צָנִין (tsa.nin)
tsa.nin
thorn
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun tsa.nin refers to a sharp, prickly plant, specifically a thorn. It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, in Numbers 33:55 and Joshua 23:13. In both contexts, it describes the physical danger posed by the land’s vegetation when Israel fails to drive out its inhabitants. The word conveys a sense of persistent irritation and injury, something that catches and wounds.
Its meaning is concrete and immediate. A thorn is not merely an obstacle but a source of pain that cannot be ignored. When used metaphorically for hostile neighbors or unkept promises, it emphasizes how such relationships cause ongoing trouble and harm to those who deal with them. The imagery relies on the universal experience of being pricked by sharp brush.
Translators typically render tsa.nin as "thorn" or "prick." This choice preserves the vividness of the original image, reminding readers that spiritual failure leads to tangible consequences. The word serves as a stark warning against complacency, illustrating how unresolved conflict remains a constant threat.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tsa.nin describes a thorn, a sharp plant that causes immediate pain and persistent irritation. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears only twice, both times in warnings to Israel about the consequences of leaving hostile neighbors in the land. These verses use the image of thorns in eyes and sides to show how unresolved conflict leads to ongoing trouble and harm.
For your faith life, this imagery reminds us that ignoring difficult situations or failing to address spiritual compromises can lead to lasting pain. Just as a thorn catches and wounds, unaddressed sin or broken relationships can become sources of constant distress. This word encourages honesty about the real costs of disobedience and the need for decisive action in our walk with God.
When we face challenges that seem small but cause repeated trouble, tsa.nin helps us recognize their true nature. It is not just an inconvenience but something that demands attention. By addressing these issues faithfully, we can avoid the ongoing harm they bring and find peace in following God's guidance.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ <into>/ thorns1×
- and/ <into>/ pricks1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/לִ/צְנִנִ֣ים1×
- וְ/לִ/צְנִינִ֖ם1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 33:55
“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be like pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land in which you dwell.
This verse uses tsa.nin to warn that leaving hostile inhabitants results in persistent harassment, comparing them to thorns that cause ongoing pain.
-
Joshua 23:13
know for a certainty that Yahweh your God will no longer drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you.
Here tsa.nin reinforces the certainty of judgment, showing how unaddressed threats become a source of continuous suffering for those who disobey God.