Strong's Lexicon

H2181

H2181 — זָנָה

Hebrew / Aramaic entry for Bible study and original-language reference.

HebrewzanahverbOccurrences: 94TWOT: 563

Definition / Gloss

Strong's Number:H2181
Word:זָנָה
Part of Speech:verb
Etymology:a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton)
Language:Hebrew
Occurrences:94
Transliteration:zanah
Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation:zaw-naw'
Meaning:1. to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment) 2. (figuratively) to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah)
KJV Renderings:(cause to) commit fornication, X continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.

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BDB2407

זָנָה verb commit fornication, be a harlot (Arabic [untranscribed source text 1520] commit fornication, Aramaic [untranscribed source text 1521], זנא; compare Ethiopic [untranscribed source text 1522] effusio seminis virilis, seman effusum, Di1055 ; on this and [untranscribed source text 1523] (compare by Ges and others) see PrätBAS i. 32, Anm.) —

Qal Perfect ׳ ז Deut 31:16, זָָֽנְתָה Gen 38:34 + 3 t., etc.; Imperfect יִזְנֶ֯ה ( Kt ) Ezek 23:43 תִּזְנֶה Lev 19:29 + 4 t.; וַתִּ֫זֶן Jer 3:8; Ezek 23:5 תִּזְנִי Hos 3:3 וַתִּזְנִי Jer 3:6 (but read probably וַתִּזְנִי ׃וַתִּזֶן is not Aramaic form of 3 feminine singular, see i. 540 Kau§ 47 g b) Ezek 16:15 + 4 t.; וַתִּזְנִים Ezek 16:28 יִזְנוּ ( Qr ) Ezek 23:43 וַיִּזְנוּ Judg 8:27 + 4 t.; תִּזְנֶינָה Hos 4:13; Hos 4:14 וַתִּזְנֶינָה Ezek 23:3 Infinitive absolute זָנֹה Hos 1:2 construct לִזְנוֺת Lev 20:5 + 3 t.; לִזְנֹת Lev 20:6 suffix בִּזְנוֺתֵךְ Ezek 23:30 Participle זוֺנֶה Ps 73:27; Ezek 6:9 זֹנֶה Hos 4:15 plural זֹנִים Lev 17:7 + 3 t.; זוֺנָה Deut 23:19 + 25 t.; זֹנָה Lev 21:7 + 2 t.; זוֺנוֺת Prov 29:3 זֹנוֺת Hos 4:14 + 4 t. —
1. be or act as a harlot, absolute Gen 38:24 ( J ), Deut 22:21 ( D ), Lev 21:9 ( H ), Hos 4:13 ; Hos 4:14 ; Amos 7:17 זונה + (ה)אשׁה Josh 2:1; Josh 6:22 ( J ), Lev 21:7 ( H ), Judg 11:1 ; Judg 16:1 ; Prov 6:26 ; Jer 3:3; Ezek 16:30 ; Ezek 23:44 זוֺנָה Gen 34:31; Gen 38:15; Josh 6:17; Josh 6:25 (all J ), Deut 23:19; Lev 21:14 ( H ), Prov 7:10; Prov 23:27; Isa 23:15; Isa 23:16; Joel 4:3; Mic 1:7 (twice in verse); Ezek 16:31 נָשִׁים זֹנוֺת 1Kgs 3:16 ז(ו)נות 1Kgs 22:38 ; Prov 29:3 ; Hos 3:3; Hos 4:14; Ezek 16:33 בית זונה Jer 5:7 commit fornication, man's act אל ׳ ז Num 25:1 ( J ); of woman's act Judg 19:2 of land given to harlotry Lev 19:29.
2. figurative of improper intercourse with foreign nations (religious reference sometimes involved) את ׳ ז Isa 23:17 אחרי Ezek 23:30 אל Ezek 16:26 ; Ezek 16:28 (twice in verse); תַזְנוּתיה ׳ ז Ezek 23:43 ; Nah 3:4 וַתִּזֶן אָהֳלָה תַחְתָּ֑י and Ohola committed fornication (whilst) under me Ezek 23:5 (compare Num 5:19 ).
3. of intercourse with other deities, considered as harlotry, sometimes involving actual prostitution, אחרי ׳ ז Exod 34:15; Exod 34:16; Deut 31:16 (all J ), Lev 17:7 ; Lev 20:5 (twice in verse) (all H ), Judg 2:17 ; Judg 8:27 ; Judg 8:33 ; 1Chr 5:25 ; Ezek 6:9; Ezek 20:30 after אֹבֹת, etc. Lev 20:6 ( H ), one's own heart & eyes Num 15:39 ( H ); especially of Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem under figure of lewd woman Ezek 16:15 (absolute) Ezek 16:16 (על במית), Ezek 16:17 (בְ ׳ ז), Ezek 23:3 (twice in verse); Ezek 23:19 (absolute), Jer 3:1 (with accusative); Jer 3:6 Jer 3:8 (absolute); absolute elsewhere Hos 2:7; Hos 4:15; Ps 106:39 as leaving ׳ י, followed by מֵעַל Hos 9:1 מאחרי Hos 1:2 (twice in verse); מתחת Hos 4:12 followed by מן alone Ps 73:27 ז(ו)נה Jer 2:20; Ezek 16:35 ; Ezek 16:41 בית זונה Jer 5:7 לִבָּם הַזּוֺנֶה their whorish heart Ezek 6:9.
4. זונה of moral defection Isa 1:21.
Pu`al Perfect 3 masculine singular אַהֲרַיִךְ לֹא זוּנָּה fornication was not done (in going) after thee Ezek 16:34 (but strike out Co).
Hiph`il Perfect 2 masculine singular הִזְנֵיתָ Hos 5:3 3 plural חִזְנוּ Hos 4:10; Hos 4:18; Exod 34:16 Imperfect וַיֶּ֫זֶן 2Chr 21:11 וַתַּזְנֶה 2Chr 21:13 Infinitive absolute הַזְנֵה Hos 4:18 construct הַזְנוֺת 2Chr 21:13 suffix לְהַזְנוֺתָהּ Lev 19:29 .
1. cause to commit fornication:
a. sexual Lev 19:29 ( H ).
b. religious Exod 34:16 ( J ), 2Chr 21:11; 2Chr 21:13 (twice in verse).
2. commit fornication:
a. sexual Hos 4:10.
b. religious Hos 4:18 (twice in verse); Hos 5:3.


Other Resources

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke

Englishman's Hebrew Concordance

זנה (h-nah’)

Genesis 38:24

KJV: And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
EHCC: thy daughter in law Aath played the harlot ;

Exodus 34:15

KJV: Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
EHCC: and they go a whoring after their gods,

Deuteronomy 31:16

KJV: And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.sleep: Heb. lie down
EHCC: and go a whoring after the gods

Judges 2:17

KJV: And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so.
EHCC: but they went a whoring

Isaiah 23:17

KJV: And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
EHCC: and shall commit fornication with all

Ezekiel 23:3

KJV: And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.
EHCC: they it :doms in their youth:

Hosea 2:5

KJV: For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.drink: Heb. drinks
EHCC: (7).their mother hath played the harlot:

Hosea 9:1

KJV: Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.upon: or, in, etc
EHCC: for thou hast gone a whoring

Hosea 21:9

EHCC: profane herself by playing the whore,

Numbers 25:1

KJV: And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
EHCC: the people began to commit whoredom

Deuteronomy 22:21

KJV: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.
EHCC: to play the whore in her father’s house:

Ezekiel 23:30

KJV: I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols.
EHCC: because thou hast gone a whoring

Hosea 1:2

KJV: The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.
EHCC: the land hath Gaeta dhe aaa

Leviticus 19:29

KJV: Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.prostitute: Heb. profane
EHCC: lest the land fall to whoredom,

Judges 8:27

KJV: And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
EHCC: andail Israel wené thither a whoring after it:

Judges 19:2

KJV: And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Beth–lehem–judah, and was there four whole months.four whole months: or, a year and four month: Heb. days, four months
EHCC: And his concubine played the whore

1 Chronicles 5:25

KJV: And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.
EHCC: and went a whoring after the gods

Psalms 106:39

KJV: Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
EHCC: and went a whoring with their own inven-

Isaiah 57:3

KJV: But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
EHCC: seed of the adulterer and the whore. (lit.

Jeremiah 8:6

KJV: I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
EHCC: and there hath the harlot.

Ezekiel 16:28

KJV: Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied.
EHCC: yea, thou hast the harlot with them,

Ezekiel 23:8

KJV: Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.
EHCC: And they combed horde in Egypt;

Hosea 1:2

KJV: The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.
EHCC: the committed ז whoredom,

Hosea 3:8

EHCC: thou shalt not play the harlot,

Hosea 4:12

KJV: My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
EHCC: and they have gone a whoring

Amos 7:17

KJV: Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.
EHCC: Thy wife shall be an harlot

Genesis 34:31

KJV: And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
EHCC: deal with our sister as with an harlot?

Genesis 38:15

KJV: When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.
EHCC: he thought her fo (be) an harlot ;

Leviticus 17:7

KJV: And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.
EHCC: after whom they have gone a whoring,

Leviticus 20:1

KJV: And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
EHCC: וח ים that goa wharing after him,

Leviticus 21:7

KJV: They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
EHCC: shall not take a wife (that is) a whore,

Numbers 15:39

KJV: 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 seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
EHCC: ye פנש fo go a whoring:

Deuteronomy 23:18

KJV: Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
EHCC: 19). shalt not bring the hire of a whore,

Joshua 2:1

KJV: And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.sent: or, had sentlodged: Heb. lay
EHCC: came into 'an harlet’s house,

Joshua 6:17

KJV: And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.accursed: or, devoted
EHCC: only Rahab the Aarlot shall live,

Joshua 16:1

KJV: And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Beth–el,fell: Heb. went forth
EHCC: saw there ' an harlot,

1 Kings 3:16

KJV: Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
EHCC: two women, (that were) harlots,

Psalms 73:27

KJV: For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
EHCC: them that goa whoring from thee,

Proverbs 6:26

KJV: For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.the adulteress: Heb. the woman of a man, or, a man’s wife
EHCC: For by means of a whorish woman

Proverbs 7:10

KJV: And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
EHCC: 8 woman (with) the attire of an harlot,

Proverbs 23:27

KJV: For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
EHCC: For a whore (is) a deep ditch;

Proverbs 29:3

KJV: Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.
EHCC: he that keepeth company with Aarlots

Isaiah 1:21

KJV: How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
EHCC: the faithful city become אם harlot /

Isaiah 23:15

KJV: And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.shall Tyre…: Heb. it shall be unto Tyre as the song of an harlot
EHCC: shall Tyre sing as an harlot.

Jeremiah 2:20

KJV: For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.transgress: or, serve
EHCC: thou wanderest, playin the harlot.

Jeremiah 3:3

KJV: Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
EHCC: thou hadst 14 whore’s forehead,

Jeremiah 5:7

KJV: How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.
EHCC: by troops in the harlots’ houses.

Ezekiel 6:9

KJV: And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.
EHCC: 1 ומא broken with their whorish heart,

Ezekiel 16:30

KJV: How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman;
EHCC: the work of an imperious whorish woman,

Ezekiel 23:44

KJV: Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.
EHCC: as the in unto a woman

Hosea 4:14

KJV: I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.I will not: or, Shall I notfall: or, be punished
EHCC: themselves are separated with whores,

Joel 8:8

EHCC: 4:3(. have given a boy for an harlot,

Micah 1:7

KJV: And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
EHCC: she gathered (it) of the hire of an harlot,

Nahum 3:4

KJV: Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
EHCC: of the wellfavoured Aarlot,

Ezekiel 16:34

KJV: And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary.
EHCC: none followeth thee to commit whoredoms:

Hosea 4:10

KJV: For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord.
EHCC: they shall commit whoredom,

Hosea 5:3

KJV: I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.
EHCC: 0 ‘Ephraim, thou committest whoredom,

Leviticus 19:29

KJV: Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.prostitute: Heb. profane
EHCC: to cause her to be a whore;

2 Chronicles 21:13

KJV: But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself:
EHCC: like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab,

Hosea 4:18

KJV: Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.sour: Heb. gonerulers: Heb. shields
EHCC: they have committed whoredom con-

2 Chronicles 21:11

KJV: Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.
EHCC: and caused the inhubitants of Jerusalem to
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