בְּצִקְלֹנוֹ (Be-tsiklo-no) — fresh ear of grain
Etymology
For centuries, the word be-tsiklo-no was a linguistic puzzle, appearing only once in the Hebrew Bible (2 Kings 4:42). Early translators and commentators, unable to find a clear root, assumed the initial letter Bet was a preposition and the root was tsiklon (צִקְלוֹן). Based on context—a man bringing bread to the prophet Elisha—they interpreted it as a container or garment, such as a "sack," "pouch," or "knapsack." This interpretation was solidified in the Latin Vulgate (pera) and Aramaic Targums, eventually entering medieval and modern Hebrew as a literary term for a bag.
The mystery was solved following the 1928 discovery of the Ugaritic library at Ras Shamra. In the Ugaritic "Legend of Danel and Aqhat," the word bṣql appears in direct parallel with šblt (ear of grain). In 1939, scholar Umberto Cassuto realized that the biblical word was not "in his tsiklon" but rather the word betsiklon with a possessive suffix. The Bet is part of the root, not a preposition. Consequently, the man did not bring grain in a bag, but rather "fresh ears of grain" (stalks still in their husks), matching the agricultural context of "first fruits" described in the verse.
Key Quotes
"וְאִישׁ בָּא מִבַּעַל שָׁלִשָׁה וַיָּבֵא לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים לֶחֶם בִּכּוּרִים עֶשְׂרִים לֶחֶם שְׂעֹרִים וְכַרְמֶל בְּצִקְלֹנוֹ" — Melakhim II (2 Kings) 4:42
"התגליות האחרונות משרידי לשון אוגרית הוכיחו שלא צִקְלוֹן צורת המילה במקרא אלא בצקלון בבית שורשית" — Naphtali Herz Tur-Sinai, Ben-Yehuda Dictionary Vol. 11, 1945
"אביא על זה דוגמה אחת, שכבר עמדתי עליה לפני שבע שנים... ועכשיו עיין גם טורטשינר במילון בן-יהודה" — Umberto Cassuto, Leshonenu, 1945
Timeline
- 1928: A Syrian farmer discovers the ruins of Ugarit, leading to the discovery of the Ugaritic language.
- 1936: Charles Virolleaud publishes the Ugaritic text "The Legend of Danel and Aqhat" containing the word bṣql.
- 1939: Umberto Cassuto publishes his findings in the journal Orientalia, identifying betsiklon as a cognate of the Ugaritic word for "ear of grain."
- 1945: Naphtali Herz Tur-Sinai publishes the 11th volume of the Ben-Yehuda Dictionary, including the Ugaritic correction but omitting credit to Cassuto.
- 1945: Cassuto publishes a rebuttal in Leshonenu, asserting his priority on the discovery through a sharp footnote.
Related Words
- צִקְלוֹן (Tsiklon) — Bag or knapsack (the modern Hebrew word derived from the historical misinterpretation).
- שִׁבֹּלֶת (Shibbolet) — Ear of grain (the semantic parallel found in Ugaritic).
- כַרְמֶל (Karmel) — Fresh grain (the word immediately preceding be-tsiklo-no in the biblical text).