צַמּוּק (tsam.muq)
tsam.muq
cluster
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun tsammûq refers to a cluster or bunch of raisins, specifically dried grapes. In the Hebrew Bible, this word appears only three times, all within the historical narratives of Samuel. It describes a tangible food item, likely prepared as a dense, sweet cake or mass for preservation and consumption.
Its most notable occurrence is in 2 Samuel 16:1, where David’s supporters bring him supplies during his flight from Absalom. Among these provisions are two hundred loaves of bread and two hundred cakes of raisins. This detail highlights the practical nature of the aid offered; dried fruit provided essential calories and sugar for travelers on long journeys.
While the word itself is simple, its context reveals the logistics of ancient travel and hospitality. The preparation of tsammûq involved sun-drying grapes to remove moisture, creating a lightweight, non-perishable food source. This method of preservation was common in the region, allowing communities to store energy-rich food for times of need or travel.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tsammûq refers to a cluster or cake of dried grapes, a dense source of energy preserved for long journeys. In ancient times, this was not merely a snack but vital sustenance for travelers facing hardship. When we read about these provisions being carried on donkeys, we see the practical care people took to support one another in difficult seasons.
These clusters appear in moments of crisis: when David fled from Absalom and when a weary servant was found fainting in the wilderness. The food provided immediate strength, reminding us that God often meets our physical needs through the generosity of others. It is a quiet picture of how community sustains faith when the path ahead seems too long to walk alone.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- bunches of raisins3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- צִמּוּקִ֛ים1×
- צִמֻּקִים֙1×
- צִמֻּקִ֖ים1×
Key Verses
-
II Samuel 16:1
When David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and one hundred summer fruits, and a container of wine.
This verse shows Ziba bringing clusters to sustain David during his flight, highlighting how physical provision supports spiritual endurance in times of crisis.
-
I Samuel 30:12
They gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, and drank no water for three days and three nights.
Here the clusters restore a fainting Egyptian servant, demonstrating their role as immediate, life-giving nourishment for those near collapse.
-
I Samuel 25:18
Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two containers of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five seahs of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.
Abigail includes these clusters among her gifts to David, illustrating their value as essential travel provisions for a large group on the move.