צַחֲנָה (tsa.cha.nah)
tsa.cha.nah
stench
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun tsaḥănâ describes a foul stench or offensive odor. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Joel 2:20, where it characterizes the lingering smell of rotting creatures.
In this context, the word highlights the devastation caused by an invading army, likened to a locust plague that leaves behind death and decay. The stench serves as a sensory reminder of the destruction’s totality, emphasizing the need for divine intervention to restore the land.
Its rare usage underscores the intensity of the imagery in Joel, where physical corruption mirrors spiritual crisis. The term conveys not just unpleasantness but a profound sense of ruin that only God can reverse.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tsaḥănâ describes a foul stench or offensive odor that lingers after devastation. In Joel 2:20, it captures the lingering smell of rotting creatures left behind by an invading army. This vivid imagery highlights the totality of destruction and the profound sense of ruin that only God can reverse.
For your faith, this word reminds us that even in seasons of deep decay and spiritual crisis, God sees the full extent of the damage. He does not ignore the stench of brokenness around you or within you. Instead, He promises to remove the source of harm and drive it far away, offering restoration where there was once only decay.
When life feels overwhelming, remember that God’s power is greater than any lingering ruin. He brings peace where there was chaos and life where there was death. Trust in His ability to restore what seems beyond repair, knowing that His great things are always at work for your good.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- foul smell/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- צַחֲנָת֔/וֹ1×
Key Verses
-
Joel 2:20
But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things.
The word 'stench' here emphasizes the lingering physical and spiritual ruin left by the invading army, underscoring the need for divine intervention to restore the land.