H6697 H6697
Rock, cliff, or crag as a physical formation; metaphorically, God as 'the Rock' — protector and refuge; also flint (for cutting) and edge of a blade.
The Hebrew noun tsur (צוּר) anchors itself in the solidity of stone — a rocky cliff, a towering crag, a place where one hides from enemies or where God miraculously brings forth water. Moses struck the tsur at Horeb (Exod 17:6) and at Meribah; the rock yielded honey and oil in the Song of Moses (Deut 32:13). But perhaps the most theologically resonant use is as a divine epithet: 'The Rock, his work is perfect' (Deut 32:4). Spanish distinguishes these neatly — 'roca' for the geological feature, 'Roca' capitalized for the deity — while French uses 'rocher' for both, collapsing the distinction. Two specialized senses round out the word: flint knives for circumcision (Josh 5:2–3), where Spanish shifts to 'pedernales,' and the 'edge' of a sword (Ps 89:43), a rare metonymic extension from stone to sharpened blade.
1. rock, cliff, crag — A large natural formation of stone — a rock, cliff, or crag serving as a landmark, refuge, water source, or place of shelter. This is the dominant physical sense, covering Moses striking the rock at Horeb (Exod 17:6), God placing Moses in the cleft of the rock (Exod 33:21–22), Balaam surveying Israel from the top of the rocks (Num 23:9), and the wild goats dwelling among the crags (1 Sam 24:2). Spanish 'roca,' French 'rocher,' and German 'Fels' all converge on this geological meaning. The rock yields water, honey, and oil — it is barren stone that by divine provision becomes a source of life. 49×
AR["الصَّخرَةِ","الصَّخْر","الصَّخْرَ","الصَّخْرَةَ","الصَّخْرَةِ","الصَّخْرُ","الـ-صَّخرَةِ","صَخرَةً","صَخْرٌ","صَخْرٍ","صَخْرَةً","صَخْرَةٌ"]·ben["চট্টান","পাথর","পাথরের","পাহাড়ের","শিলা","শিলাকে","শিলার","শৈল","শৈলের","সেই-পাথরের"]·DE["Fels","der-Fels","der-Tyrus","ein-Fels"]·EN["Rock","a-rock","is-a-rock","rock","the-rock"]·FR["[הצר]","le-rocher","rocher"]·heb["ה-צור","ה-צר","צור"]·HI["और-हटेगी","चट्टान","चट्टान-की","चट्टान-की-ओर","चट्टान-के","चट्टान-को","चट्टान।"]·ID["-batu","Gunung-Batu","batu","batu-karang","gunung-batu","keras"]·IT["[הצר]","il-roccia","roccia"]·jav["Parang","karang","padhasan","parang","sela","sela-parang","séla","séla,","séla.","wadas","watu"]·KO["그-바위","그-바위의","바위","바위(접)","바위-를","바위가","바위뇨","바위를","바위에서","바위의","반석-을","반석이","반석이냐"]·PT["a-rocha","a-rocha.","rocha","é-rocha"]·RU["скала","скале","скалу","скалы","твердыня"]·ES["la-roca","la-roca.","pedernal","roca"]·SW["Mwamba","mwamba"]·TR["de-kayadan","kaya","kayanın","kayaya","kayayi","kayayı"]·urd["-چٹان","-چٹان-کے","پتھر","چٹان","چٹان-کی"]
Exod 17:6, Exod 17:6, Exod 33:21, Exod 33:22, Num 23:9, Deut 8:15, Deut 32:13, Deut 32:37, Judg 6:21, Judg 7:25, Judg 13:19, 1 Sam 2:2 (+37 more)
▼ 3 more senses below
Senses
2. Rock (divine epithet) — A metaphorical divine epithet — God as 'the Rock' — denoting his unchanging faithfulness, protective strength, and reliability as a refuge. Concentrated in the Song of Moses (Deut 32:4, 15, 18, 30, 31) and the Davidic psalms (2 Sam 22:3, 32, 47; Ps 18:2, 31, 46), this title often appears with possessive suffixes: 'my Rock,' 'our Rock,' 'their Rock.' Spanish capitalizes 'Roca' and frequently adds 'de' (Roca de Israel), while French maintains 'Rock' as a loanword in some translations, signaling that this is a proper title rather than ordinary vocabulary. The metaphor draws its force from the physical sense — God is as immovable and sheltering as a cliff face. 25×
AR["الصَّخْرُ","صَخرَةُ","صَخرَتي","صَخْرَ","صَخْرَةُ","صَخْرَةُ-","صَخْرَةِ","صَخْرَتِي","صَخْرُ","صَخْرِ","صَخْرِي","صُخْرَتِي","يَا-صَخْرَةَ"]·ben["আমার-চট্টান","আমার-শৈল","শিলা","শৈল","শৈল-আমার,","সেই-শৈল"]·DE["Fels","Fels-von","Rock","Rock-von","der-Fels-","der-Rock","mein-Fels"]·EN["Rock","Rock-of","a-rock","is-my-rock","my-rock","rock-of","the-Rock","the-rock-of-"]·FR["Rock","Rock-de","le-Rock","mon-rocher","rocher","rocher-de"]·heb["ה-צור","צור","צור-","צור-י","צורי"]·HI["चट्टान","चट्टान-मेरी","मेरी-चट्टान"]·ID["Gunung-Batu","batu-karang","batu-karang-","batu-karangku","gunung-batu","gunung-batu-ku","gunung-batuku"]·IT["Rock","Rock-di","il-Rock","la-mia-roccia","mio-roccia","roccia","roccia-di"]·jav["Parang","Watu-parang","padhasan-kula","parang","parang-","parang-kawula","parang-kula","sela","watu-parang-kula"]·KO["그-바위라","나-의-바위-이시도다","나-의-반석-이여","나의-반석","나의-반석이시라","바위(접)","바위-가","바위여","반석-이라","반석-이여","반석에게","반석이","반석이라","반석이여"]·PT["A-Rocha","Rocha","Rocha-de","meu-rochedo","minha-rocha","rocha","rocha-de","rocha-de-","seja-minha-rocha"]·RU["Скала","Скале-","Скалой","Скалу","скала","скала-","скала-моя","твердыня-моя"]·ES["Roca-de","a-la-Roca-de","de-la-Roca-que","la-Roca","mi-peña","mi-roca","roca-de","roca-mía"]·SW["Mwamba","Mwamba-wa","Mwamba-wangu","jabali-langu","mwamba","mwamba-wa","mwamba-wangu"]·TR["Kaya","Kayam","Kayasını","kaya","kayam","kayamın","kayasi","kayasina","kayası","kayası-"]·urd["میری-چٹان","چٹان","چٹان-","چٹان-میرا"]
Deut 32:4, Deut 32:15, Deut 32:18, Deut 32:30, Deut 32:31, Deut 32:31, 2 Sam 22:3, 2 Sam 22:47, 2 Sam 22:47, 2 Sam 23:3, Ps 18:2, Ps 18:46 (+13 more)
3. sense 3 — Flint — a specific hard stone variety used for making sharp cutting instruments. Both occurrences cluster in Joshua 5:2–3, where Joshua circumcises the Israelites with flint knives. Spanish 'pedernales' (flints) and English 'flint' converge on this specialized mineral meaning, distinguishing it from generic 'rock.' The BDB entry notes the connection to challamish (another flint word), and the context makes clear that the sharpness and availability of flint, not just any stone, is in view. 2×
AR["صَوّانٍ"]·ben["পাথরের"]·DE["flint"]·EN["flint"]·FR["flint"]·heb["צורים"]·HI["चकमक-की"]·ID["batu"]·IT["flint"]·jav["sela"]·KO["부싯돌의"]·PT["pederneiras"]·RU["каменные"]·ES["pedernales"]·SW["jiwe"]·TR["çakmaktaşından"]·urd["چقماق-کی"]
4. sense 4 — Edge or sharpened side of a blade — a rare metonymic extension where the stone material is transferred to the cutting instrument itself. In Psalm 89:43 God is said to have turned back the 'edge' of the warrior's sword, where the underlying image is stone sharpness. Spanish renders 'filo de' (edge of), confirming the shift from rock-as-substance to rock-as-cutting-quality. This stands as a unique rhetorical usage within the word's profile. 1×
AR["حَدَّ"]·ben["শৈলকে"]·DE["der-Fels-"]·EN["the-edge-of"]·FR["rocher"]·heb["צור"]·HI["चट्टान-को"]·ID["batu"]·IT["roccia"]·jav["landheping"]·KO["바위-를"]·PT["o-fio-de"]·RU["остриё"]·ES["filo-de"]·SW["ukali-wa"]·TR["keskinliğini"]·urd["تیزی"]
Related Senses
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. צוּר n.m. Jb 29:6 rock, cliff;—צ׳ abs. Ex 17:6 +, cstr. Dt 8:15 +; sf. צוּרִי 2 S 22:3, etc.; pl. צֻרִים Nu 23:9 +, צוּרוֹת Jb 28:10; cstr. צוּרֵי 1 S 24:3 (Gi v 2);— 1. a. rocky wall, cliff, Ex 17:6(×2) (E), Dt 8:15 (צ׳ הַחַלָּמִישׁ), Is 48:21(×2) ψ 78:15, 20; 105:41; 114:8 (‖ חַלָּמִישׁ); בּוֹא בַצּ׳ Is 2:10, בִּמְעָרוֹת צֻרִים v 19, בְּנִקְרוֹת הַצּ׳ v 21, cf. Ex 33:21, 22 (JE); yielding…