צִיחָא
Tsicha, the name of two Nethinim
Definition
Tsicha (צִיחָא) is a proper noun referring to the name of two individuals, both designated as Nethinim (temple servants) in the post-exilic community. The name appears in the lists of those who returned from the Babylonian exile, specifically in Ezra 2:43 and Nehemiah 7:46, which are parallel accounts. A third reference in Nehemiah 11:21 lists 'the sons of Ziha' (a variant spelling) among the Nethinim dwelling in Jerusalem, indicating the name could refer to a family or clan of temple servants. There are no major differing senses; it consistently identifies members of this specific servant class.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in the historical books of Ezra and Nehemiah within the context of post-exilic census lists. Its usage is administrative and genealogical, appearing only in inventories of the returning community (Ezra 2:43, Nehemiah 7:46) and a list of residents in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:21). The pattern confirms that individuals or families bearing this name held the hereditary role of Nethinim, performing duties in and around the rebuilt temple.
Etymology
The name Tsicha is derived from the root צִחֶה (tsicheh, H6704), meaning 'parched' or 'drought.' It is treated grammatically as if it were a feminine form of that adjective. As a personal name, it likely carried a descriptive or symbolic meaning, possibly referring to a physical characteristic (e.g., 'parched' or 'pale') or commemorating a circumstance of birth, such as during a time of drought.
Semantic Range
As a name borne by Nethinim, it connects to the important cultural and religious institution of temple servants. The Nethinim (literally 'given ones') were a class of assistants to the Levites, with duties likely involving maintenance and menial temple tasks. Their inclusion in the return lists highlights the community's effort to restore not just the temple building but its full, functioning personnel as prescribed by earlier tradition. A name meaning 'drought' might reflect the hardships of the exile period.
Nethinim (Nethinim, H5411) — The class or title of temple servants to which Tsicha belonged.
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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