### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **tsimʼâh**, represented by `{{H6773}}`, is a specific term for **thirst**. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Its definition highlights that it can be used not only for a physical state but also figuratively to represent a libidinous or intense, unrestrained desire.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The singular use of `{{H6773}}` is found in a prophetic warning to Israel in Jeremiah. God commands the nation to stop its destructive spiritual pursuits, saying, "Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from **thirst**" [[Jeremiah 2:25]]. In this context, the **thirst** symbolizes an insatiable and unfaithful craving for "strangers," which Israel explicitly admits to loving and is determined to pursue.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in its single appearance clarify its meaning:
* `{{H4513}}` **mânaʻ** (to debar... deny, keep (back), refrain, restrain, withhold): This is the command to "**withhold**" or restrain the desires represented by the thirst [[Jeremiah 2:25]]. This same word is used when God withholds rain from the land [[Amos 4:7]] and in the command to "**refrain** thy voice from weeping" [[Jeremiah 31:16]].
* `{{H1627}}` **gârôwn** (the throat... mouth, neck, throat): This is the physical location that experiences the **thirst** in the verse [[Jeremiah 2:25]]. The throat is elsewhere associated with crying **aloud** to God [[Isaiah 58:1]] or, in a negative sense, described as "an open sepulchre" representing the wickedness of men [[Psalms 5:9]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6773}}` is concentrated in its single, powerful usage.
* **Figurative Desire:** The term is used not for simple physical need but as a potent metaphor for spiritual adultery and idolatry. Israel's "thirst" is a destructive craving for foreign gods and alliances.
* **Willful Disobedience:** The command to "Withhold... thy throat from thirst" is immediately rejected by Israel, who says, "There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go" [[Jeremiah 2:25]]. This frames the thirst as a conscious and willful choice to pursue what is forbidden by God.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6773}}` offers a potent, one-time illustration of destructive desire. Though it appears only once, it transforms the universal feeling of thirst into a powerful symbol of spiritual unfaithfulness and an insatiable longing for that which is contrary to God's will. Its appearance in [[Jeremiah 2:25]] serves as a stark warning about the nature of unchecked, idolatrous cravings.
TRV