---
title: זָחַל — shrink back · The Tanakh dictionary
description: זָחַל (lemma:זָחַל), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 1 times: shrink back. BDB 1906: vb. fear, be afraid. With 1 verse in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# זָחַל

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«זָחַל» in the Tanakh dictionary: **shrink back** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 1 verse in layers.

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**Used:** 1 times · **Key:** lemma:זָחַל · **BDB:** זָחַל²

### Glosses

I.was.anxious (1)

### Meaning (OSHB)

shrink back [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/lemma_3a_5d6_5b8_5d7_5b7_5dc/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

vb. fear, be afraid [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/lemma_3a_5d6_5b8_5d7_5b7_5dc/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** vb. fear, be afraid (Aramaic דְּחַל ܕܚܶܠ; cf. Arabic ذَحْلٌ rancour, malevolence; NöZMG 1886, 741)—only Pf. 1 s. זָחַלְתִּי Jb 32:6 therefore I feared (‖ וָאִירָא); \> most, who derive from I. זָחַל = shrink away in fear, hold back (RV), cf. 𝔗 אִסְתְּפִיתִי Fl ChWB ii. 571.

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

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «זָחַל» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/lemma_3a_5d6_5b8_5d7_5b7_5dc/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Job 32:6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/JOB.32.6/)

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וַיַּ֤עַן ׀ אֱלִיה֖וּא בֶן־בַּֽרַכְאֵ֥ל הַבּוּזִ֗י וַיֹּ֫אמַ֥ר צָ֘עִ֤יר אֲנִ֣י לְ֭יָמִים וְאַתֶּ֣ם יְשִׁישִׁ֑ים עַל־כֵּ֖ן זָחַ֥לְתִּי וָֽאִירָ֓א ׀ מֵחַוֺּ֖ת דֵּעִ֣י אֶתְכֶֽם׃

*Word for word:* and he.answered Elihu the.son of.Barakel the Buzite and he.said \[am\].young I to days and you \[are\].aged therefore I.was.anxious and I.was.afraid from declaring knowledge my you

*JPS 1917:* And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said: I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I held back, and durst not declare you mine opinion.

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