צָלִי (tsa.li)
tsa.li
roasted
H:N-M / H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M / H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective tsali describes food that has been cooked by dry heat, specifically meaning "roasted" or referring to a "roast." It appears in only three verses, primarily within the detailed instructions for the Passover meal in Exodus 12:8 and 9. The word is concrete and sensory, pointing to meat prepared over fire until it is fully cooked through.
Its usage is tightly bound to ritual context rather than general cooking methods. In Exodus, God commands that the lamb be roasted with fire, distinguishing this preparation from boiling or baking. This specific mode of cooking was essential for the Passover sacrifice, ensuring the meat was ready to be eaten quickly and without delay, as part of the hasty departure from Egypt.
Translators consistently render tsali as "roasted" in English Bibles, preserving the literal sense of the Hebrew. The word’s rarity highlights its specific function in these texts: it marks a particular act of obedience and remembrance. By specifying how the meat must be prepared, the text emphasizes the seriousness and distinctiveness of the ritual observance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tsali describes meat cooked over a dry fire, specifically roasted. In Exodus, God commanded that the Passover lamb be prepared this way, not boiled or eaten raw. This method ensured the meal could be eaten quickly and completely, reflecting the urgency of leaving Egypt.
This detail reminds us that worship often involves specific acts of obedience. When we follow God’s instructions, even in small things like how a meal is prepared, we show respect for His commands. The roasted lamb was a sign of readiness and trust in God’s deliverance.
Today, this word invites us to consider the sincerity of our own practices. Are we rushing through spiritual duties, or are we engaging with them fully? Just as the Israelites ate the roast with haste and faith, we too can approach God’s gifts with gratitude and alertness, ready to respond to His call.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- roasted of2×
- roasted meat1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- צְלִי\־2×
- צָלִ֖י1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 12:8
They shall eat the meat in that night, roasted with fire, with unleavened bread. They shall eat it with bitter herbs.
This verse establishes the core requirement that the Passover lamb must be roasted with fire, linking the method of cooking directly to the meal's ritual identity.
-
Exodus 12:9
Don’t eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted with fire; with its head, its legs and its inner parts.
Here the prohibition against boiling or eating raw meat highlights the distinctiveness of roasting as the only acceptable preparation for this sacred sacrifice.
-
Isaiah 44:16
He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm. I have seen the fire.”
This verse uses the word in a contrasting context, showing how an idolater casually roasts meat for personal satisfaction while ignoring God's sovereignty.