Hebrew word · H6799

צְנָן

tzenan

Zenan

A proper name only, found once in the Bible. Some connect it with the spelling Zaanan (צַאֲנָן), which may be linked to tso'n, "flock(s)." That link is not certain.

Appears once in the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

§ Zenan = "pointed"

a town in the low country of Judah

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Joshua 15:37

Range of meaning

A proper name only, found once in the Bible. Some connect it with the spelling Zaanan (צַאֲנָן), which may be linked to tso'n, "flock(s)." That link is not certain.

Against the English

All English versions simply give "Zenan." No translation question arises.

Used elsewhere in the period

Most commentators identify it with Zaanan in Micah 1:11. There the prophet makes puns on the names of Shephelah towns as an Assyrian invasion approaches: "the inhabitant of Zaanan does not go out" (yatsa'), a sound-play on the name. No firm archaeological identification exists.

Where it appears

Joshua · 1

  1. Joshua 15:37 צְנָ֥ן Zenan

    Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,

    Here: The first town of a new district in the Judean foothills (the Shephelah). Where it was is unknown. It is very likely the same place as "Zaanan" in Micah 1:11, a town in the same region.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.