Word Study for H6879 (צָרַע) | Strong's Concordance

tsâraʻ /tsaw-rah'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto scourge, i.e. (intransitive and figurative) to be stricken with leprosy

KJV usageleper, leprous.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tsâraʻ — 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 tsâraʻ, represented by H6879, is a primitive root meaning to be stricken with leprosy. It appears 20 times across 18 unique verses in the Bible. The term describes not just a physical affliction but a state of being scourged or smitten, which results in ritual uncleanness and separation from the community.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H6879 is used to identify individuals afflicted with a serious skin disease. Naaman, a Syrian captain, was a valiant man but also a leper 2 Kings 5:1. As a result of divine judgment, Miriam became leprous, as white as snow Numbers 12:10, and King Uzziah was smitten by the LORD, remaining a leper until his death 2 Kings 15:5. The Levitical law established strict rules for those identified as leprous, requiring them to be put out of the camp Numbers 5:2 and to cry out, "Unclean, unclean," to warn others of their condition Leviticus 13:45. The laws also detail the process for the cleansing of a leper Leviticus 14:2.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide deeper context for the condition of being leprous:

H6883 tsâraʻath (leprosy): This noun is derived directly from H6879 and refers to the disease itself, the leprosy that afflicts a person or even a house Leviticus 14:34.
H5061 negaʻ (a blow... plague, sore, stricken): This word describes the mark or plague of the disease. The law required a priest to examine the plague of leprosy to determine if it was healed in the leper Leviticus 14:3.
H2931 ṭâmêʼ (foul in a religious sense; ... unclean): A person who is leprous is declared ritually unclean. A leper had to cry out, "Unclean, unclean" to warn others Leviticus 13:45.
H2891 ṭâhêr (to be pure... be (make, make self, pronounce) clean): This is the opposite state of being leprous. A priest with leprosy could not eat of the holy things until he was clean Leviticus 22:4.
H2893 ṭohŏrâh (ceremonial purification): This term describes the ritual process for a former leper, as seen in "the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing" Leviticus 14:2.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6879 is significant, highlighting several key themes:

Mark of Divine Action: Leprosy is often portrayed as a direct affliction from God. The LORD smote King Uzziah, making him a leper 2 Chronicles 26:20, struck Miriam with the condition Numbers 12:10, and made Moses's hand leprous as a temporary sign Exodus 4:6.
Ritual Uncleanness and Separation: Being leprous rendered a person ceremonially unclean Leviticus 13:44. This state demanded physical separation, as seen in the command to put every leper out of the camp Numbers 5:2 and King Uzziah's being "cut off from the house of the LORD" 2 Chronicles 26:21.
Symbol of a Curse: The condition is invoked as a severe curse. In a curse against Joab's family, it is wished that his house never be without someone who is a leper 2 Samuel 3:29.

Summary

In summary, H6879 is much more than a term for a physical disease. It signifies a condition of being "scourged" or "smitten," often by a divine hand. This state resulted in ritual uncleanness, leading to profound social and religious isolation. The word illustrates the deep connection in the Old Testament between physical affliction, spiritual purity, and one's standing within the covenant community.

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 20 occurrences, inflected in 5 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.

מְצֹרָע
צָרוּעַ
מְצֹרָעִים
מְצֹרַעַת
מְצֹרָעַת

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 18 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 2 Kings (6 verses); never once in the other 33.

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

2 Samuel

2 Kings

2 Chronicles

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.