stranger shall not eat of it, because they are holy.
This verse establishes the strict boundary that strangers cannot partake in holy things, highlighting the seriousness of covenantal holiness.
-
Job 19:17
My breath is offensive to my wife. I am loathsome to the children of my own mother.
Here the word shifts to describe visceral rejection, showing how profound alienation can make one's very presence offensive to family.
-
Leviticus 22:10
“‘No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.
This verse reinforces the exclusion of strangers from holy offerings, emphasizing the sanctity reserved for the covenant community.
-
Job 19:15
Those who dwell in my house and my maids consider me a stranger. I am an alien in their sight.
Job describes how his own household now considers him a stranger, illustrating the deep social and emotional isolation caused by suffering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does zur mean in the Bible?
How is zur different from other words for foreigner?
Where does zur appear in the Bible?
What is the significance of Job 19:17?
Every Occurrence (61 verses across 14 books)
Exodus 3 verses
They shall eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and sanctify them; but a stranger shall not…
Exodus 30:9You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering; and you shall pour no drink offering…
Exodus 30:33Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.’”