6887. tsarar
Lexical Summary
tsarar: To bind, to be narrow, to be in distress, to be in trouble, to be an adversary

Original Word: צָרַר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: tsarar
Pronunciation: tsaw-rar'
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-rar')
KJV: adversary, (be in) afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait (trouble), vex
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to cramp, literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (as follows)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
adversary, be in affliction, besiege, bind up, be in, bring distress, narrower,

A primitive root; to cramp, literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (as follows) -- adversary, (be in) afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait (trouble), vex.

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[צָרַר] verb denominative Hiph`il suffer distress (specifically of travail, compare Jeremiah 4:31; Jeremiah 49:24); — Participle לֵב אִשָּׁה מְצֵרָה (in simile) Jeremiah 48:41; Jeremiah 49:22.

II. צָרַר verb shew hostility toward, vex (Late Hebrew צַר foe; Arabic harm, damage, Sabean צֿר war, foe MordtmHim. Inschr. 60. 71 SabDenkm24 CISiv. 174, 1. 6 HomChrest. 125; Ethiopic be hostile, in derived species and derivatives; Assyrian ƒarâru, be hostile, ƒarru, foe; Arabic , Assyrian ƒirritu, Syriac , all = rival-wife, so (? Hebrew influence) ᵑ7 צָרָא 1 Samuel 1:6; see especially LagDeceased Wife's Sister, GGN. 1882, No. 13; = Mi. 125ff. Dr1Samuel 1:6); —

Qal Perfect3plural וְצָֽרֲרוּ Numbers 33:55 consecutive, suffix צְרָרוּנִי Psalm 129:1; Psalm 129:2; Imperfect3masculine singular יָצֹר Isaiah 11:13; Infinitive absolute צָרוֺר Numbers 25:17; Participle active צֹרֵר Numbers 10:9, plural suffix צֹרֲרי Psalm 31:12 +, etc.; — shew hostility toward, treat with enmity, vex, harass, with accusative of person Isaiah 11:13; Numbers 10:9; Numbers 25:17; once with ל person Numbers 25:18; also participle as substantive (construct or with suffix) vexer, harasser, Amos 5:12; Isaiah 11:13; Exodus 23:22 (E), Psalm 6:8; Psalm 7:5; Psalm 7:7; Psalm 8:3; Psalm 10:5; Psalm 23:5; Psalm 31:12; Psalm 42:11; Psalm 69:20; Psalm 74:4; Psalm 74:23; Psalm 143:12; Esther 3:10; Esther 8:1; Esther 9:10,24. — Leviticus 18:18 see [ צָרַר] below II. צָרָה, below

[צָרַר] verb denominative make a rival-wife; —

Qal Infinitive construct לִצְרֹר Leviticus 18:18 to make [her] a rival-wife (LagGGN, 1882, 406 Dr-WhLv Baenl. v).

III. צרר (√ of following; compare Arabic be sharp (? denominative), , sharp-edged hard stone, Assyrian ƒurtu, apparently knife RJHarperBAS ii. 435; Syriac rock, stone, flint).

Topical Lexicon
Tsarar: Overview

The verb צָרַר (tsarar) portrays the experience of being hemmed in by pressure or hostility. Its 52 occurrences span every major division of the Old Testament, linking physical confinement, social persecution, military siege, and spiritual anguish under a single image of tightening distress. The same root generates nouns for “enemy,” “trouble,” and “narrow place,” so the contexts regularly move from the constricting act itself to its hostile agents and painful consequences.

Narrowed Spaces, Tight Bonds

Several passages use tsarar for literal binding or enclosing, showing the concrete picture underlying the metaphor. Job 20:22 warns, “In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; the full weight of misery will crush him,” while Lamentations 1:3 laments that Judah now dwells “among the nations; she finds no place of rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of her distress.” The verb captures the moment when freedom collapses into a tightening vice.

Personal Hostility

Individual animosity often appears first. Genesis 49:23 remembers Joseph: “The archers attacked him; they shot at him and harassed him.” Peninnah’s cruelty toward Hannah is described the same way: “Her rival would provoke her bitterly to irritate her” (1 Samuel 1:6). The verb therefore embraces any deliberate squeezing of another person’s peace, dignity, or hope.

Family and Domestic Strife

Because the word ranges from emotional to physical pressure, it exposes sin even inside covenant households. A broken home can become a place of tsarar long before an enemy army arrives. Scriptural transparency about such wounds invites modern believers to bring hidden oppression into the open light of grace.

National and Military Aggression

When Israel faces foreign foes, tsarar depicts siege warfare. “When you go to war in your land against an enemy who oppresses you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the LORD your God and will be saved from your enemies” (Numbers 10:9). If Canaanite occupants remained, “they will harass you in the land where you settle” (Numbers 33:55). The curses warn, “They will besiege all the cities throughout your land” (Deuteronomy 28:52). The same verb thus unites tribal skirmish, prolonged blockade, and guerilla harassment, all of which compress life beneath relentless outside pressure.

Divine Affliction and Discipline

Because the Lord governs history, He sometimes allows or even appoints tsarar as chastening. Deuteronomy 26:7 recalls Egypt: “We cried out to the LORD … and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, toil, and oppression.” Isaiah 37:3 calls the Assyrian crisis “a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace.” Yet the distress is never the last word; its divinely set limits preserve the covenant until repentance comes.

Songs of Distress and Deliverance

The Psalms turn tsarar into language for prayer.
• “Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress” (Psalm 31:9).
• “Hide not Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress” (Psalm 69:17).
• “In the day of my distress I will call on You, for You will answer me” (Psalm 86:7).
• “Out of my distress I called to the LORD; He answered me and set me free” (Psalm 118:5).

Repeated laments form a liturgy of hope: the believer may feel squeezed but is never finally crushed (compare 2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Prophets and the Day of Distress

Prophetic books widen the horizon. Obadiah 12-14 indicts Edom for gloating “in the day of their distress.” Nahum 1:9 promises Nineveh permanent overthrow so that “distress will not rise up a second time.” Future “birth-pangs” imagery (for example, Jeremiah 30:7) grows from the same root: Israel’s narrow straits precede her ultimate enlargement under the Messiah.

Foreshadowing Christ’s Suffering and Victory

Psalm 118:5, proclaimed during the Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:9), places tsarar on the lips of the coming King who is rejected and yet becomes “the cornerstone.” At Gethsemane and Golgotha the Savior entered humanity’s tightest confinement—sin, wrath, and death—so that everyone joined to Him might echo, “You have set me free.”

Pastoral and Homiletical Applications

1. Diagnosing hidden oppression: Tsarar reminds ministers that pain caused by personal hostility, family dysfunction, or systemic injustice must be named and addressed.
2. Encouraging prayer: The Psalms provide inspired vocabulary for believers who feel squeezed yet do not know how to speak.
3. Teaching discipline and hope: Distress, while grievous, may be a Father’s training tool (Hebrews 12:5-11).
4. Preaching Christ: Every narrow place finds its answer in the crucified and risen Lord who “proclaimed liberty to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18).

Tsarar traces a path from tightening pressure to spacious deliverance, weaving individual grief, national crisis, and messianic triumph into one consistent testimony to God’s righteous dealings and unfailing salvation.

Forms and Transliterations
הַצֹּרֵ֣ר הָצֵ֣ר הצר הצרר וְהֵצַ֤ר וְהֵצַ֨ר וְצַרְתָּ֤ וְצָרֲר֣וּ וַהֲצֵר֥וֹתִי וַהֲצֵרֹ֣תִי וַיָּצַר֩ וּכְהָצֵ֣ר וּמְצֹרָרִֽים׃ והצר והצרותי והצרתי ויצר וכהצר ומצררים׃ וצררו וצרת יָֽצַר־ יָצֹ֥ר יצר יצר־ כִּצְר֣וֹר כצרור לִצְרֹ֗ר לצרר מְצֵרָֽה׃ מצרה׃ צ֖וֹר צ֝וֹרְרָ֗יו צְרָר֣וּנִי צְרֻר֛וֹת צְרֻרֹ֥ת צְרוּרָ֣ה ׀ צַ֫ר־ צַר־ צָ֖רָה צָֽרַר־ צָר֖וֹר צָרַ֥ר צָרוּר֙ צֹ֭רְרֶיךָ צֹרְרִ֥ים צֹרְרֵ֤י צֹרְרֶ֑יךָ צֹרְרֶֽיךָ׃ צֹרְרַ֨י צֹרְרָ֑י צֹרֲרֵ֣י צֹרֵ֣ר צֹרֵ֥ר צֹרֵֽר־ צֹרֵר֙ צוֹרְרִ֣י צוֹרְרֶ֑יךָ צוֹרְרָ֑י צוֹרְרָֽי׃ צור צוררי צוררי׃ צורריו צורריך צר־ צרה צרור צרורה צרר צרר־ צררוני צררות צררי צרריך צרריך׃ צררים צררת hā·ṣêr haṣ·ṣō·rêr hāṣêr haṣṣōrêr haTzer hatztzoRer kiṣ·rō·wr kiṣrōwr kitzRor liṣ·rōr liṣrōr litzRor mə·ṣê·rāh məṣêrāh metzeRah ṣā·rāh ṣā·rar ṣā·rar- ṣā·rō·wr ṣā·rūr ṣar- ṣārāh ṣārar ṣārar- ṣārōwr ṣārūr ṣə·rā·rū·nî ṣə·rū·rāh ṣə·ru·rō·wṯ ṣə·ru·rōṯ ṣərārūnî ṣərūrāh ṣərurōṯ ṣərurōwṯ ṣō·ră·rê ṣō·rə·ray ṣō·rə·rāy ṣō·rə·rê ṣō·rə·re·ḵā ṣō·rə·rîm ṣō·rêr ṣō·rêr- ṣō·wr ṣō·wr·rāw ṣō·wr·rāy ṣō·wr·re·ḵā ṣō·wr·rî ṣōrărê ṣōrêr ṣōrêr- ṣōrəray ṣōrərāy ṣōrərê ṣōrəreḵā ṣōrərîm ṣōwr ṣōwrrāw ṣōwrrāy ṣōwrreḵā ṣōwrrî tzar Tzarah tzarar tzaRor tzaRur tzeraRuni tzeruRah tzeruRot Tzor tzoraRei tzoRer tzoreRai tzoreRei tzoreReicha tzoreRim tzorRai tzorRav tzorReicha tzorRi ū·ḵə·hā·ṣêr ū·mə·ṣō·rā·rîm uchehaTzer ūḵəhāṣêr ūməṣōrārîm umetzoraRim vahatzeRoti vaiyaTzar veheTzar vetzaraRu vetzarTa wa·hă·ṣê·rō·ṯî wa·hă·ṣê·rō·w·ṯî wahăṣêrōṯî wahăṣêrōwṯî way·yā·ṣar wayyāṣar wə·hê·ṣar wə·ṣā·ră·rū wə·ṣar·tā wəhêṣar wəṣārărū wəṣartā yā·ṣar- yā·ṣōr yāṣar- yāṣōr yatzar yaTzor
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Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 12:34
HEB: יֶחְמָ֑ץ מִשְׁאֲרֹתָ֛ם צְרֻרֹ֥ת בְּשִׂמְלֹתָ֖ם עַל־
NAS: [with] their kneading bowls bound up in the clothes
KJV: their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes
INT: leavened their kneading bound the clothes on

Exodus 23:22
HEB: וְצַרְתִּ֖י אֶת־ צֹרְרֶֽיךָ׃
NAS: and an adversary to your adversaries.
KJV: unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
INT: will be an enemy and an adversary to your adversaries

Leviticus 18:18
HEB: לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח לִצְרֹ֗ר לְגַלּ֧וֹת עֶרְוָתָ֛הּ
NAS: to her sister as a rival while she is alive,
KJV: to her sister, to vex [her], to uncover
INT: shall not marry A rival to uncover her nakedness

Numbers 10:9
HEB: עַל־ הַצַּר֙ הַצֹּרֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֔ם וַהֲרֵעֹתֶ֖ם
NAS: the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm
KJV: against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm
INT: against the adversary attacks shall sound the trumpets

Numbers 25:17
HEB: צָר֖וֹר אֶת־ הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים
NAS: Be hostile to the Midianites
KJV: Vex the Midianites, and smite
INT: be hostile to the Midianites and strike

Numbers 25:18
HEB: כִּ֣י צֹרְרִ֥ים הֵם֙ לָכֶ֔ם
NAS: for they have been hostile to you with their tricks,
KJV: For they vex you with their wiles,
INT: for have been like their tricks

Numbers 33:55
HEB: וְלִצְנִינִ֖ם בְּצִדֵּיכֶ֑ם וְצָרֲר֣וּ אֶתְכֶ֔ם עַל־
NAS: in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land
KJV: in your sides, and shall vex you in the land
INT: thorns your sides will trouble in the land

Deuteronomy 14:25
HEB: וְנָתַתָּ֖ה בַּכָּ֑סֶף וְצַרְתָּ֤ הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔
INT: shall exchange money adversary the money your hand

Deuteronomy 28:52
HEB: וְהֵצַ֨ר לְךָ֜ בְּכָל־
NAS: It shall besiege you in all
KJV: And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates,
INT: shall besiege all your towns

Deuteronomy 28:52
HEB: בְּכָל־ אַרְצֶ֑ךָ וְהֵצַ֤ר לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־
NAS: your land, and it shall besiege you in all
KJV: throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates
INT: throughout your land shall besiege all your towns

Joshua 9:4
HEB: בָּלִ֔ים וּמְבֻקָּעִ֖ים וּמְצֹרָרִֽים׃
NAS: worn-out and torn and mended,
KJV: old, and rent, and bound up;
INT: worn-out and torn and mended

1 Samuel 25:29
HEB: נֶ֨פֶשׁ אֲדֹנִ֜י צְרוּרָ֣ה ׀ בִּצְר֣וֹר הַחַיִּ֗ים
NAS: of my lord shall be bound in the bundle
KJV: of my lord shall be bound in the bundle
INT: the life of my lord shall be bound the bundle of the living

1 Samuel 28:15
HEB: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁ֠אוּל צַר־ לִ֨י מְאֹ֜ד
NAS: I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines
KJV: I am sore distressed; for the Philistines
INT: said and Saul distressed I am greatly the Philistines

2 Samuel 1:26
HEB: צַר־ לִ֣י עָלֶ֗יךָ
NAS: I am distressed for you, my brother
KJV: I am distressed for thee, my brother
INT: I am distressed and my brother

2 Samuel 20:3
HEB: בָ֑א וַתִּהְיֶ֧ינָה צְרֻר֛וֹת עַד־ י֥וֹם
NAS: but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until
KJV: them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day
INT: go become were shut until the day

1 Kings 8:37
HEB: יִהְיֶ֔ה כִּ֧י יָֽצַר־ ל֛וֹ אֹיְב֖וֹ
NAS: their enemy besieges them in the land
KJV: if their enemy besiege them in the land
INT: become if besieges their enemy the land

2 Kings 5:23
HEB: וַיִּפְרָץ־ בּ֗וֹ וַיָּצַר֩ כִּכְּרַ֨יִם כֶּ֜סֶף
INT: talents urged adversary talents of silver

2 Chronicles 28:22
HEB: וּבְעֵת֙ הָצֵ֣ר ל֔וֹ וַיּ֖וֹסֶף
NAS: Now in the time of his distress this same
KJV: And in the time of his distress did he trespass
INT: the time of his distress yet became

2 Chronicles 33:12
HEB: וּכְהָצֵ֣ר ל֔וֹ חִלָּ֕ה
NAS: When he was in distress, he entreated
KJV: And when he was in affliction, he besought
INT: distress entreated before

Esther 3:10
HEB: הַמְּדָ֛תָא הָאֲגָגִ֖י צֹרֵ֥ר הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃
NAS: the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
KJV: the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
INT: of Hammedatha the Agagite the enemy of the Jews

Esther 8:1
HEB: בֵּ֥ית הָמָ֖ן צֹרֵ֣ר [הַיְּהוּדִיִּים כ]
NAS: of Haman, the enemy of the Jews,
KJV: the Jews' enemy unto Esther
INT: the house of Haman the enemy Jew and Mordecai

Esther 9:10
HEB: בֶּֽן־ הַמְּדָ֛תָא צֹרֵ֥ר הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים הָרָ֑גוּ
NAS: the Jews' enemy; but they did not lay
KJV: of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews,
INT: the son of Hammedatha enemy the Jews' slew

Esther 9:24
HEB: הַמְּדָ֜תָא הָֽאֲגָגִ֗י צֹרֵר֙ כָּל־ הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים
NAS: the Agagite, the adversary of all
KJV: the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews,
INT: of Hammedatha the Agagite the adversary of all the Jews

Job 26:8
HEB: צֹרֵֽר־ מַ֥יִם בְּעָבָ֑יו
NAS: He wraps up the waters in His clouds,
KJV: He bindeth up the waters
INT: wraps the waters his clouds

Psalm 6:7
HEB: עָֽ֝תְקָ֗ה בְּכָל־ צוֹרְרָֽי׃
NAS: because of all my adversaries.
KJV: it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
INT: has become of all my adversaries

52 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6887
52 Occurrences


hā·ṣêr — 1 Occ.
haṣ·ṣō·rêr — 1 Occ.
kiṣ·rō·wr — 1 Occ.
liṣ·rōr — 1 Occ.
mə·ṣê·rāh — 2 Occ.
ṣar- — 4 Occ.
ṣā·rāh — 1 Occ.
ṣā·rar- — 2 Occ.
ṣā·rō·wr — 1 Occ.
ṣā·rūr — 1 Occ.
ṣə·rā·rū·nî — 2 Occ.
ṣə·rū·rāh — 1 Occ.
ṣə·ru·rōṯ — 2 Occ.
ṣō·wr — 1 Occ.
ṣō·ră·rê — 1 Occ.
ṣō·rêr — 5 Occ.
ṣō·rə·rāy — 2 Occ.
ṣō·rə·rê — 1 Occ.
ṣō·rə·re·ḵā — 3 Occ.
ṣō·rə·rîm — 1 Occ.
ṣō·wr·rāy — 4 Occ.
ṣō·wr·rāw — 1 Occ.
ṣō·wr·re·ḵā — 1 Occ.
ṣō·wr·rî — 1 Occ.
ū·ḵə·hā·ṣêr — 1 Occ.
ū·mə·ṣō·rā·rîm — 1 Occ.
wa·hă·ṣê·rō·w·ṯî — 2 Occ.
way·yā·ṣar — 1 Occ.
wə·hê·ṣar — 2 Occ.
wə·ṣā·ră·rū — 1 Occ.
wə·ṣar·tā — 1 Occ.
yā·ṣar- — 1 Occ.
yā·ṣōr — 1 Occ.

6886
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