### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **tsâlîy**, represented by `{{H6748}}`, is a specific term for something **roasted**. Derived from the verb to roast, it appears **3 times** across **3 unique verses** in the Bible. Its meaning is narrowly focused on food prepared by roasting, particularly over a fire.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The use of `{{H6748}}` is concentrated in two key passages. In the book of Exodus, it appears twice as part of the specific instructions for preparing the first Passover lamb. The Israelites are commanded to eat the flesh **roast** with fire [[Exodus 12:8]]. This instruction is emphasized with a negative command: "Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but **roast** with fire" [[Exodus 12:9]]. The only other occurrence is in Isaiah, where the prophet describes a man who uses wood to make a fire, "roasteth **roast**," and warms himself, while using the residue of the wood to make an idol [[Isaiah 44:16]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the context and meaning of `{{H6748}}`:
* `{{H6740}}` **tsâlâh** (roast): This is the primitive root verb from which `tsâlîy` is derived. It means **to roast** and is used in contexts describing the preparation of flesh, such as when a man roasts flesh for a meal [[Isaiah 44:19]] or when a priest desires flesh to roast [[1 Samuel 2:15]].
* `{{H784}}` **ʼêsh** (fire): This word for **fire** is explicitly linked to `tsâlîy` in all its biblical occurrences, specifying the means of preparation. The Passover lamb must be "roast with **fire**" [[Exodus 12:8]], and the man in Isaiah's prophecy uses **fire** to cook his meal [[Isaiah 44:16]].
* `{{H398}}` **ʼâkal** (to eat): This verb, meaning **to eat**, is found in all three verses containing `tsâlîy`, showing the ultimate purpose of the roasted item. It is used for the consumption of the Passover lamb [[Exodus 12:8]] and the flesh roasted by the man in Isaiah's prophecy [[Isaiah 44:16]].
* `{{H1320}}` **bâsâr** (flesh): This term identifies what is being roasted. In both the Passover account [[Exodus 12:8]] and the prophecy in Isaiah [[Isaiah 44:16]], it is **flesh** that is prepared by being roasted.
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H6748}}` is found in its specific and prescribed contexts.
* **Ritual Purity:** As part of the Passover ordinance, the requirement to **roast** the lamb, as opposed to boiling it, sets the meal apart as a sacred act dictated by God. It defines a specific method of preparation for a foundational religious observance [[Exodus 12:9]].
* **Prophetic Rebuke:** In Isaiah, the act of preparing a **roast** meal is used to highlight the foolishness of idolatry. The same material that serves the basic human need for warmth and cooked food is nonsensically fashioned into an object of worship, demonstrating the idol's mundane and powerless origin [[Isaiah 44:16]].
* **Divine Command:** The use of `tsâlîy` in Exodus underscores the importance of precise obedience to God's instructions. The method of cooking was not a suggestion but a core component of the commandment itself.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6748}}` is a precise term meaning **roast**. While its usage is rare, it carries significant weight in its contexts. It is crucial to the regulations of the Passover, establishing a specific method for a sacred meal, and serves as a powerful illustration in Isaiah's critique of idol worship. The word demonstrates how a simple culinary instruction can be imbued with deep ritual and theological importance.
TRV