צַלַּחַת
something advanced or deep, i.e. a bowl; figuratively, the bosom
Definition
The Hebrew noun צַלַּחַת (tsallachath) primarily refers to a deep dish or bowl used for serving food. This concrete meaning is evident in Proverbs 19:24 and 26:15, where it describes a dish into which a lazy person dips his hand but is too idle to bring food to his mouth. In 2 Kings 21:13, the word is used figuratively to mean 'bosom,' where God declares He will wipe Jerusalem clean 'as a man wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.' This metaphor powerfully conveys the idea of thorough judgment and emptying.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only three times in the Old Testament. In the two Proverbs passages (19:24, 26:15), it describes a literal food dish in the context of illustrating slothful behavior. In 2 Kings 21:13, it is used in a prophetic judgment oracle against Jerusalem, where the 'dish' symbolizes the city itself, which God will completely empty and overturn. The usage pattern shows a movement from a literal, everyday object to a potent metaphorical image of divine judgment.
Etymology
The noun צַלַּחַת is derived from the root צָלַח (tsalach, H6743), which means 'to advance, prosper, or rush.' The connection likely stems from the idea of something that is deep or hollowed out, perhaps from the concept of 'rushing' or 'sinking' into a depression. This root gives the noun its sense of a deep, hollow vessel.
Semantic Range
The primary theological significance of צַלַּחַת comes from its metaphorical use in 2 Kings 21:13. Here, it transforms a common household item into a vivid symbol of God's thorough and complete judgment. Understanding this Hebrew metaphor enriches the reading of this prophecy, painting a picture of Jerusalem not just being punished, but being utterly emptied and overturned—a fate as definitive as cleaning and inverting a bowl. It connects the mundane to the divine, showing how God uses everyday imagery to communicate profound spiritual truths about sin, consequence, and sovereignty.
In the ancient Near East, dishes and bowls were essential household items, typically made of pottery or metal. A deep dish (tsallachath) was used for serving stews, porridge, or other semi-liquid foods, from which people would eat with their hands. The act of wiping it clean and turning it upside down, as described in 2 Kings 21:13, was a final step in washing, leaving it empty and dry. This familiar domestic scene made the metaphor of judgment immediately understandable to the original audience.
סֵפֶל (sepel, H5592) — a broader term for a bowl or basin, often larger. קְעָרָה (qə‘ārâ, H7086) — a dish or platter, often associated with ritual use in the tabernacle. צַלָּחַת (tsallachath, H6747) — the same word, sometimes listed with a variant spelling.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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