H6784 H6784
to dry up, shrivel, wither
This verb means to dry up or shrivel, appearing in Hosea 9:14's bitter prayer regarding Israel's judgment. The prophet asks God to give Ephraim 'shriveling breasts' incapable of nursing—a devastating image of barrenness and failed motherhood. The parallel phrase 'miscarrying womb' reinforces the theme of generation cut off. The verb captures the withering of what should provide life and nourishment, biological language for national extinction.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To dry up, shrivel, or wither, used in Hosea 9:14 in a grim prayer about Israel's judgment: 'give them shriveling breasts' unable to nurse. The verb describes mammary glands drying up, failing their life-giving function. Paired with 'miscarrying womb,' this creates an image of complete reproductive failure—children either lost before birth or starving after. The physical withering symbolizes the nation's future withering under divine judgment. 1×
AR["يابِسَتَينِ"]·ben["শুকনো"]·DE["[צמקים]"]·EN["dried-up"]·FR["dessécher"]·heb["צומקים"]·HI["सूखे"]·ID["yang-kering"]·IT["[צמקים]"]·KO["마른"]·PT["secos"]·RU["иссохшие"]·ES["secos"]·SW["yaliyokauka"]·TR["kurumuş"]·urd["سوکھے"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [צָמַק] vb. dry up, shrivel (NH id.; 𝔗J Nu 6:3 צְמִיקִין, for יְבֵשִׁיּם);— Qal Pt. act. pl. שָׁדַיִם צֹמְקִים Ho 9:14 shrivelling breasts (of women; ‖ רֶחֶם מַשְׁכִּיל).