צְרוּעָה
Tseruah, an Israelitess
Definition
Tseruah is the name of a woman mentioned only once in the Hebrew Bible. She is identified as the mother of Jeroboam I, who became the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel after the nation split following Solomon's death (1 Kings 11:26). The name itself is a feminine passive participle meaning 'leprous' or 'stricken with leprosy,' but in this context, it functions solely as a personal name. There is no indication in the biblical text that she suffered from the disease; it was likely a given name, perhaps reflecting circumstances at her birth or used symbolically.
Biblical Usage
The word צְרוּעָה is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Kings 11:26. It functions strictly as a proper noun, identifying the mother of Jeroboam. The verse introduces Jeroboam by his lineage: 'Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow.' Its usage is purely genealogical and historical, providing a key detail in the origin story of a significant king.
Etymology
The name Tseruah (צְרוּעָה) is derived from the root צָרַע (tsara', H6879), meaning 'to be struck with leprosy' or 'to be diseased.' It is the feminine passive participle form of this verb, literally translating to 'the one stricken with leprosy' or 'the leprous one.' As a personal name, it follows a common Hebrew practice of using nouns or adjectives derived from physical conditions or circumstances.
Semantic Range
While the name Tseruah itself is not theologically loaded, its sole biblical connection to Jeroboam I gives it indirect significance. Jeroboam's reign is famously evaluated as evil for instituting idolatrous worship in Israel (1 Kings 12:25-33). The mention of his mother's name, which means 'leprous,' might be seen by later readers as an ironic or ominous foreshadowing of the spiritual 'disease' of idolatry that would infect the northern kingdom under her son's leadership. Understanding the etymology enriches the narrative's subtle layers.
In ancient Israel, names were often descriptive and carried meaning about a person's character, destiny, or circumstances at birth. A name meaning 'leprous' would be highly unusual and potentially stigmatizing in a culture where leprosy rendered a person ritually unclean. Its use as Tseruah's name suggests it may not have been perceived with the same modern sensitivity, or it could indicate a hope for healing or a testament to survival. Alternatively, it may have been used symbolically without literal reference to the disease.
There are no direct synonyms for this proper name. It is linguistically related to: צָרַעַת (tsara'ath, H6883) — the noun for 'leprosy' or a scale disease, the condition from which the name is derived.
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.
Full methodology & sources →