כְּזִיב (ke.ziv)
ke.ziv
Chezib
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun keziv, meaning "falsehood" or "deceit," appears as a place name in Genesis 38:5. It identifies a town in the territory of Judah where Onan’s wife, Tamar, gave birth to Perez and Zerah. The name itself is striking for its semantic weight, directly linking the location to concepts of deception or falsity.
Lexical sources note that this site is also known as Achzib, another town whose name carries similar connotations of emptiness or deceit. This dual naming highlights a characteristic biblical pattern where geographical locations reflect moral or spiritual realities. The occurrence in Genesis underscores how even ordinary places can bear names that resonate with the larger narrative themes of truth and trust within the patriarchal accounts.
While the text does not elaborate on the town’s history, its name serves as a linguistic marker. In a story involving complex family dynamics and hidden motives, the setting itself whispers of the underlying tensions. This usage reminds readers that place names in Scripture often carry deeper significance beyond mere geography.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Chezib appears in Genesis 38:5 as the location where Tamar gave birth to Perez and Zerah. The word itself means falsehood or deceit, a stark contrast to the lineage of Judah that would eventually lead to King David and Jesus Christ. This juxtaposition reminds us that God’s plan unfolds within real human history, complete with broken relationships and moral complexity.
When we read about places named after sin or failure, it can feel unsettling. Yet Scripture does not hide these details; it includes them to show that no situation is beyond redemption. The presence of such a name in the ancestral line highlights how God works through imperfect circumstances and people who have stumbled.
This word invites us to trust in God’s ability to bring good out of difficult contexts. Just as life continued through a town named for deceit, our own stories of failure do not disqualify us from God’s purpose. We can find hope knowing that truth ultimately prevails over every form of deception in His kingdom.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in/ Kezib1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בִ/כְזִ֖יב1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 38:5
She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.
This verse marks the only occurrence of the name Chezib, anchoring the birth of Perez and Zerah to a location whose very name signifies deceit within Judah's family history.