צְלֵם (tse.lem)
tse.lem
image
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 15 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The word tselem denotes an image or representation, appearing fifteen times in the Hebrew Bible and its Aramaic sections. Its most frequent usage occurs in the book of Daniel, where it describes physical statues or idols set up by kings to demand worship. In these contexts, the term highlights a crafted object meant to stand in for a ruler or deity, serving as a focal point for reverence.
While often associated with man-made idols in Daniel, the word carries a broader theological weight elsewhere in Scripture. It is famously used in Genesis 1:26 to describe humanity’s creation in the likeness of God. Here, tselem signifies more than mere physical resemblance; it implies a representative role, where humans act as God’s visible stand-ins on earth. This distinction separates divine image-bearing from the lifeless idols that populate the ancient Near Eastern landscape.
Translators typically render tselem as "image" or "likeness," depending on whether the referent is a person or an idol. The consistent thread across these varied uses is representation: whether it is a human reflecting God’s character or a statue reflecting a king’s authority, the word points to something that stands in for another. This semantic range underscores the biblical tension between true divine representation and false imitation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word tselem carries a weighty tension in Scripture. In Daniel, it describes the terrifying golden statue that demanded total allegiance, representing human power trying to usurp God’s place. It is a crafted object, lifeless yet imposing, calling for worship that belongs only to the Creator.
Yet Genesis reveals a different truth. Humans are made in this same tselem, not as idols of gold and silver, but as living representatives of God on earth. This means your worth is not found in what you produce or how much power you hold, but in the fact that you carry God’s own likeness. You are His visible stand-in, called to reflect His character in a world often focused on false images.
When you feel small or overlooked, remember this identity. You are not a statue to be worshipped by others, nor a mere object of history. You are a living image-bearer, invited to show God’s grace and truth in your daily life. This calling is both humble and profound, grounding your value in who made you, not what the world says.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 15 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- image/ the5×
- to/ [the] image of3×
- and/ to/ [the] image of3×
- an image2×
- <obj.>/ image/ the2×
- to/ image/ the1×
- and/ [the] image of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- צַלְמָ֔/א3×
- וּ/לְ/צֶ֧לֶם3×
- לְ/צֶ֣לֶם2×
- צַלְמָ֨/א1×
- צַלְמָ֗/א1×
- צְלֵ֥ם1×
- צְלֵ֣ם1×
- לְ/צַלְמָ֣/א1×
- לְ/צַלְמָ֗/א1×
- לְ/צַלְמָ/א֙1×
- לְ/צֶ֥לֶם1×
- וּ/צְלֵ֤ם1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 3:1
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
This verse establishes the physical reality of the idol as a human-made object designed to dominate attention and demand worship.
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Daniel 3:18
But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”
Here the word highlights the moral choice between submitting to a false image or remaining faithful to God despite severe consequences.
-
Daniel 2:35
Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
The destruction of this image shows that human systems of power and representation are temporary, unlike the eternal kingdom of God.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does tselem mean in the Bible?
How is tselem different from an idol?
Why does Daniel use this word for Nebuchadnezzar's statue?
Every Occurrence (15 verses across 1 books)
Daniel 15 verses
“You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood…
Daniel 2:32As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,
Daniel 2:34You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and…
Daniel 2:35Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff…
Daniel 3:1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in…
Daniel 3:2Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges,…
Daniel 3:3Then the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs,…
Daniel 3:5that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down…
Daniel 3:7Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all…
Daniel 3:10You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and…
Daniel 3:12There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and…
Daniel 3:14Nebuchadnezzar answered them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my gods and you don’t…
Daniel 3:15Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music…
Daniel 3:18But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have…
Daniel 3:19Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and…