H6862a H6862a
Narrow, tight, cramped (adjective); adversary or foe (substantivized)
The adjective צַר describes physical constriction — a narrow place, a space too tight, a passage too cramped. Balaam's donkey is squeezed into a narrow path (Num 22:26), the prophets' quarters are too cramped for their company (2 Kgs 6:1), and the crocodile's scales are sealed tight as a signet (Job 41:15). The word's root overlaps with the broader Hebrew field of distress and pressure, and in Isaiah 59:19 it shifts from describing a space to describing a person: the adversary who oppresses, rendered as Bedraenger ('oppressor') in German and shatru in Hindi. This dual spatial-personal range makes it a small but revealing window into how Hebrew maps physical constriction onto relational hostility.
Senses
1. narrow, tight, cramped — Adjective describing physical narrowness, tightness, or constriction of space. Used of a narrow place where Balaam's donkey is hemmed in (Num 22:26, makom tsar), a dwelling too cramped for the sons of the prophets (2 Kgs 6:1), a deep narrow well as a figure for the harlot (Prov 23:27), a contracted and therefore swift river (Isa 59:19 in some readings), the tightly sealed scales of the crocodile (Job 41:15), and a day of distress where strength fails (Prov 24:10). Spanish estrecho and German eng confirm the spatial constriction. 6×
AR["ضَيِّقٌ", "ضَيِّقٌ-", "ضَيِّقٍ", "ضَيِّقَةٌ", "مُحْكَمٌ."]·ben["আঁটোসাঁটো", "সংকীর্ণ", "সংকীর্ণ-", "সঙ্কীর্ণ"]·DE["Bedraenger", "[צר]", "[צרה]", "eng", "ist-cramped"]·EN["is-cramped", "narrow", "narrow-", "small", "tight"]·FR["Tyr", "ennemi", "est-cramped", "narrow"]·heb["צר", "צר-", "צרה"]·HI["चर", "तंग", "तंग-", "संकीर्ण", "सख़्त"]·ID["ketat", "sempit", "terbatas", "terlalu-sempit", "yang-sempit"]·IT["Tiro", "avversario", "stretto", "è-cramped"]·jav["Rupek-", "alit", "rapet.", "rupek"]·KO["단단한", "좁으니라", "좁은", "좋다", "좋다-", "좋은"]·PT["Estreito-", "apertado.", "estreita", "estreito"]·RU["скудна", "тесно", "тесно-", "тесной", "узкий", "узком"]·ES["apretado", "estrecha", "estrecho", "estrecho-"]·SW["chembamba", "imara", "ndogo", "ni-dogo-sana", "ni-finyu", "nyembamba"]·TR["dar", "dar-", "kısıtlıdır", "sıkı"]·urd["تنگ", "تنگ-", "سخت"]
2. adversary, foe — Substantivized use as a noun meaning adversary, opponent, or foe — one who constricts or oppresses. In Isaiah 59:19 the tsar is the enemy who comes like a rushing river, against whom the Spirit of the LORD raises a standard. German Bedraenger ('oppressor') and Hindi shatru ('enemy') clearly mark the personal-adversarial reading, distinct from the spatial adjective. The semantic bridge from 'narrow, pressing' to 'one who presses against you' is natural in Hebrew, where the same root tsar-resh generates both physical and relational distress. 1×
AR["ضِيقًا"]·ben["শত্রু"]·DE["Bedraenger"]·EN["adversary"]·FR["Tyr"]·heb["צר"]·HI["शत्रु"]·ID["yang-sempit"]·IT["Tiro"]·jav["ingkang-meksa"]·KO["좋은"]·PT["adversário"]·RU["узкий"]·ES["angosto"]·SW["unaosonga"]·TR["sakankan"]·urd["تنگ"]
Related Senses
H7965 1. peace, absence of conflict (198×)H3467 1. save, deliver, rescue (Hifil active) (156×)H5127 1. flee, run away (Qal) (144×)G1515 1. peace, well-being, harmony (93×)H8002 1. peace offering(s) (87×)G4982 1. save spiritually, grant salvation (79×)H3444 1. salvation, deliverance (67×)H4422 1. Nifal: escape, flee (63×)H1272 1. flee, run away (Qal) (58×)H6869b 1. distress, trouble (57×)G4991 1. of salvation (46×)G2347 1. tribulation, affliction, distress (45×)H0983 1. security, safety, confidence (42×)H6031b 1. Piel: afflict, oppress (42×)H6040 1. affliction, misery, suffering (36×)H3468 1. salvation, deliverance (33×)G5343 1. flee, run away (28×)H3467 2. savior, deliverer (Hifil participle substantive) (28×)H8668 1. salvation, deliverance (27×)H8252 1. be quiet, be at rest (26×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. צַר adj. narrow, tight;—abs. צ׳ 2 K 6:1 +; צָ֑ר Nu 22:26 +; f. צָרָה Pr 23:27;—narrow, מָקוֹם צָ֑ר Nu 22:26, צַר מִמֶּנּוּ 2 K 6:1 too narrow for us, cf. צַר־לִי הַמָּקוֹם Is 49:20 (of land of Judah after exile); בְּאֵר צָרָה Pr 23:27 (fig. of harlot; i.e. rescue difficult; ‖ שׁוּחָה עֲמֻקָּה); כַּנָּהָר צָר Is 59:19 like a contracted (and hence swift, powerful) river (sim. of י׳; Klo נְהַר…