סיר

Hebrew

Alternative forms

סִר‎ (defective spelling, in Jeremiah 52:18)

Etymology

From Egyptian zwr (“drinking bowl”), from zwr (“to drink”). Also retained as Coptic ⲥⲓⲣ (sir) and Arabic زِير‎ (zīr).

Pronunciation

(Biblical Hebrew, Tiberian Hebrew, Yemenite Hebrew, Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): [siɾ]
(Modern Israeli Hebrew, Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): [siʁ]

Noun

סִיר • (sír) m (plural indefinite סִירוֹת‎)

a generic pot, tub, vat, skeel for household or ritual purposes
1. (Modern and Biblical Hebrew) cooking pot
  - Exodus 16:3, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מִֽי־יִתֵּ֨ן מוּתֵ֤נוּ בְיַד־יְהוָה֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּשִׁבְתֵּ֙נוּ֙ עַל־סִ֣יר הַבָּשָׂ֔ר בְּאָכְלֵ֥נוּ לֶ֖חֶם לָשֹׂ֑בַע כִּֽי־הֹוצֵאתֶ֤ם אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְהָמִ֛ית אֶת־כָּל־הַקָּהָ֥ל הַזֶּ֖ה בָּרָעָֽב׃ ס‎
    and the children of Israel said unto them: ‘Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’
  - 2 Kings 4:41, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וַיֹּאמֶר וּקְחוּ־קֶמַח וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶל־הַסִּיר וַיֹּאמֶר צַק לָעָם וְיֹאכֵלוּ וְלֹא הָיָה דָּבָר רָע בַּסִּיר׃‎‎
    Va-yómer uq'ḥu qémaḥ va-yashlekh el ha-sir va-yómer tsaq la-'am va-yokhlú v-lo hayáh davár ra' ba-sir.
    But he said: ‘Then bring meal.’ And he cast it into the pot; and he said: ‘Pour out for the people, that they may eat.’ And there was no harm in the pot.
  - Ezekiel 11:3–11, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏הָאֹ֣מְרִ֔ים לֹ֥א בְקָרֹ֖וב בְּנֹ֣ות בָּתִּ֑ים הִ֣יא הַסִּ֔יר וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ הַבָּשָֽׂר׃ 4לָכֵ֖ן הִנָּבֵ֣א עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם הִנָּבֵ֖א בֶּן־אָדָֽם׃ 5וַתִּפֹּ֣ל עָלַי֮ ר֣וּחַ יְהוָה֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י אֱמֹר֙ כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה כֵּ֥ן אֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמַעֲלֹ֥ות רֽוּחֲכֶ֖ם אֲנִ֥י יְדַעְתִּֽיהָ׃ 6הִרְבֵּיתֶ֥ם חַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֑את וּמִלֵּאתֶ֥ם חוּצֹתֶ֖יהָ חָלָֽל׃ פ 7לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ חַלְלֵיכֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שַׂמְתֶּ֣ם בְּתֹוכָ֔הּ הֵ֥מָּה הַבָּשָׂ֖ר וְהִ֣יא הַסִּ֑יר וְאֶתְכֶ֖ם הֹוצִ֥יא מִתֹּוכָֽהּ׃ 8חֶ֖רֶב יְרֵאתֶ֑ם וְחֶ֙רֶב֙ אָבִ֣יא עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃ 9וְהֹוצֵאתִ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ מִתֹּוכָ֔הּ וְנָתַתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּיַד־זָרִ֑ים וְעָשִׂ֛יתִי בָכֶ֖ם שְׁפָטִֽים׃ 10בַּחֶ֣רֶב תִּפֹּ֔לוּ עַל־גְּב֥וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶשְׁפֹּ֣וט אֶתְכֶ֑ם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ 11הִ֗יא לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֤ה לָכֶם֙ לְסִ֔יר וְאַתֶּ֛ם תִּהְי֥וּ בְתֹוכָ֖הּ לְבָשָׂ֑ר אֶל־גְּב֥וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶשְׁפֹּ֥ט אֶתְכֶֽם׃‎‎
    that say: The time is not near to build houses! this city is the caldron, and we are the flesh. 4Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.’ 5 And the spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and He said unto me: ‘Speak: Thus saith the LORD: Thus have ye said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind. 6Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain. 7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron; but ye shall be brought forth out of the midst of it. 8Ye have feared the sword; and the sword will I bring upon you, saith the Lord GOD. 9 And I will bring you forth out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you. 10 Ye shall fall by the sword: I will judge you upon the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 11Though this city shall not be your caldron, ye shall be the flesh in the midst thereof; I will judge you upon the border of Israel;
  - Micah 3:3, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָכְלוּ֮ שְׁאֵ֣ר עַמִּי֒ וְעֹורָם֙ מֵעֲלֵיהֶ֣ם הִפְשִׁ֔יטוּ וְאֶת־עַצְמֹֽתֵיהֶ֖ם פִּצֵּ֑חוּ וּפָרְשׂוּ֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּסִּ֔יר וּכְבָשָׂ֖ר בְּתֹ֥וךְ קַלָּֽחַת׃‎‎
    Who also eat the flesh of my people,
    And flay their skin from off them,
    And break their bones;
    Yea, they chop them in pieces, as that which is in the pot,
    And as flesh within the caldron.
  - Job 41:23, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏יַרְתִּ֣יחַ כַּסִּ֣יר מְצוּלָ֑ה יָ֝֗ם יָשִׂ֥ים כַּמֶּרְקָחָֽה׃‎‎
    He maketh the deep to boil like a pot; He maketh the sea like a seething mixture.
  - Ecclesiastes 7:6, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏6כִּ֣י כְקֹ֤ול הַסִּירִים֙ תַּ֣חַת הַסִּ֔יר כֵּ֖ן שְׂחֹ֣ק הַכְּסִ֑יל וְגַם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃‎‎
    For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this also is vanity.
  - 2 Chronicles 35:13, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וַֽיְבַשְּׁל֥וּ הַפֶּ֛סַח בָּאֵ֖שׁ כַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט וְהַקֳּדָשִׁ֣ים בִּשְּׁל֗וּ בַּסִּירֹ֤ות וּבַדְּוָדִים֙ וּבַצֵּ֣לָחֹ֔ות וַיָּרִ֖יצוּ לְכָל־בְּנֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃‎‎
    And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance; and the holy offerings sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the people.
2. (Biblical Hebrew) for footbaths, washbowl
  - Psalms 60:8, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏מֹואָ֤ב ׀ סִ֬יר רַחְצִ֗י עַל־אֱ֭דֹום אַשְׁלִ֣יךְ נַעֲלִ֑י עָ֝לַ֗י פְּלֶ֣שֶׁת הִתְרֹעָֽעִֽי׃‎‎
    Moab is My washbowl; Over Edom I shall throw My shoe; Shout loud, O Philistia, because of Me!
  - Psalms 108:9, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏מֹואָ֤ב ׀ סִ֬יר רַחְצִ֗י עַל־אֱ֭דֹום אַשְׁלִ֣יךְ נַעֲלִ֑י עֲלֵֽי־פְ֝לֶ֗שֶׁת אֶתְרֹועָֽע׃‎‎
    Moab is My washbowl; Over Edom I shall throw My shoe; Over Philistia I will shout aloud.
3. (Biblical Hebrew) for ashes, ashcan, ashbin
  - Exodus 27:3, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ סִּֽירֹתָיו֙ לְדַשְּׁנֹ֔ו וְיָעָיו֙ וּמִזְרְקֹתָ֔יו וּמִזְלְגֹתָ֖יו וּמַחְתֹּתָ֑יו לְכָל־כֵּלָ֖יו תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה נְחֹֽשֶׁת‎
    And thou shalt make its pots to take away its ashes, and its shovels, and its basins, and its flesh-hooks, and its fire-pans; all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.
  - Exodus 38:3, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וַיַּ֜עַשׂ אֶֽת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֣י הַמִּזְבֵּ֗חַ אֶת־הַסִּירֹ֤ת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִים֙ וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֔ת אֶת־הַמִּזְלָגֹ֖ת וְאֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּ֑ת כָּל־כֵּלָ֖יו עָשָׂ֥ה נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃‎‎
    And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basins, the flesh-hooks, and the fire-pans; all the vessels thereof made he of brass.
  - 1 Kings 7:40, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וַיַּ֣עַשׂ חִירֹ֔ום אֶת־הַ֨ ⟨סִ⟩יֹּרֹ֔ות וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֑ות וַיְכַ֣ל חִירָ֗ם לַֽעֲשֹׂות֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֛ה לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃‎‎
    And Hiram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he wrought for king Solomon in the house of the LORD:
  - 1 Kings 7:45, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וְאֶת־הַסִּירֹ֨ות וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֜ים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֗ות וְאֵת֙ כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֣ים [הָאֹהֶל כ] (הָאֵ֔לֶּה ק) אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֥ה חִירָ֛ם לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה נְחֹ֖שֶׁת מְמֹרָֽט‎
    and the pots, and the shovels, and the basins; even all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon, in the house of the LORD, were of burnished brass.
  - 2 Kings 25:14, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וְאֶת־הַסִּירֹ֨ת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֜ים וְאֶת־הַֽמְזַמְּרֹ֣ות וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֗ות וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־כְּלֵ֧י הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־בָ֖ם לָקָֽחוּ׃‎‎
    And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the pans, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
  - Jeremiah 52:18–19, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּרֹות וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֨ים וְאֶת־הַֽמְזַמְּרֹ֜ות וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֣ת וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֗ות וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־כְּלֵ֧י הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־יְשָׁרְת֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם לָקָֽחוּ׃ / וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּפִּים וְאֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּ֨ות וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֜ות וְאֶת־הַסִּירֹ֣ות וְאֶת־הַמְּנֹרֹ֗ות וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּות֙ וְאֶת־הַמְּנַקִיֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֤ר זָהָב֙ זָהָ֔ב וַאֲשֶׁר־כֶּ֖סֶף כָּ֑סֶף לָקַ֖ח רַב־טַבָּחִֽים‎
    The pots also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the pans, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. / And the cups, and the fire-pans, and the basins, and the pots, and the candlesticks, and the pans, and the bowls—that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver—the captain of the guard took away.
  - Zechariah 14:20, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה עַל־מְצִלּוֹת הַסּוּס קֹדֶשׁ לַיהוָה וְהָיָה הַסִּירוֹת בְּבֵית יְהוָה כַּמִּזְרָקִים לִפְנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ׃‎‎
    Ba-yom ha-hu yihyé 'al m'tsilót ha-sus qódesh lADONÁI v-hayá ha-sirót b-veit ADONÁI ka-mizraqím lifnéi ha-mizbéaḥ.
    In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses: HOLY UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’S house shall be like the basins before the altar.
  - 2 Chronicles 11:18, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:
    ‏וַיַּ֣עַשׂ חוּרָ֔ם אֶת־הַ֨סִּירֹ֔ות וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֑ות ס וַיְכַ֣ל [חיּרָם כ] (חוּרָ֗ם ק) לַעֲשֹׂות֙ אֶת־הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֛ה לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה בְּבֵ֥ית הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ 12עַמּוּדִ֣ים שְׁנַ֔יִם וְהַגֻּלֹּ֧ות וְהַכֹּתָרֹ֛ות עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָעַמּוּדִ֖ים שְׁתָּ֑יִם וְהַשְּׂבָכֹ֣ות שְׁתַּ֔יִם לְכַסֹּ֗ות אֶת־שְׁתֵּי֙ גֻּלֹּ֣ות הַכֹּֽתָרֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָֽעַמּוּדִֽים׃ 13וְאֶת־הָֽרִמֹּונִ֛ים אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵאֹ֖ות לִשְׁתֵּ֣י הַשְּׂבָכֹ֑ות שְׁנַ֨יִם טוּרִ֤ים רִמֹּונִים֙ לַשְּׂבָכָ֣ה הָאֶחָ֔ת לְכַסֹּ֗ות אֶת־שְׁתֵּי֙ גֻּלֹּ֣ות הַכֹּֽתָרֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָעַמּוּדִֽים׃ 14וְאֶת־הַמְּכֹנֹ֖ות עָשָׂ֑ה וְאֶת־הַכִּיֹּרֹ֥ות עָשָׂ֖ה עַל־הַמְּכֹנֹֽות׃ 15אֶת־הַיָּ֖ם אֶחָ֑ד וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֥ר שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ 16וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּירֹות וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֤ים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְלָגֹות֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵיהֶ֔ם עָשָׂ֞ה חוּרָ֥ם אָבִ֛יו לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה נְחֹ֖שֶׁת מָרֽוּק׃ 17בְּכִכַּ֤ר הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ יְצָקָ֣ם הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בַּעֲבִ֖י הָאֲדָמָ֑ה בֵּ֥ין סֻכֹּ֖ות וּבֵ֥ין צְרֵדָֽתָה׃ 18וַיַּ֧עַשׂ שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לָרֹ֣ב מְאֹ֑ד כִּ֛י לֹ֥א נֶחְקַ֖ר מִשְׁקַ֥ל הַנְּחֹֽשֶׁת׃ פ‎
    11 And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. So Huram made an end of doing the work that he wrought for king Solomon in the house of God: 12the two pillars, and the bowls, and the two capitals which were on the top of the pillars; and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; 13and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks: two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars. 14He made also the bases, and the lavers made he upon the bases; 15one sea, and the twelve oxen under it. 16The pots also, and the shovels, and the flesh-hooks, and all the vessels thereof, did Huram his master craftsman make for king Solomon for the house of the LORD of bright brass. 17 In the plain of the Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. 18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance; for the weight of the brass could not be found out.

Usage notes

Following the suppression of the Israelite pagan practices evidently the original signification was also curtailed to that of a kitchen item, such that most occurrences in the Tanakh are misleadingly translated as “pot”.

Contrary to textual tradition, the word has also been implanted at locations it did not occur in the authoritative texts:

- Jeremiah 1:13
  ‏וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה אֵלַי שֵׁנִית לֵאמֹר מָה אַתָּה רֹאֶה וָאֹמַר ⟨בּוּר⟩ נָפוּחַ אֲנִי רֹאֶה וּפָנָיו מִפְּנֵי צָפוֹנָה׃‎‎
  Va-yhí dvar ADONÁI elái shenít lemór ma atá roé va-omár ⟨bur⟩ nafúaḥ aní roé u-fanáv mipnéi tsafóna.
  And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying: ‘What seest thou?’ And I said: ‘I see a 〈fallow〉; facing away from the north.’
- Psalms 58:9
  ‏בְּטֶ֤רֶם יָבִ֣ינוּ ⟨יֽבָּ֣רְְחוּ כְמֺו⟩ (Mss.‎ סִּֽירֹתֵיכֶ֣ם) אָטָ֑ד כְּמֹו־חַ֥י כְּמֹו־חָ֝רֹ֗ון יִשְׂעָרֶֽנּוּ׃‎‎
  Before you feel as though you pass the thorns (manuscripts: your pots feel the thorns), He will sweep it away with a whirlwind, the raw and the burning alike.

Declension

Declension of סִיר

Number	Isolated forms		With possessive pronouns
	State	Form	Person	singular		plural
	State	Form	Person	m.	f.	m.	f.
singular	indefinite	סִיר	first	סִירִי‎		סִירֵנוּ‎
	definite	הַסִּיר‎	second	סִירְךָ‎	סִירֵךְ‎	סִירְכֶם‎	סִירְכֶן‎
	construct	סִיר־	third	סִירוֹ‎	סִירָהּ‎	סִירָם‎	סִירָן‎
plural	indefinite	סִירוֹת‎	first	סירותיי / סִירוֹתַי‎		סִירוֹתֵינוּ‎
	definite	הַסִּירוֹת‎	second	סִירוֹתֶיךָ‎	סירותייך / סִירוֹתַיִךְ‎	סִירוֹתֵיכֶם‎	סִירוֹתֵיכֶן‎
	construct	סִירוֹת־‎	third	סִירוֹתָיו‎	סִירוֹתֶיהָ‎	סִירוֹתָם‎	סִירוֹתָן‎

References

“סיר” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language

Ladino

Etymology

From Old Spanish seer, ser.

Verb

סיר (Hebrew spelling, Latin spelling ser)

to be

סיר

Hebrew

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Usage notes

Declension

References

Further reading

Ladino

Etymology

Verb