Original Word: צֶלַע
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tsela`
Pronunciation: tseh-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (tseh'-lah)
KJV: adversity, halt(-ing)
NASB: fall, stumbling
Word Origin: [from H6760 (צָּלַע - lame)]

1. a limping or full (figuratively)

adversity, halting

From tsala'; a limping or full (figuratively) -- adversity, halt(-ing).

see HEBREW tsala'

Word Origin
from tsala
Definition
limping, stumbling
NASB Translation
fall (2), stumbling (1).

צֶ֫לַע noun [masculine] limping, stumbling; — figurative of calamity, absolute ׳לְצ Psalm 38:18 I am ready (נָכוֺן) for stumbling (and falling); suffix בְּצַלְעִי Psalm 35:15 at my stumbliing; ׳שֹׁמְרֵי צ Jeremiah 20:10 watchers of my stumbling; אֵיד נָכוֺן לְצַלְעוֺ Job 18:12 ruin is ready for his stumbling. - See also צֵלָע construct

Definition and Semantic Range

צֶלַע (tsela) conveys the idea of lameness, stumbling, or a tottering fall. It evokes the image of an impaired gait—literal or figurative—by which progress is hindered and danger heightened. The noun arises from the verbal imagery of being bent or out-of-joint and therefore describes the moment of vulnerability when one is liable to be overthrown.

Occurrences in Scripture

The term appears three times in the Old Testament, each time in a context of affliction suffered by a faithful servant of the LORD: Psalm 35:15; Psalm 38:17; Jeremiah 20:10. In every case the psalmist or prophet is surrounded by hostile observers eager for his ruin. צֶלַע becomes the pivot around which enemies circle, waiting to exploit the moment when the righteous one appears to falter.

Contextual Analysis

Psalm 35:15

“But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; assailants gathered against me, and I did not know it”.

David’s “stumble” does not denote moral failure but outward weakness exploited by the wicked. The word paints a scene of predators poised over an injured animal, underscoring the cruelty of those who rejoice in another’s calamity. Yet the psalm continues with appeals for divine vindication, teaching that apparent vulnerability is never final when the LORD is advocate and judge.

Psalm 38:17

“For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever with me”.

Here צֶלַע is rendered “fall.” David confesses both physical frailty and the nearness of disaster, holding nothing back from God. His candor models prayer that neither minimizes suffering nor doubts covenant faithfulness. The verse moves seamlessly from the bodily realm (“pain”) to spiritual dependence (“I wait for You, O LORD,” verse 15), demonstrating that faith lives honestly before God even when limbs and prospects alike totter.

Jeremiah 20:10

“For I have heard the whispering of many: ‘Terror on every side! Report him, let us report him!’ All my trusted friends are watching for my fall. ‘Perhaps he will be deceived,’ they say, ‘then we will prevail against him and take our revenge on him.’”.

Jeremiah’s circle of acquaintances has turned into a surveillance squad, anticipating the prophet’s צֶלַע—his misstep, a vulnerability that would silence his unwelcome message. The intensity of opposition here climaxes in verse 11, where Jeremiah answers with the certainty that “the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior.” The prophet’s assurance reframes צֶלַע: what enemies view as an inevitable collapse becomes an occasion for God to display steadfast support.

Theological Significance

1. Human weakness as a platform for divine strength

Scripture does not gloss over the frailty of God’s people; it records their stumbles. Yet Psalm and Prophetic witness affirm that the LORD turns moments of צֶלַע into demonstrations of His faithfulness, foreshadowing Paul’s declaration that “power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

2. The moral gulf between the righteous and the wicked

Those who relish another’s downfall reveal a heart opposed to God (Proverbs 24:17-18). The term highlights the predatory nature of evil, sharpening the ethical call for believers to bear one another’s burdens instead of circling like vultures.

3. Messianic resonance

The righteous sufferer portrayed in the Psalms finds ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, whose apparent moment of catastrophic stumbling—the cross—became the very means of redemption. Enemies “watched” for His downfall (Matthew 27:41-43), not recognizing that through His wounds sinners would be healed (Isaiah 53:5).

Practical and Ministry Implications

• Pastoral sensitivity: Those experiencing physical disability, chronic pain, or moral relapse often feel watched and judged. The biblical handling of צֶלַע calls pastors and congregations to cultivate communities of refuge rather than scrutiny.

• Intercessory urgency: Like David and Jeremiah, believers should convert seasons of vulnerability into urgent prayer, inviting God to vindicate His servants and thwart hostile designs.

• Ethical watchfulness: The delight of the wicked in another’s misfortune warns against schadenfreude in Christian fellowship. Romans 12:15—“weep with those who weep”—stands as the gospel corrective to the predatory instinct exposed by צֶלַע.

Related Hebrew Roots and Themes

צֶלַע is cognate with the verb צָלַע (to limp) and conceptually linked to מכשול (mikhshol, “stumbling-block”). Together these terms trace a biblical motif wherein the path of righteousness is beset by obstacles, yet God faithfully “makes my feet like the feet of a deer” (Psalm 18:33).

Conclusion

צֶלַע captures the precarious instant when the faithful appear sure to topple. Scripture records such moments without embarrassment, then swiftly anchors them in divine commitment. Whether voiced by a shepherd-king or a persecuted prophet, the cry born of צֶלַע is answered by the covenant God who lifts up the fallen, confounds the malicious, and secures the steps of all who trust in Him.

וּבְצַלְעִי֮ ובצלעי לְצֶ֣לַע לצלע צַלְעִ֑י צלעי lə·ṣe·la‘ ləṣela‘ leTzela ṣal‘î ṣal·‘î tzalI ū·ḇə·ṣal·‘î ūḇəṣal‘î uvetzalIInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts