Original Word: צָרָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: tsarah
Pronunciation: tsaw-raw'
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-raw')
KJV: adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble
Word Origin: [feminine of H6862 (צַּר צָּר - Adversary)]

1. tightness (i.e. figuratively, trouble)
2. transitively, a female rival

adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble

Feminine of tsar; tightness (i.e. Figuratively, trouble); transitively, a female rival -- adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble.

see HEBREW tsar

I. צָרָה₇₂ noun feminine id.; — absolute ׳צ 1 Samuel 26:24 +, צָרָתָה Psalm 120:1 (Ges^{§ 90g}); construct צָרַת Genesis 42:21; suffix צָרָתִי Genesis 35:3 +, צָרַתְכֶם Judges 10:14, etc.; plural צָרוֺת absolute Isaiah 65:16 +; suffix צָרֹתֵיכֶם 1 Samuel 10:19, etc.; — straits, distress, Genesis 42:21 (E), 1 Samuel 26:24; 2 Samuel 4:9; 1 Kings 1:29; Isaiah 8:22; Job 5:19; Job 27:9; especially Psalms (24 t.), e.g. Job 22:12; Job 25:17 (see רחב), Job 25:22; Job 31:8; Job 34:17,18; specifically of travail, צָרָה וַחֲבָלִים Jeremiah 49:24 (simile), compare Jeremiah 4:31 (Gie צְוָחָה, after ᵐ5); צָרַת נַפְשׁוֺ Genesis 42:21 (E); בְּיוֺם צָרָתִי Genesis 35:3 (E), Psalm 77:3; Psalm 86:7, compare 2 Kings 19:3 = Isaiah 37:3; Psalm 20:2; Psalm 50:15; Proverbs 24:10; Proverbs 25:19; Jeremiah 16:19; Obadiah 12,14; Nahum 1:7; Habakkuk 3:16, וּמְצוּקָה ׳יוֺם צ Zephaniah 1:15; בְּעֵתצָֿרַתְכֶם Judges 10:14, compare Nehemiah 9:27; Psalm 37:39; Isaiah 33:2; Jeremiah 14:8; Jeremiah 15:11; Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 12:1; also בַּצָּרָה Psalm 81:8, בְּצָרָה Psalm 91:15; Nehemiah 9:37, בְּצָדוֺת Psalm 46:2, etc.; רָעוֺת וְצָרוֺת Deuteronomy 31:17,21 compare 1 Samuel 10:19; Psalm 71:20, צָרָה וְצוּקָה Proverbs 1:27, ׳וְצ ׳אֶרֶץ צ Isaiah 30:6; with ל (poetry), בַּצָּרָ֫תָה לִי Psalm 120:1 in my distress, מִצָּרָה לִי Jonah 2:3. — צָרָה Zechariah 10:11, read מִצְרַיִם [or מָצוֺר] We Now GASm; צֹ֫רָה Klo^{ThLz, 1879, 566} Sta^{ZAW i (1881), 22}; Psalm 9:10; Psalm 10:1 see בַּצָּרָה.

II. [צָרָה] noun feminine vexer, rival-wife (see references below √; also Ecclus 37:11); — suffix צָרָתָהּ 1 Samuel 1:6.

Meaning and Range of Sense

צָרָה denotes the tightness, pressure, or confinement that is felt when life closes in. It can describe personal anguish (Genesis 35:3), national calamity (Jeremiah 30:7), military peril (1 Samuel 10:19), or spiritual chastening (Hosea 5:15). The term therefore gathers all that threatens the people of God and sets the stage for divine intervention.

Distribution in Scripture

About seventy-three occurrences span the Law, Prophets, Writings, and Historical Books, revealing a unified testimony: distress is neither random nor final for the covenant community.

• Torah – Found at moments of patriarchal pilgrimage (Genesis 35:3; 42:21) and covenant warnings (Deuteronomy 4:30).
• Former Prophets – Marks the cyclical oppression in Judges (Judges 10:14), the reign of Saul (1 Samuel 10:19), and David’s deliverances (2 Samuel 22:7).
• Writings – Dominates many Psalms of lament and confidence (Psalm 9:9; 20:1; 46:1; 50:15; 54:7; 59:16; 107:6).
• Latter Prophets – Frames both imminent judgment and eschatological hope (Isaiah 33:2; Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 12:1; Nahum 1:7).

Patterns in Israel’s History

1. Distress provokes remembrance of God. Jacob erects an altar because the Lord “answered me in the day of my distress” (Genesis 35:3).
2. Distress exposes idols. The Lord challenges Israel, “Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress” (Judges 10:14).
3. Distress refines leadership. David testifies, “In my distress I called upon the LORD… He heard my voice” (2 Samuel 22:7).
4. Distress precedes national restoration. “It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it” (Jeremiah 30:7).

Theological Themes

• Divine Sovereignty: Distress comes “with a purpose” (Hosea 5:15), driving repentance and renewed reliance on the covenant Lord.
• Faith’s Refuge: Believers discover that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
• Eschatological Hope: Daniel 12:1 links the greatest distress with ultimate deliverance and resurrection, foreshadowing New Testament teaching on tribulation and glory (John 16:33; Romans 8:18).
• Corporate Solidarity: One person’s anguish often represents the nation (Psalm 20:1), and the nation’s distress shapes individual piety.

Worship and Prayer

Many Psalms couple צָרָה with verbal roots such as cry, call, and seek, shaping liturgy:

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” (Psalm 50:15)

“In the day of my distress I sought the Lord; my hands were stretched out all night without wearying.” (Psalm 77:2)

These texts model honest lament, confident petition, and expectant praise, providing a template for private devotion and corporate worship.

Pastoral and Practical Implications

1. Preparation: Proverbs 24:10 warns, “If you falter in the day of trouble, how small is your strength!” Spiritual disciplines now ready the heart for future pressure.
2. Compassionate Ministry: Distress creates opportunities to bear one another’s burdens, reflecting the Lord’s character as “a stronghold in times of trouble” (Nahum 1:7).
3. Evangelistic Witness: Deliverance out of distress becomes a testimony to outsiders (Psalm 54:7).
4. Perseverance: Recalling historic acts of rescue fuels endurance amid present trials.

Messianic and Prophetic Overtones

Jeremiah 30:7 and Daniel 12:1 anticipate a climactic “time of trouble” preceding final salvation. The New Testament echoes this pattern in the suffering of Christ and the tribulations of the church, assuring that present distress is swallowed up by resurrection victory (Revelation 7:14-17).

Summary

צָרָה threads through Scripture as a reminder that God’s people are often pressed but never forsaken. Distress drives them to cry, repent, trust, and hope. Its pervasive presence magnifies divine deliverance and invites every generation to echo the psalmist: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

בְ֝צָר֗וֹת בְּצָר֥וֹת בְצָרָ֑ה בַּצָּרָ֣תָה בַּצָּרָ֥ה בַּצָּרָֽה׃ בצרה בצרה׃ בצרות בצרתה הַצָּרָ֖ה הַצָּרוֹת֙ הצרה הצרות וְצָר֑וֹת וְצָרָ֑ה וְצָרֹֽתֵיכֶם֒ וְצָרוֹת֒ וּבְצָרָ֥ה ובצרה וצרה וצרות וצרתיכם לְ֝צָרָ֗ה לצרה מִצָּ֥רָה מִצָּר֣וֹת מִצָּרָ֣ה מִצָּרָת֖וֹ מִצָּרָתֵ֖נוּ מצרה מצרות מצרתו מצרתנו צָ֝רָתִ֗י צָ֝רוֹתָ֗יו צָ֝רוֹתָ֗ם צָ֭רָה צָ֭רָתִ֥י צָ֭רוֹת צָֽרָתִ֔י צָֽרָתָהּ֙ צָֽרָתָם֙ צָֽרוֹתָיו׃ צָר֣וֹת צָר֥וֹת צָרַ֥ת צָרַתְכֶֽם׃ צָרָ֑ה צָרָ֔ה צָרָ֖ה צָרָ֗ה צָרָ֣ה צָרָ֤ה צָרָ֥ה צָרָ֧ה צָרָ֨ה צָרָֽה׃ צָרָה֙ צָרָתִי֮ צָרָתָ֣ם ׀ צרה צרה׃ צרות צרותיו צרותם צרת צרתה צרתי צרתכם׃ צרתם baṣ·ṣā·rā·ṯāh baṣ·ṣā·rāh baṣṣārāh baṣṣārāṯāh batztzaRah batztzaRatah ḇə·ṣā·rāh bə·ṣā·rō·wṯ ḇə·ṣā·rō·wṯ ḇəṣārāh bəṣārōwṯ ḇəṣārōwṯ betzaRot haṣ·ṣā·rāh haṣ·ṣā·rō·wṯ haṣṣārāh haṣṣārōwṯ hatztzaRah hatztzarOt lə·ṣā·rāh ləṣārāh letzaRah miṣ·ṣā·rā·ṯê·nū miṣ·ṣā·rā·ṯōw miṣ·ṣā·rāh miṣ·ṣā·rō·wṯ miṣṣārāh miṣṣārāṯênū miṣṣārāṯōw miṣṣārōwṯ mitztzaRah mitztzaraTenu mitztzaraTo mitztzaRot ṣā·rā·ṯāh ṣā·rā·ṯām ṣā·rā·ṯî ṣā·rāh ṣā·raṯ ṣā·raṯ·ḵem ṣā·rō·w·ṯām ṣā·rō·w·ṯāw ṣā·rō·wṯ ṣārāh ṣāraṯ ṣārāṯāh ṣārāṯām ṣārāṯî ṣāraṯḵem ṣārōwṯ ṣārōwṯām ṣārōwṯāw tzaRah tzaRat tzaraTah tzaraTam tzaratChem tzaraTi Tzarot tzaroTam Tzarotav ū·ḇə·ṣā·rāh ūḇəṣārāh uvetzaRah vetzaRah vetzaRot vetzaroteiChem wə·ṣā·rāh wə·ṣā·rō·ṯê·ḵem wə·ṣā·rō·wṯ wəṣārāh wəṣārōṯêḵem wəṣārōwṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts