Word Study for H6744 (צְלַח) | Strong's Concordance

tsᵉlach /tsel-akh'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to צָלַח

Meaningto advance (transitive or intransitive)

KJV usagepromote, prosper.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tsᵉlach — 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 Aramaic word tsᵉlach, represented by H6744, corresponds to the Hebrew צָלַח and means to advance or prosper. It can be used in both a transitive sense (to promote someone) and an intransitive one (to be prosperous). Appearing just 4 times in 4 unique verses, its usage highlights moments of significant progress and elevation in the biblical narrative.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, H6744 describes two primary forms of advancement. First, it is used to characterize the successful progress of a major undertaking, specifically the rebuilding of the house of God. An official report to the king states that the work "goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands" Ezra 5:8. This prosperity is later attributed to divine and royal sanction, as the elders "builded, and they prospered" according to God's commandment Ezra 6:14. Second, the word denotes the personal advancement of individuals who remain faithful to God. Daniel prospered during the reigns of foreign kings Daniel 6:28, and the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego after their deliverance from the fiery furnace Daniel 3:30.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words provide context for the concept of prospering:

H1124 bᵉnâʼ (to build): This word is directly linked to the prosperity of the work in Ezra. The success described by tsᵉlach is the progress of the building effort, as the elders builded and they prospered Ezra 6:14.
H4430 melek (king): Advancement is often tied to the authority of a king. The king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Daniel 3:30, and the rebuilding of the temple prospered under the command of kings Ezra 6:14.
H5648 ʻăbad (to do, make): This term refers to the work or action that prospers. In Ezra, the report is that "this work goeth fast on, and prospereth," linking the action of doing the work to its successful outcome Ezra 5:8.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H6744 is tied to the source of the advancement. It illustrates how success is achieved under specific conditions.

Prosperity Under Authority: The rebuilding of God's house prospered because it was done "according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia" Ezra 6:14. This shows that success is an outcome of operating under legitimate divine and earthly authority.
Advancement Through Faithfulness: The promotion of God's servants occurs after demonstrations of unwavering faith. Daniel prospered after his deliverance from the lions' den Daniel 6:28, and his three friends were promoted after surviving the furnace Daniel 3:30, showing that God honors those who are loyal to Him.
Tangible Success: The word does not describe a vague or internal feeling of well-being, but a concrete and observable forward movement. The building work "goeth fast on, and prospereth," indicating clear, measurable progress on a divinely-ordained project Ezra 5:8.

Summary

In summary, H6744 is a concise term for divinely or royally sanctioned advancement. Whether describing the successful progress of a national project like the temple or the personal promotion of faithful individuals within a foreign empire, tsᵉlach signifies a clear and successful forward movement. It demonstrates that true prosperity is linked to operating in accordance with divine will and faithfulness.

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 verb across 4 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

הַצְלַח
מַצְלְחִין
מַצְלַח

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 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ezra and Daniel (2 verses each); never once in the other 37.

Ezra

Daniel

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.