צוּרָה
a rock (Job 28:10); also a form (as if pressed out)
Definition
The Hebrew noun צוּרָה (tsûwrâh) primarily means 'form' or 'shape,' referring to the outline or configuration of something. In its single biblical occurrence in Ezekiel 43:11, it describes the architectural 'form' or 'plan' of the temple that the prophet is commanded to show to Israel. While the word is etymologically linked to the concept of a 'rock' (from its masculine root צוּר, H6697), this specific sense of 'rock' is not explicitly attested in the biblical text for this feminine form. The core idea is of something with a defined, delineated structure.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Ezekiel 43:11. The context is highly specific: the prophet Ezekiel receives a detailed vision of a new temple. God instructs him to show the people the 'form' (tsûwrâh) of the temple and its arrangements so they may be ashamed of their iniquities and faithfully carry out its construction. The usage is architectural and revelatory, pertaining to a divinely given blueprint.
Etymology
צוּרָה (tsûwrâh) is the feminine form of the masculine noun צוּר (tsûr, H6697), which means 'rock' or 'cliff.' The root concept involves something hard, firm, or sharply defined. From the idea of a rock's distinct shape or a tool pressing into a material to create a form, the meaning developed into 'form,' 'figure,' or 'plan.' It is related to verbs meaning to confine or bind, reinforcing the notion of giving something a fixed boundary or shape.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word is theologically significant in Ezekiel's vision of restoration. The 'form' (tsûwrâh) of the temple is not a human design but a divine revelation, representing God's perfect order and holiness re-established among His people. Understanding it as a God-given blueprint underscores themes of obedience to divine instruction, the importance of proper worship, and the promise of a renewed covenant community built according to God's exact specifications.
In the ancient Near East, temple plans were often considered divinely revealed, ensuring the structure was fit for the deity's presence. Ezekiel's audience would have understood that receiving the temple's 'form' from God was an act of supreme authority and grace, contrasting with human architectural efforts. The command to show the form was a call to communal repentance and a commitment to rebuild religious life on a foundation provided directly by Yahweh.
תַּבְנִית (tabnîyth, H8403) — A 'pattern,' 'model,' or 'structure,' often of something built (like the tabernacle in Exodus 25:9). While similar, תַּבְנִית can imply a model to copy, whereas צוּרָה emphasizes the defined shape or configuration itself. מִשְׁפָּט (mishpâṭ, H4941) — In contexts like Ezekiel 43:11, also translated 'ordinances' or 'regulations,' referring to the functional laws of the temple alongside its physical 'form.'
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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