Original Word: צָרְעָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Tsor`ah
Pronunciation: tso-RAH
Phonetic Spelling: (tsor-aw')
KJV: Zareah, Zorah, Zoreah
NASB: Zorah
Word Origin: [apparently another form for H6880 (צִּרעָה - hornet)]

1. Tsorah, a place in Israel

Zareah, Zorah, Zoreah

Apparently another form for tsir'ah; Tsorah, a place in Palestine -- Zareah, Zorah, Zoreah.

see HEBREW tsir'ah

Word Origin
from the same as tsaraath
Definition
a city exchanged by Judah and Dan
NASB Translation
Zorah (10).

צָרְעָה proper name, of a location Σαραα, etc. (compare also Lag^{BN 85}), in the Shephelah of Judah (Tel Amarna ‚ar—a, named with Aialuna, Ajalon); — Joshua 15:33, but assigned to Dan Joshua 19:41; Judges 13:2,25; Judges 16:31; Judges 18:2,8,11; 2Chronicles 11:10; Nehemiah 11:29; modern ‚ar±a, 15 miles west from Jerusalem, compare GASm^{Geogr. 218} Buhl^Geogr.195.

Geographic and Tribal Setting

Zorah stood on the border of the Shephelah and the foothills of the Judean highlands, opposite the Sorek Valley and approximately twenty miles west of Jerusalem. Although originally allotted to Judah (Joshua 15:33), it also appears in the inheritance of Dan (Joshua 19:41), illustrating the overlapping territorial claims between these tribes. Closely linked with nearby Eshtaol, the two towns are repeatedly paired in Scripture, forming a small sub-district that influenced important events in Israel’s early history.

Biblical Occurrences

1. Joshua 15:33 – listed among the lowland cities of Judah.
2. Joshua 19:41 – included in Dan’s territory, with Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh.
3. Judges 13:2 – hometown of Manoah, the father of Samson.
4. Judges 13:25 – “And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him at Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.”
5. Judges 16:31 – Samson is buried “between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah.”

6–8. Judges 18:2, 8, 11 – departure point for the Danite spies and warriors who eventually captured Laish and renamed it Dan.
9. 2 Chronicles 11:10 – strengthened by King Rehoboam as a fortress of Judah after the kingdom divided.
10. Nehemiah 11:29 – resettled by Judeans returning from exile.

Historical Development

• Early Settlement: Archaeological surveys at Tel Tzora have uncovered Late Bronze through Iron Age layers, confirming continuous habitation during the Judges period.
• Tribal Tension: Dual listing under Judah and Dan reflects Dan’s territorial struggles. Judges 18 portrays Danites using Zorah as a staging area because they lacked secure inheritance along the coastal plain.
• Monarchic Fortification: Rehoboam’s fortification campaign (2 Chronicles 11:5-12) shows Zorah’s continued strategic value, guarding approaches from Philistia and the Aijalon corridor.
• Post-exilic Continuity: Inclusion in Nehemiah’s town lists demonstrates covenant faithfulness; God restored communities in their ancestral lands despite prior devastation.

Significance in the Narrative of Samson

Zorah is inseparable from the life of Samson (Judges 13–16). Here the angel of the LORD appeared to Manoah and his wife, promising a Nazirite son who would “begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). The repeated mention of Zorah and Eshtaol highlights a localized revival: “the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him” (Judges 13:25). Samson’s burial “between Zorah and Eshtaol” (Judges 16:31) marks the completion of his tumultuous ministry and underscores God’s faithfulness to raise imperfect instruments for deliverance.

Role in the Danite Migration

The Danites, pressed by the Philistines and Amorites (Judges 1:34), gathered at Zorah to seek new territory. Spies dispatched from Zorah evaluated Laish, returned with favorable news, and six hundred armed men departed from Zorah and Eshtaol to seize their new homeland (Judges 18). Zorah thus became a pivot between failed inheritance and new beginnings, illustrating the dangers of incomplete obedience yet also God’s providential guidance.

Fortification under Rehoboam

Following the schism after Solomon’s reign, Rehoboam fortified fifteen cities, including Zorah, to defend Judah from northern Israel and Philistia. The Chronicler records, “He rebuilt the fortresses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine” (2 Chronicles 11:11). Zorah’s elevation and proximity to the Sorek Valley made it a logical military outpost.

Post-exilic Resettlement

Nehemiah lists Zorah among towns reoccupied by “descendants of Judah” (Nehemiah 11:25-30). The restoration underscores God’s covenant mercy: lands once threatened by Philistines and internal strife again housed worshipers who could travel to Jerusalem for the feasts.

Archaeological Corroboration

Tel Tzora’s fortification walls, winepresses, and rock-cut tombs fit the agricultural profile implied by Samson’s vineyard episode (Judges 14:5). Pottery and cultic artifacts align with Iron Age I settlement, affirming the plausibility of the biblical setting.

Theological and Ministry Reflections

1. God Works in Small Places: Though Zorah was a minor town, it produced a judge whose exploits shook the Philistines. Ministry significance is never measured by size but by divine calling.
2. Overlapping Allotments Show Divine Flexibility: Judah and Dan shared Zorah; yet God used the complexity to advance His purposes, reminding believers that apparent ambiguities in life can serve sovereign plans.
3. Spiritual Stirring Precedes Public Impact: Samson’s empowerment began privately “between Zorah and Eshtaol,” teaching that personal consecration precedes public deliverance.
4. Restoration After Judgment: From Rehoboam’s fortification to Nehemiah’s resettlement, Zorah testifies that failure and exile are not the final word; God rebuilds ruined places and repopulates them with faith-filled communities.

Key Lessons for Today’s Believer

• Seek God’s stirring in ordinary settings; He often prepares deliverers in unnoticed locales.
• Resist partial obedience; Dan’s initial reluctance to secure its allotted inheritance bred future compromise.
• Participate in the rebuilding of God’s work after seasons of decline, trusting that He still plants His people in strategic places for His glory.

וְצָרְעָ֖ה וּבְצָרְעָ֖ה ובצרעה וצרעה מִצָּרְעָ֖ה מִצָּרְעָ֛ה מִצָּרְעָ֣ה מצרעה צָרְעָ֖ה צָרְעָ֥ה צָרְעָה֙ צרעה miṣ·ṣā·rə·‘āh miṣṣārə‘āh mitztzareAh ṣā·rə·‘āh ṣārə‘āh tzareAh ū·ḇə·ṣā·rə·‘āh ūḇəṣārə‘āh uvetzareAh vetzareAh wə·ṣā·rə·‘āh wəṣārə‘āhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts