צֶלֶם
tselem
Plain-Language Summary
tselem is a Hebrew word meaning "image", encompassing ideas like image, representation, idol.
image; a likeness or representation (tselem)
The Hebrew word tselem fundamentally means "image; a likeness or representation (tselem)." It is translated in the KJV as "image", "representation", "idol", reflecting its range of use in Scripture.
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."
Lexical data derived from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. See full disclaimer
Word DNA
Origin
This word acts as a root form.
How This Word Behaves
Selected distinct patterns of usage found in Scripture.
Context Clusters group verses by the role this word plays — not just where it appears, but what it's doing. Expand any cluster to read the passages and see the pattern for yourself.
Scripture Occurrences
Selected verses where this word appears in the KJV.
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
"Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."
"Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:"
"But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves."
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