Lexical Summary tsor: Rock, stone, fortress Original Word: צֹר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance flint, sharp stone From tsuwr; a stone (as if pressed hard or to a point); (by implication, of use) a knife -- flint, sharp stone. see HEBREW tsuwr NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as tsar Definition a hard pebble, flint NASB Translation edge (1), flint (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. צֹר noun [masculine] id.; — ׳צ used as knife Exodus 4:25; in compare, ׳כְּשָׁמִיר חָזָק מִצ Ezekiel 3:9; plural חַרְכוֺת צֻרִים Joshua 5:2,3knives of flint. — צזּר חַרְכּוֺ Psalm 89:44 is dubious, ׳צ usually taken as = צֹר, and then either flint of his sword (i.e. sword sharp as flint, Bae), or edge (like flint) of his sword (most); We leaves untranslated; חֶלְקַת הַצֻּדִים 2 Samuel 2:16 see I. חֶלְקָה — Job 22:24 see I. צוּר below V. צור. I. צֹר. Topical Lexicon Material and Cultural BackgroundFlint, a hard silica stone found in the limestone formations of Canaan, the Sinai, and Transjordan, was prized in antiquity for its razor-sharp edge when fractured. Before the widespread use of bronze and iron, Israelites and their neighbors shaped flint into knives, scrapers, and arrowheads. Even after metal tools became common, flint retained ceremonial and symbolic value because it could be produced quickly, held a keen edge, and was naturally available in wilderness settings (Deuteronomy 8:15). Flint in the Covenant Sign (Exodus 4:25) Exodus 4:25 records the urgent act of Zipporah: “Then Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched it to Moses’ feet”. The use of a flint blade rather than a metal one heightens several themes: • Continuity with the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17:10-14), which pre-dated metallurgy in patriarchal times. The passage also hints at substitutionary symbolism: blood shed through a flint blade averts divine judgment and restores the mediator to his mission. This anticipates later redemptive patterns culminating in Christ’s atoning blood (Hebrews 9:22). Flint as a Metaphor for Prophetic Resolve (Ezekiel 3:9) “I will make your forehead like diamond, harder than flint” (Ezekiel 3:9). Here flint becomes a figure for unyielding firmness against opposition: • Divine empowerment—not personal stubbornness—gives Ezekiel courage to proclaim truth to a resistant house (Ezekiel 2:7). Isaiah employs a related picture: “I have set My face like flint” (Isaiah 50:7), revealing the Servant’s steadfast commitment to His redemptive mission and foreshadowing Jesus’ resolute journey to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). Wider Biblical Imagery Although צֹר occurs only twice, other Hebrew terms for flint deepen its theological resonance: • Joshua 5:2-3: Israel renews covenant fidelity at Gilgal with “flint knives,” linking entry into the Land with obedience. Taken together, these references contrast divine steadfastness and provision with human obstinacy, calling readers either to embrace the covenant or be hardened against it. Christological Significance The Servant’s flint-like face in Isaiah 50:7 points to Jesus Christ, who endured mockery, scourging, and crucifixion without flinching. The correspondence between the steadfast prophet and the obedient Son underscores that God equips His messengers—and supremely His Messiah—to accomplish redemptive purposes despite opposition (Hebrews 12:2-3). Ministry Applications 1. Covenant faithfulness requires decisive, sometimes costly, obedience, symbolized by Zipporah’s swift use of flint. Related References for Further Study Genesis 17:10-14; Exodus 4:24-26; Joshua 5:2-9; Deuteronomy 32:13; Job 28:9; Psalms 114:8; Isaiah 50:7; Ezekiel 3:8-11; Zechariah 7:12; Hebrews 9:22; Hebrews 12:2-3. Forms and Transliterations מִצֹּ֖ר מצר צֹ֗ר צר miṣ·ṣōr miṣṣōr mitzTzor ṣōr TzorLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 4:25 HEB: וַתִּקַּ֨ח צִפֹּרָ֜ה צֹ֗ר וַתִּכְרֹת֙ אֶת־ NAS: took a flint and cut off KJV: took a sharp stone, and cut off INT: took Zipporah A flint and cut foreskin Ezekiel 3:9 2 Occurrences |
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