Lexical Summary tsammah: Horror, Dismay Original Word: צַמָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance locks From an unused root meaning to fasten on; a veil -- locks. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition (woman's) veil NASB Translation veil (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs צַמָּה noun feminine woman's veil; suffix צַמָּתֵךְ; — Isaiah 47:2; Songs 4:1,3; Songs 6:7. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrences and Context Song of Songs 4:1 – “How beautiful you are, my darling—how very beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are like doves; your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead.” Song of Songs 4:3 – “Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely. Behind your veil your cheeks are like the halves of a pomegranate.” Song of Songs 6:7 – “Your cheeks behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate.” Isaiah 47:2 – “Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil, lift up your skirts, bare your legs, and wade through the rivers.” Cultural Background In Ancient Near Eastern society a veil signified modesty, betrothal, and often social status. For a bride, it represented both dignity and reserved beauty, revealing herself fully only within the sanctity of marriage. At the same time, unveiling could be a sign of dishonor or public shame when forced, illustrating the dual role the veil played in preserving either honor or disgrace. Poetic Nuances in Song of Songs The three Song of Songs passages use צַמָּה to frame the bride’s beauty. The veil does not hide her attractiveness; rather, it heightens anticipation. Within the love poetry, the groom’s praise respects boundaries: he sees enough to admire yet still honors the mystery preserved for the wedding chamber. This delicate balance models marital purity: desire affirmed without impropriety (compare Hebrews 13:4). Prophetic Contrast in Isaiah Isaiah 47:2 turns the image on its head. Babylon, personified as a pampered virgin daughter, is commanded to remove her veil as she is led into judgment. What was once a symbol of honor now exposes humiliation. The prophetic message is unmistakable: prideful nations that exalt themselves will be stripped of dignity by the sovereign Lord (Isaiah 47:5–7). Intercanonical Connections Veiling in Scripture often marks the boundary between holiness and commonness: צַמָּה therefore foreshadows the greater unveiling accomplished through Christ, who removed every barrier between God and His people (Hebrews 10:19–20). Ministry Significance and Application 1. Modesty and Honor: The term encourages believers to value modesty that springs from inner devotion rather than legalism (1 Timothy 2:9–10). Tsammah’s sparse appearances are therefore rich with meaning: a modest covering that protects, a poetic device that magnifies desire within covenant, and a prophetic symbol warning that only the humble remain truly honored before the Lord. Forms and Transliterations לְצַמָּתֵ֑ךְ לְצַמָּתֵֽךְ׃ לצמתך לצמתך׃ צַמָּתֵ֧ךְ צמתך lə·ṣam·mā·ṯêḵ ləṣammāṯêḵ letzammaTech ṣam·mā·ṯêḵ ṣammāṯêḵ tzammaTechLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Songs 4:1 HEB: יוֹנִ֔ים מִבַּ֖עַד לְצַמָּתֵ֑ךְ שַׂעְרֵךְ֙ כְּעֵ֣דֶר NAS: behind your veil; Your hair KJV: within thy locks: thy hair INT: are doves within your veil your hair A flock Songs 4:3 Songs 6:7 Isaiah 47:2 4 Occurrences |
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