צִיצָה (tsi.tsah)
tsi.tsah
flower
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 tsi.tsah refers to a blossom or flower. It appears as an alternative spelling for the more common term tsits, carrying the same basic meaning of a plant’s bloom. In Scripture, this word is used only once, in Isaiah 28:4, where it describes the fading beauty of a fig before it ripens.
While its primary sense is botanical, some lexicons note that related roots can also imply something shining or bright. This suggests the word might evoke not just the shape of a flower, but its visual appeal. The single occurrence in Isaiah highlights fragility and transience, using the image of a wilting bloom to illustrate how quickly glory can fade.
Translators typically render this term simply as "flower" or "blossom." Its rarity makes it a specialized lexical variant rather than a major theological keyword. Understanding it helps clarify the poetic imagery in Isaiah, where natural decay serves as a metaphor for political and spiritual decline.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tsi.tsah appears only once in Scripture, describing a flower that fades quickly. In Isaiah 28:4, it illustrates how beauty and strength can disappear suddenly. This image reminds us that earthly glory is temporary. What seems permanent often passes away like a bloom in summer.
Yet this truth brings comfort rather than despair. When we recognize the fleeting nature of human power or personal achievements, we look toward what endures. God’s promises remain steady while everything else changes. We find rest in knowing our hope does not depend on fading circumstances.
This rare word invites us to trust in lasting security. Instead of clinging to temporary successes, we can anchor our hearts in divine faithfulness. The same God who cares for the flowers also sustains those who seek Him with sincerity.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a flower1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- צִיצַ֤ת1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 28:4
The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer, which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it.
The word describes a fig that is picked and eaten before it ripens, showing how quickly political pride collapses.