צֶלֶם
tselem · tseh'-lem
a phantom, i.e. (figuratively) illusion, resemblance; hence, a representative figure, especially an idol
Lexicon
Derivation: from an unused root meaning to shade;
a phantom, i.e. (figuratively) illusion, resemblance; hence, a representative figure, especially an idol
- a phantom, i.e. (figuratively) illusion, resemblance
- hence, a representative figure, especially an idol
Definition from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Wording is Strong's own, including his etymological notes, which are not separate meanings.
KJV renderings: image, vain shew.
Letters
- צTsade90
Picture: a person lying on their side (or a fish hook)
- Concrete
- hook · trail · side · a man bowed
- Extended
- to hunt · to pursue · need · righteousness as a straight path
- לLamed30
Picture: shepherd's staff or goad
- Concrete
- staff · goad · yoke · cattle prod
- Extended
- authority · to lead · to teach · to bind · toward
- מMem40
Picture: waves of water
- Concrete
- water · sea · blood · liquid
- Extended
- chaos · mighty and uncontrollable · the masses · from / out of
Possible cultural reading (auto-composed)
to pursue the straight path › authority, the one who leads › water, chaos, the mighty deep
To pursue the straight path of authority, the one who leads of water, chaos, the mighty deep.
Interpretive, not lexical. The dictionary sense of צֶלֶם above is the attested meaning; this pictographic reading is a tradition about how the sign-shapes may have been heard. Both can be held at once, they are answering different questions.
Usage
17 occurrences · 17 OT · 0 NT · 16 distinct forms
KJV renderings of this word, by how often each one is used.
- images2 · 12%
- and his images2 · 12%
- the images2 · 12%
- in our image1 · 6%
- in his own image1 · 6%
- in the image1 · 6%
- after his image1 · 6%
- for in the image1 · 6%
- and images1 · 6%
- and the images1 · 6%
- in a vain shew1 · 6%
- their image1 · 6%
- to thyself images1 · 6%
- your images1 · 6%
Inflected forms found in the text.
Counts are computed from the tagged Hebrew and Greek text aligned to the King James Version, not from an estimate.