Original Word: צֶלֶם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tselem
Pronunciation: tseh'-lem
Phonetic Spelling: (tseh'-lem)
KJV: image, vain shew
NASB: images, image, likenesses, form, phantom
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to shade]

1. a phantom, i.e. (figuratively) illusion, resemblance
2. (hence) a representative figure, especially an idol

image, vain show

From an unused root meaning to shade; a phantom, i.e. (figuratively) illusion, resemblance; hence, a representative figure, especially an idol -- image, vain shew.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
an image
NASB Translation
form (1), image (5), images (6), likenesses (3), phantom (1).

צֶ֫לֶם noun masculine^{Ezekiel 16:17} image (something cut out, compare מֶּסֶל; Nö 'Schnitzbild'); — ׳צ absolute Psalm 39:7, construct Genesis 1:27 +; suffix צַלְמוֺ Genesis 1:27; Genesis 5:3, צַלְמֵנוּ Genesis 1:26, צַלְמָם Psalm 73:20; plural construct צַלְמֵי 1 Samuel 6:5 (twice in verse) +, suffix צְלָמָיו 2 Kings 11:18; 2Chronicles 23:17, צַלְמֵיכֶם Amos 5:26; —

1 images of tumours and mice (of gold) 1 Samuel 6:5 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 6:11; especially of heathen gods Amos 5:26 (text dubious; strike out We as gloss, compare GASm Dr), 2 Kings 11:18 2Chronicles 23:17 (both with verb שִׁבְּרוּ), Ezekiel 7:20, so זָכָר ׳צ Ezekiel 16:17 (i.e. in male form, according to figurative of harlotry for idolatry); צַלְמֵי מַסֵכֹתָם Numbers 33:52 their molten images; of painted pictures of men Ezekiel 23:14.

2 image, likeness, of resemblance, ׳בְּצ (בָּרָא) עָשָׂה, of God's making man in his own image, Genesis 1:26("" כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ), Genesis 1:27; Genesis 1:27; Genesis 9:6, ׳כְּצ Genesis 5:3 ("" בִּדְמוּתוֺ; all P).

3 figurative = mere, empty, image, semblance, ׳בְּצ Psalm 39:7 as (ב essentiae) a (mere) semblance man walks about; צַלְמָם תִּבְזֶה Psalm 73:20 thou wilt despise their semblance.

צְלֵם₁₇ noun masculine^{Daniel 2:31} image (see Biblical Hebrew צלם); — absolute ׳צ Daniel 2:31; Daniel 3:1; construct ׳צ Daniel 3:19, צֶ֫לֶם Daniel 3:5 +; emphatic צַלְמָא Daniel 2:31 +; — image Daniel 2:31 (twice in verse); Daniel 2:32,34,35; Daniel 3:1 10t. 3; אַנֶמּוֺהִי ׳צ Daniel 3:19 i.e. his expression.

Overview

צֶלֶם (tselem) spans the theological arc of Scripture from God’s design for humanity to the tragic corruption of that design in idolatry. It appears seventeen times, almost always rendered “image,” but the contexts divide sharply between (1) the image bestowed by God and (2) the images fabricated by people. The word therefore confronts readers with two competing realities: the glory of humanity created to mirror the Creator, and the folly of idols that parody that glory.

Divine Image in Creation (Genesis 1:26–27)

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness…’” (Genesis 1:26). In Scripture’s opening chapter, tselem marks humanity as uniquely God-reflecting. Nothing else in creation is granted this dignity. The immediate consequences are:
• Dominion: “and let them rule over the fish of the sea…” (1:26). Stewardship flows from imaging.
• Equality: “male and female He created them” (1:27). Both sexes bear identical dignity.
• Sanctity: Human life carries non-negotiable worth.

Transmission and Preservation of the Image (Genesis 5:3; 9:6)

Adam “fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image” (5:3). Despite the Fall, the image persists through procreation. After the Flood the image grounds the death-penalty for murder: “for in His own image God has made mankind” (9:6). Here tselem undergirds justice and restrains violence, demonstrating that the image is not lost but marred.

Humanity as Ephemeral Image (Psalm 39:6; 73:20)

David laments, “Surely every man walks as a mere phantom” (39:6). Asah exhorts realism: the bearer of the divine image is nevertheless transient. Psalm 73:20 echoes the thought: the wicked “You will despise their form.” The image that ought to endure forever fades when severed from fellowship with God.

Idolatrous Images Condemned (Numbers 33:52; 1 Samuel 6:5, 11; Ezekiel 7:20; 16:17; 23:14; Amos 5:26)

The Torah commands Israel: “destroy all their molten images” (Numbers 33:52). The contrast is stark: humanity is God’s living image; idols are dead distortions. Philistia’s craftsmen mold “images of the tumors and images of the rats” (1 Samuel 6:5) in superstitious panic—satirical proof of idolatry’s impotence.

Ezekiel intensifies the charge: Judah turned “the beauty of His ornaments into pride, and they made from them their abominable images” (Ezekiel 7:20). The prophet describes female figurines (16:17) and wall reliefs of Chaldean soldiers (23:14), pointing to sensuality, militarism, and political trust as idolatrous replacements for covenant fidelity. Amos threatens exile because Israel “lifted up Sakkuth your king and Kaiwan your star god” (Amos 5:26), images imported alongside astrology and imperial politics.

Reformation and the Purge of Images (2 Kings 11:18; 2 Chronicles 23:17)

Under Jehoiada’s leadership, the covenant community “tore down the house of Baal… broke apart his altars and images” (2 Kings 11:18). 2 Chronicles records the same zeal. Spiritual renewal thus demands the physical removal of competing tselem-objects, recognizing that tangible idols tempt hearts away from the invisible God.

Theological Synthesis

1. Dignity and Responsibility: Every human being mirrors God, obligating believers to honor life, pursue justice, and exercise stewardship.
2. Depravity and Substitution: Sin inclines humanity to craft substitute images, exchanging glory for caricature (compare Romans 1:23).
3. Redemption and Restoration: The Old Testament anticipates a perfect Image. The New Testament identifies that fulfillment: “He is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Jesus Christ displays flawless tselem, enabling believers to be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29).

Ministry Implications

• Sanctity of Life: From conception to death, people warrant protection and compassionate ministry.
• Discipleship: Spiritual growth is measured by increasing Christ-likeness—the restoration of tselem.
• Idolatry Diagnostics: Modern idols (materialism, sexuality, power) must be identified and destroyed as ruthlessly as the images in Judah’s temple courts.
• Corporate Worship: God forbids representational images for devotion; He commands engagement through Word, sacrament, and Spirit.
• Mission: Every person, already stamped with God’s image, is a candidate for the gospel that restores that image.

Tselem thus stands at the heart of biblical anthropology and practical ministry, challenging believers to embrace their God-given identity while renouncing every counterfeit image that competes for ultimate allegiance.

בְּצֶ֣לֶם בְּצֶ֤לֶם ׀ בְּצֶ֥לֶם בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ בצלם בצלמו בצלמנו וְצַלְמֵ֣י וְצַלְמֵ֧י וצלמי כְּצַלְמ֑וֹ כצלמו צְלָמָ֖יו צְלָמָיו֙ צַלְמֵ֣י צַלְמֵ֤י צַלְמֵ֥י צַלְמֵ֨י צַלְמֵיכֶ֑ם צַלְמָ֬ם צלמי צלמיו צלמיכם צלמם bə·ṣal·mê·nū bə·ṣal·mōw bə·ṣe·lem bəṣalmênū bəṣalmōw bəṣelem betzalMenu betzalMo beTzelem kə·ṣal·mōw kəṣalmōw ketzalMo ṣal·mām ṣal·mê ṣal·mê·ḵem ṣalmām ṣalmê ṣalmêḵem ṣə·lā·māw ṣəlāmāw tzalMam tzalMei tzalmeiChem tzelaMav vetzalMei wə·ṣal·mê wəṣalmêInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts