צָמַח (tsa.mach)
tsa.mach
to spring
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 27 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb tsa.mach describes the act of sprouting or springing up, capturing the sudden, visible emergence of life from a hidden source. In its basic sense, it refers to plants pushing through soil, as seen in Genesis 2:5 when God causes vegetation to appear on the earth. It also applies to physical growth, such as hair lengthening (Leviticus 13:37) or crops budding forth (Psalm 132:17).
Beyond literal botany, the word carries significant theological weight in Isaiah, where it describes new things springing into existence. In Isaiah 43:19 and 58:8, God promises to make a way in the wilderness and cause righteousness to burst forth. This usage highlights tsa.mach as a metaphor for divine initiative, showing how God brings about renewal and justice that were previously unseen.
Its root likely connects to ideas of shining or emerging into light, reinforcing the image of life breaking through darkness. Translators often render it as "grow," "spring forth," or "bud," depending on context. Whether describing grass in a field or a messianic figure rising in Ezekiel 33:22, the word consistently points to God’s power to initiate growth and restoration.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When you encounter a season where growth feels impossible, this word offers a gentle reminder of how life begins. It describes the quiet, often hidden moment when a sprout breaks through the soil. This is not something we force into existence; it is a response to the rain and the earth. In our own lives, there are times when we feel barren or stuck, yet God is at work beneath the surface, preparing something new.
The beauty of this concept lies in its dependence on divine initiative. Just as grass does not sprout by its own power but by the rain from heaven, our spiritual renewal comes from God’s faithful provision. Isaiah uses this imagery to promise that righteousness and salvation will burst forth like a garden after a drought. This suggests that even when circumstances seem dry, the potential for restoration is already present, waiting for God’s word to bring it to life.
Ultimately, this verb points to a hope that is both sudden and sure. It reminds us that God is the one who causes things to grow, whether it is a simple herb in a field or justice in a broken world. We can rest in the knowledge that our growth is not measured by our own effort alone, but by the faithful hand of the Creator who nurtures every seed planted in trust.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 27 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they will spring up2×
- it will grow back2×
- [were] springing up2×
- will he make grow?1×
- who/ causes to sprout1×
- to/ grow back1×
- that/ is sprouting1×
- sprouting of1×
- let it cause to sprout1×
- it will spring up1×
- it springs up1×
- it makes grow1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- צֹמְח֖וֹת2×
- יְצַמַּ֥ח2×
- תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ1×
- תִּצְמַ֖חְנָה1×
- תַצְמִ֙יחַ֙1×
- תַצְמִ֑יחַ1×
- תִצְמָ֔ח1×
- תִצְמָ֑ח1×
- צוֹמֵ֥חַ1×
- צָֽמַח\־1×
- מַצְמִ֤יחַ1×
- לְ/צַמֵּ֖חַ1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I will do a new thing. It springs out now. Don’t you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
This verse uses the word to describe a 'new thing' springing forth, emphasizing God's power to create fresh beginnings even in wilderness settings.
-
Genesis 2:5
No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused it to rain on the earth. There was not a man to till the ground,
Here the term captures the initial emergence of vegetation before human cultivation, highlighting that life originates from God’s direct action rather than human labor.
-
Isaiah 61:11
For as the earth produces its bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring up, so the Lord Yahweh will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
The prophet compares the natural springing up of a garden to God’s deliberate act of causing righteousness and praise to rise before the nations.
-
Psalms 132:17
I will make the horn of David to bud there. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.
David’s horn is described as budding, linking physical plant growth to the political and spiritual restoration of the messianic line.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word tsa.mach mean?
How is this word used in Isaiah?
Does this word only refer to plants?
Every Occurrence (27 verses across 12 books)
Genesis 5 verses
No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused…
Genesis 2:9Out of the ground Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food, including the…
Genesis 3:18It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.
Genesis 41:6Behold, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
Genesis 41:23and behold, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.