צַמָּה
a veil
Definition
The Hebrew noun צַמָּה (tsammâh) refers to a woman's veil or head covering, specifically one that is fastened or bound around the head. In its four biblical occurrences, it describes a veil that can be removed, as seen in the command to 'uncover the veil' in Isaiah 47:2. In the Song of Solomon (4:1, 4:3, 6:7), it is used poetically to describe the beautiful, flowing hair of the beloved, which is likened to a flock of goats descending a mountain, suggesting the word can evoke the appearance of hair seen through or as part of the veil.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in poetic contexts. It appears three times in the Song of Solomon (4:1, 4:3, 6:7) as a metaphor for beautiful, dark, and luxuriant hair. Its single other use is in Isaiah 47:2, a prophetic taunt against Babylon, where the command to 'take off the veil' is a symbol of utter humiliation and loss of royal dignity, contrasting with the positive, intimate imagery in Song of Solomon.
Etymology
Derived from the unused root צמם (tsmm), meaning 'to fasten' or 'to bind.' This etymology directly informs its meaning as a veil that is fastened or tied on the head. It is related to the concept of something being bound up or confined.
Semantic Range
This word enriches our understanding of biblical imagery related to beauty, intimacy, and shame. In Song of Solomon, the 'veil' or 'locks' of hair are part of the sacred celebration of marital love and physical beauty within God's design. In Isaiah 47:2, the removal of the veil is a powerful symbol of God's judgment, stripping a proud nation of its false covering of majesty and exposing it to disgrace. The dual usage highlights how a cultural garment can symbolize both covenantal intimacy and covenantal curse.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, a veil (צַמָּה) was a significant article of a woman's clothing, often associated with modesty, status, and marital propriety. For a woman to have her veil forcibly removed was a profound act of shaming and degradation, indicating a loss of protection and social standing. The poetic comparison of hair to a flock of goats in Song of Solomon draws on familiar pastoral imagery to communicate thickness, darkness, and graceful movement.
רְעָלָה (reʿālâ, H7289) — a wider term for a veil or shawl, often a larger garment. צָעִיף (tsāʿîp̄, H6809) — a general term for a veil or covering, like the one Moses wore (Exodus 34:33-35).
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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