Biblical Lexicon

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H6862a H6862a

V-Qal-Prtcpl-ms | 7× in 2 senses

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.

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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×

DANGER_DELIVERANCE › Trouble, Hardship, Relief › Distress and Affliction

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"]

Num 22:26, 2 Kgs 6:1, Job 41:15, Prov 23:27, Prov 24:10, Isa 49:20

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×

DANGER_DELIVERANCE › Trouble, Hardship, Relief › Distress and Affliction

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"]

Isa 59:19

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…