Word Study for H6725 (צִיּוּן)

tsîyûwn /tsee-yoon'/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom the same as צִיָּה in the sense of conspicuousness (compare נָצַח)

Meaninglemma צִיוּן missing dagesh, corrected to class="strongs-hebrew-text">צִיּוּן; a monumental or guiding pillar

KJV usagesign, title, waymark.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tsîyûwn — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word tsîyûwn, represented by H6725, denotes a monumental or guiding pillar. Based on a root word implying conspicuousness, it is defined as a sign, title, or waymark. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible, consistently used to describe a physical marker that draws attention to a place or object for a specific purpose.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical occurrences, H6725 serves as a marker of guidance, remembrance, or identification. In Jeremiah, the prophet commands the virgin of Israel to set up waymarks to guide the people back to their cities, connecting the marker with a path of return and restoration Jeremiah 31:21. In 2 Kings, the word is translated as title and refers to the marker on the grave of the man of God from Judah, which serves to identify his sepulchre 2 Kings 23:17. Lastly, in Ezekiel, passersby are instructed to set up a sign next to any human bone they find, marking it for the buriers to ensure the land is cleansed Ezekiel 39:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the function and context of these markers:

H8564 tamrûwr (high heap): Defined as an erection, pillar, or high heap, this word is used in direct parallel with H6725 in the command to "Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps" Jeremiah 31:21, reinforcing the idea of a visible, guiding structure.
H1870 derek (way): This word for a road or course of life is what the waymark H6725 is intended to point toward. Jeremiah tells Israel to set their heart toward the highway, "even the way which thou wentest" Jeremiah 31:21.
H6913 qeber (sepulchre): Meaning a burying place or grave, this is the object that the title H6725 identifies in 2 Kings 23:17. The marker's purpose is to give identity to the sepulchre of the man of God.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6725 is seen in its function as a tool for divine purposes.

Guidance and Restoration: The command to set up waymarks in Jeremiah is not merely about finding a physical road; it is a call to the nation of Israel to set their hearts on the path of return to their cities and, by extension, to their covenant relationship with God Jeremiah 31:21.
Remembrance and Fulfillment: The title on the prophet's grave in 2 Kings serves as a point of remembrance. It prompts a retelling of the prophecy that was fulfilled, highlighting the endurance and certainty of God's proclaimed word 2 Kings 23:17.
Marking for Order and Holiness: In Ezekiel's vision, setting up a sign by a bone is a crucial step in cleansing the land. The marker facilitates an orderly process of burial, underscoring the importance of separating the clean from the unclean to restore the land Ezekiel 39:15.

Summary

In summary, H6725 is a specific term for a marker intended to be seen. Whether as a waymark for guidance, a title for remembrance, or a sign for identification, its purpose is to direct human action toward a divinely-ordained goal. It illustrates how physical objects can be invested with spiritual significance, serving to guide God's people, preserve the memory of His works, and maintain holiness.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 3 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

צִיּוּן
צִיֻּנִים

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 2 Kings, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

2 Kings

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.