צְרוּעָה (tse.ru.ah)
tse.ru.ah
Zeruah
N:N-F-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-F-P
Word Overview
The name Tseru‘ah appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, at 1 Kings 11:26, where it identifies the mother of Jeroboam, the man who would lead the northern tribes away from Solomon’s rule. She is described as the wife of Nebat and a member of the tribe of Ephraim, placing her within the lineage that produced Israel’s first king.
Lexical sources interpret the name Tseru‘ah to mean "full-breasted" or "bountiful." This etymology likely points to physical strength, fertility, or maternal capacity rather than a mere anatomical description. In the context of ancient naming conventions, such a name may have reflected hopes for vitality and the ability to nurture a significant legacy.
Though her personal story is not told, her significance lies in her role as the progenitor of a major political shift. By bearing Jeroboam, she becomes an ancestral figure in the division of the United Monarchy. The brevity of her mention underscores how individual lives intersect with broader national history, even when their own voices remain silent in the text.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Zeruah appears only once in Scripture, yet it carries a weight that stretches far beyond its single mention. It identifies the mother of Jeroboam, whose actions would eventually split the united kingdom of Israel into two. While the text does not record her words or personal struggles, her identity as a widow and a woman of Ephraim places her at the center of a major historical turning point.
Her name, often understood to mean "full-breasted" or "bountiful," suggests vitality and strength. In an ancient context, this likely pointed to maternal capacity and the ability to nurture a significant legacy. Though she is not given a voice in the narrative, her life intersects with the broader story of God’s people, reminding us that individual lives often shape national history in ways we cannot always foresee.
This brief mention invites reflection on the unseen roles women played in biblical times. Zeruah’s significance lies not in dramatic deeds recorded in detail, but in her role as a progenitor. Her story encourages readers to consider how faithfulness and resilience in ordinary circumstances contribute to the larger tapestry of God’s work in the world.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [was] Zeruah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- צְרוּעָה֙1×
Key Verses
-
I Kings 11:26
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king.
This verse identifies Zeruah as Jeroboam's mother, linking her directly to the political division of Israel.