Original Word: צַאֲנָן
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Tsa'anan
Pronunciation: tsah-an-AHN
Phonetic Spelling: (tsah-an-awn')
KJV: Zaanan
NASB: Zaanan
Word Origin: [from the same as H6629 (צּוֹאן צְּאוֹן - flock) used denominatively]

1. sheep pasture
2. Zaanan, a place in Israel

Zaanan

From the same as tso'n used denominatively; sheep pasture; Zaanan, a place in Palestine -- Zaanan.

see HEBREW tso'n

Word Origin
from the same as tson
Definition
a place perhaps in the Shephelah of Judah
NASB Translation
Zaanan (1).

צַאֲנָן proper name, of a location Micah 1:11 Σεννααρ [ν], perhaps = צְנָן in the Shephelah of Judah Joshua 15:37, Σεννα(μ).

[צֶאֱצָא] see יצא. I, II. צָב see I, II. צבב.

Biblical setting

Zaanan is named only once, in Micah 1:11, where the prophet lists a string of Judahite towns confronted by approaching judgment: “The dwellers of Zaanan do not come out” (Berean Standard Bible). The passage forms part of Micah’s opening oracle (Micah 1:8-16), a lament in which each locality’s name is woven into a pun that intensifies the warning. Zaanan is paired with the verb “come out” (yatsaʾ), creating the ironic picture of a town whose very name suggests going out, yet whose inhabitants are immobilized by fear.

Geographical notes

Most scholars place Zaanan in the Shephelah—the lowland corridor between the Judean hill country and the Philistine plain—where the other towns in Micah’s list also lie. A number of identifications have been proposed: some locate it near Beth Shemesh, others link it with the site of Zenaim mentioned in Joshua 15:37, while a minority connects it with modern Ṣāʿnah on the southern edge of the Shephelah. Whatever the precise site, Zaanan stood along the invasion route armies would take from Philistia toward Jerusalem, making it a frontline community when Assyria advanced in the eighth century B.C.

Prophetic wordplay

Micah’s series of puns (Micah 1:10-16) conveys more than literary artistry; it delivers God’s verdict in a manner the original hearers could neither miss nor forget. Zaanan’s name (sounding like “go out”) is contrasted with its people’s inability to exit their town. The message is stark: self-confidence rooted in geography, alliances, or past deliverances cannot save when the Lord Himself is orchestrating events. The same pattern is applied to nearby Shaphir (“pleasant”), Beth Ezel (“house of removal”), and other towns, underscoring the inescapable reach of divine judgment.

Historical context

Micah ministered during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Micah 1:1). Assyria’s westward expansion had already subjugated Israel’s northern kingdom and now threatened Judah. Contemporary records mention Sargon II’s and Sennacherib’s campaigns through this very region. The fear-stricken citizens of Zaanan are representative of Judah’s broader panic. Their failure to “come out” may depict (1) inhabitants trapped by siege, (2) refugees unable to flee, or (3) soldiers who shrink from mustering for battle—all plausible scenarios under Assyrian pressure.

Theological implications

1. Certainty of covenant discipline: Zaanan’s paralysis illustrates that divine warnings, long ignored, culminate in tangible consequences (Deuteronomy 28:25).
2. Universality of judgment: Rural settlements as well as fortified cities fall under God’s scrutiny. No place is too small to matter; none is too small to escape.
3. Trust redirected: By showing how every human refuge collapses, Micah drives the remnant to seek safety in the Lord alone (Micah 7:7-9).

Lessons for ministry

• Word-centered preaching may employ contextualized language—including puns and local references—without diluting truth. Micah’s method models creative fidelity.
• Congregations today, like Zaanan, can be immobilized by looming crises. The remedy is not denial but repentance and renewed confidence in God’s sovereign plan.
• Small communities matter in the outworking of redemptive history. Shepherding and mission efforts should not overlook them.

Related references

Though Zaanan itself appears only in Micah 1:11, the themes raised are echoed in:
• Isaiah 10:24-25 – assurance amid Assyrian oppression.
• 2 Kings 18:13 – historical account of the Assyrian advance through Judah.
• Psalm 46:1-2 – encouragement when earthly supports give way.

Summary

Zaanan stands as a single-verse symbol of Judah’s larger crisis: a town whose very identity is negated by divine judgment. Its mention invites readers to heed prophetic warnings, relinquish false securities, and cling to the One whose purposes overrule every earthly stronghold.

צַֽאֲנָ֔ן צאנן ṣa’ănān ṣa·’ă·nān tzaaNanInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts