Original Word: זוּר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: zuwr
Pronunciation: zoor
Phonetic Spelling: (zoor)
KJV: close, rush, thrust together
NASB: crush, crushed, pressed, squeezed
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to press together, &Š tighten

close, rush, thrust together

A primitive root (compare tsowq); to press together, &? Tighten -- close, rush, thrust together.

see HEBREW tsowq

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to press down and out
NASB Translation
crush (1), crushed (1), pressed (1), squeezed (1).

III. [זוּר] verb press down and out (Aramaic זִיר press together, Syriac , compress; compare Arabic twist the lip of a beast) —

Qal Perfect3plural זֹ֫רוּ Isaiah 1:6 (passive; > √זרר, Arabic draw forcibly together Ol^{§ 233 c, 245 l} Kö^{i. 333}); Imperfect3masculine singular וַיָּ֫זַר Judges 6:38, 3feminine singular suffix תְּזוּרֶהָ Job 39:15; Participle pass feminine זוּרֶה ( = זוּרָה Ges^{§ 80}, 2, d) Isaiah 59:5; — press (twist or wring) out a fleece Judges 6:38; not pressed out, of sore (figurative of continued disaster) Isaiah 1:6; press under foot an egg, Job 39:15 ("" דּוּשׁ), Isaiah 59:5 (passive)

Zuwr (Strong’s Hebrew 2115)

Root Idea and Semantic Range

The verb conveys the action of pressing or squeezing so forcibly that liquid is expelled or material is crushed. By extension it speaks of the painful result of such pressure—bruises, welts, or the breaking of fragile life. The imagery moves easily from literal physical force to figurative descriptions of spiritual testing or judgment.

Occurrences and Contextual Commentary

1. Judges 6:38 — Gideon, seeking confirmation of the Lord’s word, “wrung out the dew” from the fleece. The vivid act of squeezing until liquid poured out portrays intense, complete extraction. The scene underscores God’s willingness to submit to rigorous testing while still proving His faithfulness.

2. Job 39:15 — Speaking of the ostrich that “forgets that a foot may crush them,” the verb pictures the fragile eggs reduced to shards beneath uncaring hooves. The contrast between the bird’s careless instinct and the Creator’s sovereign oversight illustrates how heedlessness invites destructive pressure.

3. Isaiah 1:6 — Israel, morally diseased, is described as covered with “wounds and welts.” The plural noun form depicts raised bruises produced by relentless blows. The people’s unrepentant sin has left them spiritually battered, needing cleansing and healing oil that only the Lord can supply.

Theological Reflections

Pressure in Scripture often signifies divine testing (Genesis 22:1), discipline (Hebrews 12:6), or judgment (Amos 4:6–11). Zuwr captures this reality in miniature. Whether dew forced from wool, eggs pulverized by careless feet, or swollen bruises on a rebellious nation, the common thread is the inevitability of outcome when force meets weakness. Yet in each setting the theme of restoration stands close at hand: Gideon is reassured, Job is reminded of God’s wisdom, and Judah is invited, “Come now, let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Pastoral counseling: Believers under crushing circumstances can be shown that divine purpose often lies beneath severe pressure, pressing out impurity and revealing authentic faith (1 Peter 1:6–7).
• Preaching and teaching: Zuwr provides a concrete metaphor for explaining conviction of sin—God’s Spirit presses upon the conscience until repentance flows.
• Discipleship: The verb challenges complacency; careless neglect (as with the ostrich) invites needless harm, whereas attentive obedience spares much crushing.

Illustrative Parallels

• Grapes in a winepress (Isaiah 63:3) and olives under a press (Deuteronomy 33:24) echo the same concept of productive pressure.
• The Garden of Gethsemane, literally “olive press,” offers New Testament fulfilment, where the Messiah submitted to crushing sorrow so that life might flow to many (Matthew 26:36–46).

Christological and Redemptive Foreshadowings

Isaiah’s welt-covered body anticipates the Servant whose own bruises secure healing for others (Isaiah 53:5). The crushing of the Seed by the serpent’s strike (Genesis 3:15) ultimately results in the serpent’s defeat. Thus, the painful imagery of zuwr is taken up in the cross, where supreme pressure yields the salvation of the world.

Conclusion

Zuwr reminds readers that divine dealings may involve severe compression—wringing, crushing, bruising—yet always with purposeful intent. When God presses, He purifies; when He allows crushing, He ultimately brings resurrection life. The term therefore invites sober reflection on sin, submission in trial, and steadfast hope in redemptive outcome.

וַיָּ֖זַר ויזר זֹ֙רוּ֙ זרו תְּזוּרֶ֑הָ תזורה tə·zū·re·hā tezuReha təzūrehā vaiYazar way·yā·zar wayyāzar zō·rū zoru zōrūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts