Lexical Summary tsephirah: Dawn, Morning Light Original Word: צְפִירָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance diadem, morning Feminine formed like tsaphiyr; a crown (as encircling the head); also a turn of affairs (i.e. Mishap) -- diadem, morning. see HEBREW tsaphiyr NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a plait, chaplet, perhaps doom NASB Translation diadem (1), doom (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs צְפִירָה noun feminine plait, chaplet; — absolute ׳צ Ezekiel 7:7, צְפִרָה Ezekiel 7:10; construct צְפִירַת Isaiah 28:5; — chaplet, coronet, diadem, תִּפְצָרָה׳צ Isaiah 28:5 (figurative of ׳י; "" עֲטֶרֶת צְבִי) — ׳צ Ezekiel 7:7,10 is dubious; AV morning (as Ki, from Aramaic) is unsuitable; most (after AW  ) doom, fate (as coming round upon one, compare RV Da Toy), but see DrHast. ii. 176 n; diadem is possible Ezekiel 7:10 ("" הַמַּטֶה; of royal house of Judah Co Berthol; or of Jerusalem Krae), but not Ezekiel 7:7; conjectures in Co Berthol Krae. IV. צפר (√ of following; meaning dubious; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; so Arabic Topical Lexicon Old Testament UsageIn the Hebrew canon the term appears only three times. Yet, within those few lines it spans the breadth of human experience—from the splendor reserved for a faithful remnant to the horror that overtakes the unrepentant nation. Isaiah 28:5 – A Crown for the Remnant Isaiah addresses the northern kingdom, rebuking its leaders who parade about with a “proud wreath” of drunken self-confidence. Against that backdrop the prophet lifts the eyes of the godly to a coming day when “the LORD of Hosts will be a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem for the remnant of His people” (Isaiah 28:5). The same motif of a wreath or circlet that had been used to mock their arrogance becomes a symbol of divine honor. It is not an ornament fashioned by human skill but the Lord Himself who encircles the faithful with glory. The contrast is stark: human pride produces decay; God’s presence produces beauty. The verse also foreshadows the eschatological hope in which the redeemed are adorned by the very character of their Redeemer (compare Isaiah 62:3; 1 Peter 5:4). Ezekiel 7:7; 7:10 – The Doom That Dawns More than a century after Isaiah, Ezekiel addresses the exiles on the Kebar Canal. He borrows the same rare word, but instead of “diadem” it is rendered “doom”: “Doom has come upon you, O dwellers of the land” (Ezekiel 7:7); “Behold, the day is coming! Doom has gone out” (Ezekiel 7:10). In Hebrew thought a “wreath” is something that surrounds, and the prophet repurposes the picture: judgment now circles Jerusalem like an inevitable ring. The play on imagery is deliberate. What can be a circlet of honor for the repentant can also become a tightening noose for the obstinate. The shift from beauty to catastrophe underscores the moral dimension of biblical symbolism; the shape is the same, the outcome determined by the heart’s posture toward God. Unifying Imagery: Encircled Destiny Both contexts preserve the core idea of something that encompasses: • In Isaiah the encircling presence of the Lord safeguards and adorns. Thus the word serves the prophets as a multi-layered picture: a ring of honor or a ring-fence of calamity. In every case its coming is swift and decisive, whether to save or to destroy. Historical Context Isaiah prophesied during the Syro-Ephraimite crisis (eighth century B.C.), when Ephraim’s leaders sought alliances and indulged in excess. The image of alternate wreaths (human versus divine) would have been visually compelling in a culture familiar with victory garlands. Ezekiel spoke in the sixth century B.C., after the first deportation, announcing the final collapse of Jerusalem. His audience, plagued by false optimism, needed to see judgment as imminent and inescapable. The reuse of the word linked their fate to earlier prophetic warnings, showing that the covenant God is consistent in both mercy and wrath. Prophetic and Eschatological Significance 1. Vindication of the Remnant: Isaiah 28:5 promises that a faithful nucleus will not only survive but will be honored publicly. That theme reappears in Zechariah 9:16–17 and climaxes in Revelation 3:11–12, where overcomers are granted an unfading crown. Christological Connections The New Testament repeatedly employs “crown” language—crown of life (James 1:12), righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8), glory (1 Peter 5:4). All are bound up with the person and work of Jesus Christ, who first wore a crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29) so that believers might wear crowns of reward. The prophetic tension between beauty and doom finds resolution at Calvary, where judgment encircled the Substitute and beauty was bestowed on the redeemed (Isaiah 61:3). Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Call to Watchfulness: Ezekiel’s use of the term as a herald of doom warns today’s church against complacency (Romans 13:11–12). Conclusion Whether conveying the splendor of divine favor or the terror of impending ruin, the term’s rarity amplifies its force. It invites every reader to ask: Will the Lord’s encircling presence be to me a diadem of beauty or a tightening ring of judgment? The answer rests in humble trust and obedient surrender to the King who wears many crowns. Forms and Transliterations הַצְּפִירָ֛ה הַצְּפִרָ֔ה הצפירה הצפרה וְלִצְפִירַ֖ת ולצפירת haṣ·ṣə·p̄i·rāh haṣ·ṣə·p̄î·rāh haṣṣəp̄irāh haṣṣəp̄îrāh hatztzefiRah velitzfiRat wə·liṣ·p̄î·raṯ wəliṣp̄îraṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 28:5 HEB: לַעֲטֶ֣רֶת צְבִ֔י וְלִצְפִירַ֖ת תִּפְאָרָ֑ה לִשְׁאָ֖ר NAS: And a glorious diadem to the remnant KJV: of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, INT: crown A beautiful diadem glorious to the remnant Ezekiel 7:7 Ezekiel 7:10 3 Occurrences |
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, Ethiopic 
Assyrian ƒupru; Aramaic פַר, טוּפְרָא, 
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