זהב

זהב

Hebrew

Root
ז־ה־ב‎ (z-h-b)

Chemical element
Au
Previous: פלטינה‎ (Pt)
Next: כַּסְפִּית‎ (Hg)

Etymology

A Central Semitic innovation. Cognate with Arabic ذَهَب‎ (ḏahab) and Classical Syriac ܕܗܒܐ‎ (dahbā’).

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /zaˈhav/
• (Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /zɔˈhɔv/

Noun

זָהָב • (zaháv) m (singular construct זְהַב־) [pattern: קָטָל]

1. gold (metal)
   • Genesis 24:22, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     ‏וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ הַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁתּוֹת וַיִּקַּח הָאִישׁ נֶזֶם זָהָב בֶּקַע מִשְׁקָלוֹ וּשְׁנֵי צְמִידִים עַל־יָדֶיהָ עֲשָׂרָה זָהָב מִשְׁקָלָם׃‎‎

     Va-yhí ka'ashér killú hag-gmallím lishtót va-yiqqáḥ ha-ish nézem zahav béqaʿ mishqaló u-shnei ts'midím ʿal yadéha ʿasara zahav mishqalám.

     And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold.

   Synonyms: פַּז‎, סְגוֹר‎, כֶּתֶם‎, חָרוּץ‎, בֶּצֶר‎, אוֹפִיר‎

2. gold (color)
   • 1967, Naomi Shemer (lyrics and music), “ירושלים של זהב [Jerusalem of Gold]”, in שירי נעמי שמר [Songs of Naomi Shemer], Jerusalem, OCLC 766450198, performed by Shuly Nathan:

     ‏יְרוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל זָהָב וְשֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת וְשֶׁל אוֹר; הֲלֹא לְכָל שִׁירַיִךְ אֲנִי כִּנּוֹר‎

     Yerushaláyim shel zaháv v-shel n'ḥóshet v-shel or; haló l-khol shiráyikh ani kinnor.

     Jerusalem of gold and of bronze and of light; am I not for all of your songs a violin?

3. gold (anything or anyone very valuable)
   • Psalms 19:11, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     ‏הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפַּז רָב וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנֹפֶת צוּפִים׃‎‎

     Ha-neḥemadím miz-zaháv u-mi-paz rav; u-m'tuqím mi-dvash v-nófet tsufím.

     More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Related terms

• זָהוּב‎

References

• H2091 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible