English · KJV
H6866

צָרַב

tsârab /tsaw-rab'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto burn
KJV usageburn.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tsârab — 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 tsârab, represented by H6866, is a primitive root that means to burn. It is a rare term, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible. Its singular use describes a severe and widespread burning as a result of divine judgment.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H6866 is in a prophecy delivered by Ezekiel. The Lord GOD declares He will kindle a fire in the "forest of the south" that will devour every green and dry tree. The prophecy culminates with the statement that this unquenchable fire will be so vast that "all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein" Ezekiel 20:47. This context gives the word a sense of a visible, searing mark left upon people as a consequence of this fiery judgment.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words in the same passage help to define the context of this burning:

  • H784 'êsh (fire): The instrument of judgment that God kindles. It is the agent that will devour and burn Ezekiel 20:47.
  • H3341 yâtsath (to burn or set on fire): This is the action God himself takes, stating, "I will kindle a fire in thee" Ezekiel 20:47. It initiates the event where H6866 is the result.
  • H398 'âkal (to eat... burn up, consume, devour): This word describes the comprehensive effect of the fire, which will devour both the green and dry trees, leaving nothing untouched Ezekiel 20:47.
  • H3518 kâbâh (to expire or (causatively) to extinguish): This term is used to emphasize the unstoppable nature of the judgment, as the resulting flame "shall not be quenched" Ezekiel 20:47.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6866 is derived entirely from its single, powerful context in Ezekiel's prophecy.

  • Act of Divine Judgment: The burning is not a natural event but a direct act of the Lord GOD, who proclaims, "I will kindle a fire" Ezekiel 20:47. This establishes the burning as a direct consequence of a divine decree.
  • All-Encompassing Scope: The fire is prophesied to devour "every green tree in thee, and every dry tree" Ezekiel 20:47, signifying a judgment that is total and unsparing, affecting everyone in its path.
  • Irreversible Outcome: The passage explicitly states that the "flaming flame shall not be quenched" Ezekiel 20:47. This highlights the finality and unstoppable power behind the judgment, with the burning being its permanent evidence.

Summary

In summary, while H6866 is extremely rare, its single use carries immense significance. It is not a general term for burning but specifically illustrates the visible and inescapable consequence of God's fiery judgment. Occurring in the dramatic prophecy of Ezekiel 20:47, tsârab defines the mark left upon "all faces" by a fire that is divinely kindled, all-consuming, and utterly unquenchable.

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 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — 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.

  • נִצְרְבוּ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H784 אֵשׁ a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively); burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot. H3341 יָצַת a primitive root; to burn or set on fire; figuratively, to desolate; burn (up), be desolate, set (on) fire (fire), kindl H398 אָכַל a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, H3518 כָּבָה a primitive root; to expire or (causatively) to extinguish (fire, light, anger); go (put) out, quench.

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

1 verse, all in Ezekiel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.