Lexical Summary
zulah: Except, besides, apart from
Original Word:זוּלָה
Part of Speech:noun feminine; preposition; conjunction; preposition
Transliteration:zuwlah
Pronunciation:zoo-LAH
Phonetic Spelling:(zoo-law')
KJV: beside, but, only, save
NASB:except, besides, only
Word Origin:[fromH2107 (זוּל - lavish)]
1. probably scattering, i.e. removal
2. used adverbially, except
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
beside, but, only, save
Fromzuwl; probably scattering, i.e. Removal; used adverbially, except -- beside, but, only, save.
see HEBREWzuwl
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitionexcept, only
NASB Translationbesides (5), except (7), only (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] properly , only found in the
stative construct as
and
— construct2 Kings 24:14 and (with the obsolete case-ending )Deuteronomy 1:36;Deuteronomy 4:12;Joshua 11:13;1 Kings 3:18;1 Kings 12:20;Psalm 18:32; with suffixHosea 13:4;Isaiah 45:5,21, ,2 Samuel 7:22 =1 Chronicles 17:20;Isaiah 26:13;Isaiah 64:3;Ruth 4:4,1 Samuel 21:10; —
except, besides, literallywith removal of . . . (synonymPsalm 18:32;Isaiah 45:21;Hosea 13:4; and compareDeuteronomy 1:36 withNumbers 32:12),Deuteronomy 1:36with the exception of Caleb,1 Samuel 21:10 there is none otherexcept it,1 Kings 12:20;2 Kings 24:14;Ruth 4:4: often in such phrases as, There is no God (or, Who is God?)except me (or thee),2 Samuel 7:22;Psalm 18:32;Hosea 13:4;Isaiah 45:5,21;Isaiah 64:3. Always after a negative or question, exceptIsaiah 26:13 lordsother than thou. Connected inexactly with what precedes, acquires the force ofonly,Deuteronomy 4:12 ye saw no formsave a voice = (there was)only a voice,1 Kings 3:18.
conjunctionJoshua 11:13except that he burnt Hazor alone.
Topical Lexicon
Core Idea of the TermThe word is an adverbial-prepositional particle that introduces an exception, exclusion, or unique alternative. It may be rendered “besides,” “except,” “apart from,” or “only.” Whether applied to persons, objects, duties, or God Himself, it highlights an exclusive contrast—shutting every competing option outside the boundary it draws.
Semantic Range and Literary Function
1. Exclusion of persons or privileges (Deuteronomy 1:36;Ruth 4:4).
2. Negation of rival deities or powers (2 Samuel 7:22;Psalm 18:31;Isaiah 45:5).
3. Specification of counted items (2 Kings 24:14).
4. Limitation clauses in legal or covenantal speech (Joshua 11:13;1 Kings 3:18).
Because the particle is compact and emphatic, Hebrew authors use it to tighten the logical thread of a statement, supplying the rhetorical punch that separates “this one” from “all others.”
Occurrences across Redemptive History
Pentateuch
Deuteronomy employs the term twice to mark covenant realities. InDeuteronomy 1:36 Caleb is the lone exception to a generation’s judgment. InDeuteronomy 4:12 the Lord reminds Israel that they “heard the sound of the words, but saw no form—there was only a voice,” directing worship away from images.
Former Prophets
Joshua 11:13 stresses that Israel “did not burn any of the cities that stood on their mounds, except Hazor alone,” underscoring both obedience and divine judgment. The historical books continue to use the term in narratives of inheritance (Ruth 4:4), flight (1 Samuel 21:10), and political secession (1 Kings 12:20).
Writings
David’s psalmic confession: “For who is God besides the LORD? And who is a rock except our God?” (Psalm 18:31) transforms the particle into doxology.
Latter Prophets
Isaiah layers the exclusionary force to demolish idolatry:
• “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from Me there is no God.” (Isaiah 45:5)
• “There is no God apart from Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but Me.” (Isaiah 45:21)
Hosea 13:4 brings the same vocabulary into covenant lawsuit: “You shall acknowledge no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides Me.”
Doctrinal and Christological Significance
1. Monotheism: The particle fortifies the Bible’s monotheism. By excluding all others, it declares the LORD’s unrivaled deity.
2. Exclusive Salvation: The Old Testament claim that there is “no Savior besides” the LORD prefigures the New Testament proclamation, “There is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:12).
3. Covenant Faithfulness: The usage in legal and inheritance contexts foreshadows the exclusivity of the New Covenant promises secured through Christ alone.
Historical and Cultural Insights
• Legal Proceedings (Ruth 4:4). In the gate-court setting, the particle stipulates the next-of-kin’s singular right of redemption.
• Royal Annals (2 Kings 24:14). When Nebuchadnezzar deported Judah “all but the poorest of the land,” the wording underscores the completeness of the exile.
• Prophetic Polemic (Isaiah 45). The term arms Isaiah’s courtroom imagery, where the LORD summons the nations to acknowledge His solitary sovereignty.
Pastoral and Ministry Application
• Exclusive Allegiance: The believer is called to serve “God alone,” resisting every modern idol.
• Assurance of Salvation: Because no other savior exists, confidence rests wholly in the finished work of Christ.
• Gospel Clarity: Evangelism must echo Scripture’s insistence that there is no alternative path to reconciliation with God.
Worship Implications
The particle invites absolute praise: God is not merely first among equals; He stands in a category by Himself. Songs, prayers, and sermons should retain that stark line of demarcation.
Summary
Throughout Scripture the word in question functions as a verbal boundary marker. Whether isolating Caleb, defining legal rights, or exalting the unrivaled LORD, it shuts the door on every competitor. The same logic culminates in the Gospel’s exclusive claim that redemption is found in Christ alone, reinforcing the Bible’s consistent testimony from Moses to the Prophets to the Apostles.
Forms and Transliterations
זֽוּלָתִ֞י זֽוּלָתִי֙ זֽוּלָתֶ֑ךָ זֽוּלָתֶ֔ךָ זוּלַ֖ת זוּלָ֣תְךָ֔ זוּלָֽתְךָ֙ זוּלָתִ֖י זוּלָתִ֛י זוּלָתִ֥י זוּלָתִֽי׃ זוּלָתֶ֑ךָ זוּלָתָ֖הּ זולת זולתה זולתי זולתי׃ זולתך zū·lā·ṯāh zū·lā·ṯe·ḵā zū·lā·ṯə·ḵā zū·lā·ṯî zū·laṯ zuLat zūlaṯ zulaTah zūlāṯāh zulateCha zūlāṯeḵā zūlāṯəḵā zulaTi zūlāṯî
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