זנה

זנה

Hebrew

Etymology

Root
ז־נ־ה‎

Compare Arabic زَنَى‎ (zanā, “to fornicate”).

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /zaˈna/

Verb

זָנָה • (zaná) (pa'al construction, infinitive לִנְזוֹת‎)

1. (dated) to fornicate, commit adultery
   • Numbers 25:1

     ‏וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשִּׁטִּים וַיָּחֶל הָעָם לִזְנוֹת אֶל־בְּנוֹת מוֹאָב׃‎‎

     And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab.

   • Judges 19:2, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     ‏וַתִּזְנֶה עָלָיו פִּילַגְשׁוֹ וַתֵּלֶךְ מֵאִתּוֹ אֶל־בֵּית אָבִיהָ אֶל־בֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה וַתְּהִי־שָׁם יָמִים אַרְבָּעָה חֳדָשִׁים׃‎‎

     And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem in Judah, and was there the space of four months.

2. (dated) to go astray
   • Numbers 15:39

     ‏וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְצִיצִת וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת־כָּל־מִצְו‍ֹת יְהוָה וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם וְלֹא־תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּם זֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם׃‎‎

     And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye go not about after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go astray;

Conjugation

Conjugation of זָנָה (see also Appendix:Hebrew verbs) 

non-finite forms		to-infinitive: לִזְנוֹת‎ action noun: זְנִיָּה‎ passive participle: זָנוּי‎
finite forms		singular		plural
		m.	f.	m.	f.
past	first	זָנִיתִי‎		זָנִינוּ‎
	second	זָנִיתָ‎	זָנִית‎	זְנִיתֶם‎1	זְנִיתֶן‎1
	third	זָנָה	זָנְתָה‎	זָנוּ‎
present		זוֹנֶה‎	זוֹנָה‎	זוֹנִים‎	זוֹנוֹת‎
future	first	אֶזְנֶה‎		נִזְנֶה‎
	second	תִּזְנֶה‎	תִּזְנִי‎	תִּזְנוּ‎	תִּזְנֶינָה‎2
	third	יִזְנֶה‎	תִּזְנֶה‎	יִזְנוּ‎	תִּזְנֶינָה‎2
imperative		זְנֵה	זְנִי‎	זְנוּ‎	זְנֶינָה‎2
notes		Pronounced זָנִיתֶם‎ and זָנִיתֶן‎ in informal Modern Hebrew. Uncommon in Modern Hebrew.

Related terms

• 
זוֹנָה‎ (zoná)
• 
זְנוּת‎ (z'nút)