---
title: זָלַל — be light · The Tanakh dictionary
description: זָלַל (2151), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 8 times: be light. BDB 1906: vb. 1.be light, worthless make light of Qal. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# זָלַל

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«זָלַל» in the Tanakh dictionary: **be light** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 8 times · **Key:** 2151 · **BDB:** זָלַל²

### Glosses

gluttons (2); \[he.is\].a.glutton (1); \[that.which.is\].worthless (1)

### Meaning (OSHB)

be light [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/2151/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

vb. 1.be light, worthless make light of Qal [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/2151/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** vb. 1.be light, worthless, 2. make light of (Assyrian zalâlu, be in ruins, COTGloss (AsrnStandard Inscr. 15), Arabic ذَلَّ = Aramaic ܕܰܠ (rare), ܕܠܻܝܠܴܐ easy; but זְלַל, ܙܰܠ, are more common (all intrans.))— only Pt. act. זוֹלֵל Dt 21:20 + 2 times; זוֹלֵלָ֑ה La 1:11; pl. זוֹלְלִים Pr 28:7, cstr. זֹלְלֵי Pr 23:20— be worthless, insignificant Je 15:19 (opp. יָקָר) La 1:11 (of Jerusalem in distress). trans. make light of = be lavish with, squander (cf. ii. זוּל), especially of gluttony ז׳ בשׂר Pr 23:20 (‖ סֹבְאֵי יַיִן), abs. v 21 Dt 21:20 (both ‖ סֹבֵא), Pr 28:7. Pf. sf. הִזִּילוּהָ La 1:8 causat. of Qal 1 make light of, despise (opp. כִּבֵּד); on form cf. Ges§ 67, R. 8 RobGes, MV SS (\> assigned to זוּל by Thes KöLgb. i. 471).

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 7 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (2 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 0 with the glosses (2 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «זָלַל» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/2151/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Proverbs 23:21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PRO.23.21/)

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כִּי־סֹבֵ֣א וְ֭זוֹלֵל יִוָּרֵ֑שׁ וּ֝קְרָעִ֗ים תַּלְבִּ֥ישׁ נוּמָֽה׃

*Word for word:* (dm) a.drunkard and a.glutton he.will.become.impoverished and rags it.will.clothe.\[him\] drowsiness

*JPS 1917:* For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

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[Proverbs 23:20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PRO.23.20/)

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אַל־תְּהִ֥י בְסֹֽבְאֵי־יָ֑יִן בְּזֹלֲלֵ֖י בָשָׂ֣ר לָֽמוֹ׃

*Word for word:* do.not be among drunkards of.wine among gluttons of.meat (for themselves

*JPS 1917:* Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous eaters of flesh;

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