Lexical Summary tsimmaon: Thirst Original Word: צִמָּאוֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance drought, dry ground, thirsty land From tsame'; a thirsty place, i.e. Desert -- drought, dry ground, thirsty land. see HEBREW tsame' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom tsame Definition thirsty ground NASB Translation thirsty ground (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs צִמָּאוֺן noun [masculine] thirsty ground; — absolute ׳צ Deuteronomy 8:15; Isaiah 35:7; Psalm 107:33. Topical Lexicon Overview צִמָּאוֹן appears three times in the Old Testament, always in connection with terrain that is desperate for water. The word paints a vivid picture of a land where thirst reigns and life must look to God alone for relief. While its literal sense is geographic, Scripture consistently harnesses the image to communicate spiritual realities—warning of judgment, celebrating divine deliverance, and anticipating ultimate restoration. Occurrences in Canonical Context • Deuteronomy 8:15 places the term in Moses’ rehearsal of Israel’s wilderness journey: “He led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its venomous serpents and scorpions, a thirsty land where there was no water, and He brought you water out of the flinty rock.” In every case צִמָּאוֹן stands at the intersection of human helplessness and divine intervention. Wilderness Theology The motif first surfaces in Israel’s forty-year sojourn. The “thirsty land” exposes the nation’s inability to sustain itself, forcing reliance on the LORD who supplies water from the rock (Exodus 17:6; 1 Corinthians 10:4). The wilderness is thus both a proving ground and a classroom, where covenant faith learns obedience. Judgment Imagery Psalm 107 situates צִמָּאוֹן within a litany of reversals—fertile places reduced to barrenness because of wickedness (Psalm 107:33-34). The drying of once-fruitful terrain signals God’s displeasure, echoing covenant warnings that disobedience would bring drought and desolation (Deuteronomy 28:23-24). The thirsty land becomes a tangible sermon on the consequences of sin. Prophetic Reversal and Messianic Hope Isaiah transforms the image into a promise: the very area labeled צִמָּאוֹן will bloom. This anticipated reversal points beyond the return from exile toward the messianic age, when “waters will break forth in the wilderness” (Isaiah 35:6). The New Testament alludes to this fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the giver of “living water” (John 4:10; John 7:37-38), whose kingdom ultimately eradicates spiritual drought. Practical Ministry Applications 1. Spiritual Diagnosis: Preachers may employ the term to expose arid hearts that have forsaken “the fountain of living water” (Jeremiah 2:13). Eschatological Vision The closing book of Scripture echoes Isaiah’s hope: “They will hunger no more, neither thirst anymore” (Revelation 7:16). The eradication of צִמָּאוֹן becomes part of the new creation, where the Lamb shepherds His people “to springs of living water” (Revelation 7:17). Summary צִמָּאוֹן functions as more than a descriptor of arid geography; it is a theological signpost. Whether recalling past deliverance, warning of present judgment, or announcing future glory, the “thirsty land” consistently testifies that life, blessing, and restoration flow from the LORD alone. Forms and Transliterations וְצִמָּא֖וֹן וצמאון לְצִמָּאֽוֹן׃ לצמאון׃ lə·ṣim·mā·’ō·wn ləṣimmā’ōwn letzimmaon vetzimmaon wə·ṣim·mā·’ō·wn wəṣimmā’ōwnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 8:15 HEB: שָׂרָף֙ וְעַקְרָ֔ב וְצִמָּא֖וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֵֽין־ NAS: and scorpions and thirsty ground where KJV: and scorpions, and drought, where [there was] no water; INT: fiery and scorpions and thirsty where there Psalm 107:33 Isaiah 35:7 3 Occurrences |
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