Lexical Summary
tsaphon: north, northward, north side
Original Word:צָפוֹן
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:tsaphown
Pronunciation:tsaw-FONE
Phonetic Spelling:(tsaw-fone')
KJV: north(-ern, side, -ward, wind)
NASB:north, northward, north side, northern
Word Origin:[fromH6845 (צָּפַן - stored)]
1. (properly) hidden, i.e. dark
2. used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and unknown)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
northern side, dark, gloomy
Or tsaphon {tsaw-fone'}; fromtsaphan; properly, hidden, i.e. Dark; used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and unknown) -- north(-ern, side, -ward, wind).
see HEBREWtsaphan
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
tsaphanDefinitionnorth
NASB TranslationNorth (8), north (125), north side (7), northern (1), northward (11).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I.
153Isaiah 43:6 (as the
hidden, dark; compare Thes Lewy
Fremdw. 188 f.; perhaps Phoenician
north); — absolute
Jeremiah 26:26 +,
northwardGenesis 13:14 +, oftener
Jeremiah 3:12 +, also =
Jeremiah 1:13 + (after prepositions and stative construct; compare Ges
§ 90e); construct
Joshua 8:11 +, also
Joshua 19:14 Gi (compare Benn; van d. H. Baer ),
Judges 21:19; ( occurs oftenest in Ezekiel [46 t.], Joshua [25 t.], Jeremiah [25 t.], Daniel [9 t.]); —
north (opposite south, east, west)
Genesis 13:14;
Genesis 28:14 (both J),
Exodus 27:11 (P), +;
north sideExodus 26:20;
Joshua 15:5 + (see ); so
Exodus 26:35,
Ezekiel 42:17, compare
2 Kings 16:14;
Numbers 34:7,9
north boundary;
remote parts of northIsaiah 14:13 (as divine abode),
Ezekiel 38:6,15 + (see [ ]);
Ezekiel 40:35 +,
Ezekiel 42:2;
Ezekiel 25:23north wind, and so alone
Songs 4:16;
toward the north is
Joshua 13:3 #NAME?
Ecclesiastes 1:6,
Ezekiel 42:1,
Ezekiel 8:14,
Ezekiel 40:23,
Ezekiel 40:20,
Ezekiel 8:5 (twice in verse) +, etc.; especially (in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, etc.) of quarter whence invaders were to come, e. g. Assyrians
Isaiah 14:31, compare
Zephaniah 2:13, Babylonians
Jeremiah 6:1,22;
Jeremiah 15:12;
Jeremiah 46:20,24 (),
Jeremiah 47:2,
Ezekiel 26:7, Cyrus against Babylonian
Isaiah 41:25, compare
Jeremiah 50:3,9,41;
Jeremiah 51:48; more vaguely,
Jeremiah 1:14,15 (),
Jeremiah 4:6;
Jeremiah 10:22;
Jeremiah 13:20;
Jeremiah 25:9,26 (); of Gog's host
Ezekiel 38:6,15;
Ezekiel 39:2;
Ezekiel 32:30 (apparently of nearer [Aramaean?] princes);
Jeremiah 31:8 is region of Carchemish, but
Zechariah 2:10;
Zechariah 6:6,8 (twice in verse) of Babylon; (sometimes + other countries) the exiles and dispersed are to return
Jeremiah 3:18;
Jeremiah 16:15 =
Jeremiah 23:8;
Jeremiah 31:8, compare
Isaiah 43:6;
Isaiah 49:12;
Daniel 11:6,7,8,11,13,15,40 denotes successive Seleucidae.
Topical Lexicon
Scope of the Wordצָפוֹן appears about 153 times in the Old Testament and functions primarily as the ordinary word for “north,” but it also carries geographical, poetic, and prophetic nuance. Because the terrain east of Israel is dominated by desert, armies entering the land normally swept down the coastal plain or the Bashan–Golan route from Lebanon, so צָפוֹן became fixed in Israel’s vocabulary as both a literal compass point and a metaphorical gateway of threat, judgment, and eventual restoration.
Geographical Orientation in Israel’s Life
From the patriarchal narratives onward, צָפוֹן anchors the landscape of promise: “Now lift up your eyes … look to the north and south, east and west” (Genesis 13:14). Moses orders the encampment of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali “on the north side” (Numbers 2:25–30), and Ezekiel’s tribal allotments begin “at the northern extremity” (Ezekiel 48:1). Everyday life—construction of the bronze altar (Leviticus 1:11), descriptions of the Temple courts (1 Kings 7:25;Ezekiel 40–46), and distribution of land—relies on צָפוֹן as a stable point of reference.
Mount Zaphon and the Theology of Zion
צָפוֹן is also a place-name. Mount Zaphon (modern Jebel al-Aqraʿ) towered above ancient Ugarit and was famed in Canaanite lore as the abode of Baal. The Psalms deliberately re‐cast that reputation to exalt the LORD. “Beautiful in loftiness, the joy of all the earth, like the peaks of Zaphon is Mount Zion—the city of the Great King” (Psalm 48:2). Isaiah redirects the hubris of the king of Babylon who boasts, “I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north” (Isaiah 14:13), only to be hurled down by the sovereign LORD. By appropriating the imagery of Zaphon for Zion, Scripture proclaims the unrivaled supremacy of the God of Israel.
The North as the Quarter of Judgment
Jeremiah’s call vision turns צָפוֹן into the cardinal direction of divine discipline: “Disaster from the north will be poured out on all who live in the land” (Jeremiah 1:14). Subsequent messages echo the theme (Jeremiah 4:6; 6:1; 10:22). Although Babylon lies east-southeast of Judah, armies traveled the Fertile Crescent’s northern arc, so “the enemy from the north” became a prophetic shorthand for imperial invaders—Assyria (Isaiah 41:25;Zephaniah 2:13), Babylon (Jeremiah 25:9), and later the apocalyptic forces led by Gog (Ezekiel 38:6, 15; 39:2).
The North in Promises of Restoration
The same direction that signals judgment also frames hope. “I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth” (Jeremiah 31:8). The LORD commands, “I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’” (Isaiah 43:6). Zechariah hears the cry, “Flee from the land of the north” (Zechariah 2:6), and witnesses chariots whose arrival “has given My Spirit rest in the land of the north” (Zechariah 6:8). By reversing the movement of exile, God displays covenant faithfulness.
Poetic and Meteorological Imagery
צָפוֹן also stands for the north wind. Job marvels, “The tempest comes from its chamber, and the cold from the driving north winds” (Job 37:9). Proverbs parallels weather and speech: “As the north wind brings forth rain, so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks” (Proverbs 25:23). In Song of Solomon the bride entreats, “Awake, O north wind … blow upon my garden” (Song of Solomon 4:16), blending climate with romance. These texts enrich theological reflection on God’s mastery over creation and human affairs.
Eschatological Dimensions
Ezekiel’s oracles portray Gog’s coalition “from the far north” (Ezekiel 38:15). The final conflict anticipates God’s climactic victory, reinforcing that whatever power arises from צָפוֹן will ultimately serve the LORD’s redemptive plan. Amos declares, “He who forms the mountains … and turns dawn to darkness … the LORD is His name” (Amos 5:8), folding the cardinal points into cosmic sovereignty.
Ministry Applications
1. Orientation in Study: Recognizing the literal and figurative layers of צָפוֹן guards against reductionism. Geography, history, and theology interlock.
2. Preaching Judgment and Grace: The “enemy from the north” illustrates both the seriousness of sin and the certainty of deliverance. God controls the approach and the retreat of invading forces.
3. Worship Imagery:Psalm 48:2 invites believers to celebrate Zion’s supremacy in worship gatherings, using geographical symbolism to exalt Christ as the true King installed on His holy hill.
4. Spiritual Warfare:Isaiah 14:13–15 exposes the futility of satanic self-exaltation. Believers can confront pride and demonic schemes by proclaiming the LORD’s ultimate victory.
5. Missional Encouragement:Isaiah 43:6 motivates global evangelism—north, south, east, and west—echoingActs 1:8’s four-point commission.
Selected References
Genesis 13:14;Exodus 26:20;Leviticus 1:11;Numbers 2:25–30;Deuteronomy 2:3;1 Kings 7:25;Job 26:7;Job 37:9;Psalm 48:2;Proverbs 25:23;Song of Solomon 4:16;Isaiah 14:13;Isaiah 41:25;Isaiah 43:6;Jeremiah 1:14;Jeremiah 3:18;Jeremiah 4:6;Jeremiah 6:1;Jeremiah 16:15;Jeremiah 31:8;Ezekiel 38:6, 15;Ezekiel 39:2;Zephaniah 2:13;Zechariah 2:6;Zechariah 6:8.
Synopsis
צָפוֹן charts Israel’s map, frames her poetry, announces her judgment, and heralds her homecoming. Whether the word marks a compass point, a mythic mountain, an invader’s route, or a wind that scatters fragrance, its every use testifies that the LORD directs history’s coordinates and gathers His people from every quarter to the city of the Great King.
Forms and Transliterations
בַּצָּפ֑וֹן בצפון הַצָּפ֑וֹן הַצָּפ֑וֹנָה הַצָּפ֔וֹן הַצָּפ֔וֹנָה הַצָּפ֗וֹן הַצָּפ֜וֹן הַצָּפֹֽן׃ הַצָּפֽוֹן׃ הַצָּפוֹן֮ הצפון הצפון׃ הצפונה הצפן׃ וְהַצָּפֽוֹן׃ וְצָפ֙וֹנָה֙ וְצָפ֜וֹנָה וְצָפ֥וֹן ׀ וְצָפֹ֛נָה וְצָפֹ֣נָה וּמִצָּפ֑וֹן וּמִצָּפ֖וֹן והצפון׃ ומצפון וצפון וצפונה וצפנה לַצָּפ֖וֹן לַצָּפ֤וֹנָה לַצָּפֽוֹן׃ לַצָּפוֹן֙ לצפון לצפון׃ לצפונה מִ֭צָּפוֹן מִצְּפ֖וֹן מִצְּפ֗וֹן מִצְּפ֣וֹן מִצְּפ֤וֹנָה מִצָּפ֑וֹן מִצָּפ֔וֹן מִצָּפ֖וֹן מִצָּפ֖וֹנָה מִצָּפ֗וֹן מִצָּפ֛וֹן מִצָּפ֣וֹן מִצָּפ֥וֹן מִצָּפֽוֹן׃ מִצָּפוֹן֙ מצפון מצפון׃ מצפונה צָ֭פוֹן צָפ֑וֹן צָפ֑וֹנָה צָפ֔וֹן צָפ֔וֹנָה צָפ֖וֹן צָפ֖וֹנָה צָפ֗וֹן צָפ֗וֹנָה צָפ֙וֹנָה֙ צָפ֛וֹן צָפ֛וֹנָה צָפ֜וֹן צָפ֜וֹנָה צָפ֡וֹנָה צָפ֣וֹן צָפ֥וֹנָה צָפֹ֑נָה צָפֹ֖נָה צָפֹ֥נָה צָפֹֽנָה׃ צָפֽוֹן׃ צָפֽוֹנָה׃ צָפוֹן֙ צָפוֹנָה֒ צפון צפון׃ צפונה צפונה׃ צפנה צפנה׃ baṣ·ṣā·p̄ō·wn baṣṣāp̄ōwn batztzaFon haṣ·ṣā·p̄ō·w·nāh haṣ·ṣā·p̄ō·wn haṣ·ṣā·p̄ōn haṣṣāp̄ōn haṣṣāp̄ōwn haṣṣāp̄ōwnāh hatztzaFon hatztzaFonah laṣ·ṣā·p̄ō·w·nāh laṣ·ṣā·p̄ō·wn laṣṣāp̄ōwn laṣṣāp̄ōwnāh latztzafOn latztzaFonah miṣ·ṣā·p̄ō·w·nāh miṣ·ṣā·p̄ō·wn miṣ·ṣə·p̄ō·w·nāh miṣ·ṣə·p̄ō·wn miṣṣāp̄ōwn miṣṣāp̄ōwnāh miṣṣəp̄ōwn miṣṣəp̄ōwnāh mitztzaFon mitztzaFonah mitztzeFon mitztzeFonah ṣā·p̄ō·nāh ṣā·p̄ō·w·nāh ṣā·p̄ō·wn ṣāp̄ōnāh ṣāp̄ōwn ṣāp̄ōwnāh tzaFon tzaFonah ū·miṣ·ṣā·p̄ō·wn ūmiṣṣāp̄ōwn umitztzaFon vehatztzaFon vetzaFon vetzaFonah wə·haṣ·ṣā·p̄ō·wn wə·ṣā·p̄ō·nāh wə·ṣā·p̄ō·w·nāh wə·ṣā·p̄ō·wn wəhaṣṣāp̄ōwn wəṣāp̄ōnāh wəṣāp̄ōwn wəṣāp̄ōwnāh
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