Hebrew noun (feminine) · H6869
צָרָה
tsarahtsaw-raw'
dearth; distress; vexer
73 uses in the Hebrew text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key
Concordance spelling: tsârâh
Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's H6869is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.
- 21 of 39Old Testament books
- 49spellings
- 3meanings
The definition in full
Strong's key (1890) · H6869
tightness (i.e. figuratively, trouble); transitively, a female rival:
The King James renders it: adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble.
James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.
Summary
tsarah is rendered "dearth; distress; vexer". It stands 73 times in the Hebrew text, across twenty-one books.
- Twenty-four of the uses stand in Psalms, more than in any other book.
- The lexicon lists three meanings for it, beginning with "dearth".
- Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Genesis 35:3Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”
- The Greek text spells it forty-nine different ways.
The first use
Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”
Genesis 35:3צָֽרָתִ֔י
The first use, in the order of the Old Testament's books.
Where the word stands
What the word means
The word carries three meanings: dearth, and distress, and vexer.
Each meaning, and the words it is translated by
| Meaning | Tagged as | Where |
|---|---|---|
| dearthStrong's entry A | Tagged aslisted under the table | WhereGenesis 35:3Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God… |
| distressStrong's entry B | Tagged aslisted under the table | Wherein the ledger below |
| vexerStrong's entry C | Tagged aslisted under the table | Wherein the ledger below |
How the Greek text is glossed, word by word
- trouble26
- distress12
- distress my3
- and troubles2
- distress their2
- from distress2
- from trouble2
- troubles2
- and in distress1
- and trouble1
- and troubles your1
- distress of1
and 18 more, 73 uses in all
The words built on the same word-part
Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.
All 73, in canonical order
Every use, in order
Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.
49 spellings and their grammar
STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.
How it is spelled
- צָרָֽה׃9
- צָרָ֑ה5
- מִצָּרָ֣ה3
- צָרָ֗ה3
- צָרָ֧ה3
- צָרָה֙3
- צָרָ֣ה2
- צָרָ֖ה2
- צָרָ֥ה2
- צָרָ֔ה2
- בְצָרָ֑ה1
- בַּצָּרָ֥ה1
and 37 more spellings in the ledger below.
The grammar of each form
- noun · feminine singular38HNcfsa
- preposition + noun · feminine singular6HR/Ncfsa
- noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singular4HNcfsc/Sp1bs
- conjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural2HC/Ncfpa
- noun · feminine plural2HNcfpa
- noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singular2HNcfpc/Sp3ms
- noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine plural2HNcfsc/Sp3mp
- preposition + noun · feminine plural2HR/Ncfpa
- conjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine plural1HC/Ncfpc/Sp2mp
- conjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singular1HC/Ncfsa
- conjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · feminine singular1HC/R/Ncfsa
- noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)1HNcfpc
Genesis
three uses
Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”
- צָֽרָתִ֔יtzaratinoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singulartagged: distress my
Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”
- צָרַ֥תtzaratnoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: distress of
- הַצָּרָ֖הhatzarahthe definite article (“the”) + noun · feminine singulartagged: the distress
Deuteronomy
two uses
On that day My anger will burn against them, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, so that they will be consumed, and many troubles and afflictions will befall them. On that day they will say, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is no longer with us?’
- וְצָר֑וֹתvetzarotconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine pluraltagged: and troubles
And when many troubles and afflictions have come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants. For I know their inclination, even before I bring them into the land that I swore to give them.”
- וְצָרוֹת֒vetzarotconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine pluraltagged: and troubles
Judges
one use
Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.”
- צָרַתְכֶֽם׃tzaratkhemnoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine pluraltagged: distress your
1 Samuel
three uses
Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously.
- צָֽרָתָהּ֙tzaratahnoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: rival her
But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.”
- וְצָרֹֽתֵיכֶם֒vetzaroteikhemconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine pluraltagged: and troubles your
As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”
- צָרָֽה׃ פtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
2 Samuel
one use
But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,
- צָרָֽה׃tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
1 Kings
one use
And the king swore an oath, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,
- צָרָֽה׃tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
2 Kings
one use
to tell him, “This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace; for children have come to the point of birth, but there is no strength to deliver them.
- צָרָ֧הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
2 Chronicles
two uses
Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God afflicted them with all kinds of adversity.
- צָרָֽה׃tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
‘If disaster comes upon us—whether sword or judgment, plague or famine—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.’
- מִצָּרָתֵ֖נוּmitzaratenupreposition + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine pluraltagged: from distress our
Nehemiah
two uses
So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.
- צָֽרָתָם֙tzaratamnoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: distress their
Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.
- וּבְצָרָ֥הuvetzarahconjunction (“and”) + preposition + noun · feminine singulartagged: and in distress
Job
two uses
Psalms
twenty-four uses
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
- בַּצָּרָֽה׃batzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
- בַּצָּרָֽה׃batzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
- צָרָ֑הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
- צָרָ֣הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
The troubles of my heart increase; free me from my distress.
- צָר֣וֹתtzarotnoun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: troubles of
Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress.
- צָֽרוֹתָיו׃tzarotavnoun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: troubles its
I will be glad and rejoice in Your loving devotion, for You have seen my affliction; You have known the anguish of my soul.
- בְּצָר֥וֹתbetzarotpreposition + noun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: in troubles of
This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
- צָ֝רוֹתָ֗יוtzarotavnoun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: troubles his
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles.
- צָ֝רוֹתָ֗םtzarotamnoun · feminine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: troubles their
The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble.
- צָרָֽה׃tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
- בְ֝צָר֗וֹתvetzarotpreposition + noun · feminine pluraltagged: in troubles
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
- צָרָ֑הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
For He has delivered me from every trouble, and my eyes have stared down my foes.
- צָ֭רָהtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Though You have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, You will revive me once again. Even from the depths of the earth You will bring me back up.
- צָר֥וֹתtzarotnoun · feminine pluraltagged: troubles
In the day of trouble I sought the Lord; through the night my outstretched hands did not grow weary; my soul refused to be comforted.
- צָרָתִי֮tzaratinoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singulartagged: distress my
He unleashed His fury against them, wrath, indignation, and calamity— a band of destroying angels.
- וְצָרָ֑הvetzarahconjunction (“and”) + noun · feminine singulartagged: and trouble
You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the cloud of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
- בַּצָּרָ֥הbatzarahpreposition with the article + noun · feminine singulartagged: in the trouble
In the day of my distress I call on You, because You answer me.
- צָ֭רָתִ֥יtzaratinoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singulartagged: distress my
When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
- בְצָרָ֑הvetzarahpreposition + noun · feminine singulartagged: in trouble
The ropes of death entangled me; the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow.
- צָרָ֖הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He answered me.
- בַּצָּרָ֣תָהbatzaratahpreposition with the article + noun · feminine singular + directional ending (“toward”)tagged: in the distress towards
If I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me from the anger of my foes; You extend Your hand, and Your right hand saves me.
- צָרָ֗הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
I pour out my complaint before Him; I reveal my trouble to Him.
- צָ֝רָתִ֗יtzaratinoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singulartagged: trouble my
For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.
- מִצָּרָ֣הmitzarahpreposition + noun · feminine singulartagged: from trouble
Proverbs
seven uses
when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
- צָרָ֥הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
The righteous man is delivered from trouble; in his place the wicked man goes in.
- מִצָּרָ֣הmitzarahpreposition + noun · feminine singulartagged: from distress
An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech, but a righteous man escapes from trouble.
- מִצָּרָ֣הmitzarahpreposition + noun · feminine singulartagged: from trouble
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
- לְ֝צָרָ֗הletzarahpreposition + noun · feminine singulartagged: for adversity
He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
- מִצָּר֣וֹתmitzarotpreposition + noun · feminine pluraltagged: from troubles
If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
- צָרָ֗הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
- צָרָֽה׃tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Isaiah
seven uses
Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.
- צָרָ֤הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
This is the burden against the beasts of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lioness and lion, of viper and flying serpent, they carry their wealth on the backs of donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people of no profit to them.
- צָרָ֨הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
O LORD, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in time of trouble.
- צָרָֽה׃tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
to tell him, “This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace; for children have come to the point of birth, but there is no strength to deliver them.
- צָרָ֧הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.
- מִצָּרָת֖וֹmitzaratopreposition + noun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: from trouble his
In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
- צָרָתָ֣ם׀tzaratamnoun · feminine singular · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine pluraltagged: distress their
Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth, and whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the former troubles will be forgotten and hidden from My sight.
- הַצָּרוֹת֙hatzarotthe definite article (“the”) + noun · feminine pluraltagged: the troubles
Jeremiah
eight uses
For I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child—the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands to say, “Woe is me, for my soul faints before the murderers!”
- צָרָה֙tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
We have heard the report; our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor.
- צָרָה֙tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are You like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays but a night?
- צָרָ֑הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
The LORD said: “Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will intercede with your enemy in your time of trouble, in your time of distress.
- צָרָ֖הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of distress, the nations will come to You from the ends of the earth, and they will say, “Our fathers inherited nothing but lies, worthless idols of no benefit at all.
- צָרָ֑הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
How awful that day will be! None will be like it! It is the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will be saved out of it.
- צָרָ֥הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee. Panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her like a woman in labor.
- צָרָ֧הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
The king of Babylon has heard the report, and his hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor.
- צָרָה֙tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
Daniel
one use
“At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress, the likes of which will not have occurred from the beginning of nations until that time. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.
- צָרָ֔הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: distress
Obadiah
two uses
But you should not gloat in that day, your brother’s day of misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast proudly in the day of their distress.
- צָרָֽה׃tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Nor should you stand at the crossroads to cut off their fugitives, nor deliver up their survivors in the day of their distress.
- צָרָֽה׃tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Jonah
one use
saying: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice.
- מִצָּ֥רָהmitzarahpreposition + noun · feminine singulartagged: from distress
Nahum
two uses
The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who trust in Him.
- צָרָ֑הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Whatever you plot against the LORD, He will bring to an end. Affliction will not rise up a second time.
- צָרָֽה׃tzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Habakkuk
one use
I heard and trembled within; my lips quivered at the sound. Decay entered my bones; I trembled where I stood. Yet I must wait patiently for the day of distress to come upon the people who invade us.
- צָרָ֔הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Zephaniah
one use
That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,
- צָרָ֣הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Zechariah
one use
They will pass through the sea of distress and strike the waves of the sea; all the depths of the Nile will dry up. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.
- צָרָ֗הtzarahnoun · feminine singulartagged: trouble
Where it leads
How the numbers are counted
Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.
Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.
The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.