Lexical Definition

‎זָנָה‎ zânâh (zaw-naw') to fornicate ^H:V
a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton)

(cause to) commit fornication, [idiom] continually, [idiom] great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.

• to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment)
• figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah)

1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication
1a2) to commit adultery
1a3) to be a cult prostitute
1a4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.)
1b) (Pual) to play the harlot
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to commit adultery
1c2) to force into prostitution
1c3) to commit fornication

See Greek: ἐκπορνεύω · ἐμπόριον · πορνεύω · πόρνη

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎זָנָה‎ verb commit fornication, be a harlot (Arabic commit fornication, Aramaic , ‎זנא‎; compare Ethiopic effusio seminis virilis, seman effusum, Di¹⁰⁵⁵; on this and (compare by Ges and others) see Prät^{BAS i. 32, Anm}.) —

Qal Perfect ‎׳‎‎ז‎ Deut 31:16, ‎זָָֽנְתָה‎ Gen 38:34 + 3 t., etc.; Imperfect ‎יִזְנֶ֯ה‎ (Kt) Ezek 23:43 ‎תִּזְנֶה‎ Lev 19:29 + 4 t.; ‎וַתִּ֫זֶן‎ Jer 3:8; Ezek 23:5 ‎תִּזְנִי‎ Hos 3:3 ‎וַתִּזְנִי‎ Jer 3:6 (but read probably ‎וַתִּזְנִי ׃וַתִּזֶן‎ is not Aramaic form of 3 feminine singular, see Kö^{i. 540} Kau^{§ 47 g} b) Ezek 16:15 + 4 t.; ‎וַתִּזְנִים‎ Ezek 16:28 ‎יִזְנוּ‎ (Qr) Ezek 23:43 ‎וַיִּזְנוּ‎ Judg 8:27 + 4 t.; ‎תִּזְנֶינָה‎ Hos 4:13; Hos 4:14 ‎וַתִּזְנֶינָה‎ Ezek 23:3 Infinitive absolute ‎זָנֹה‎ Hos 1:2 construct ‎לִזְנוֺת‎ Lev 20:5 + 3 t.; ‎לִזְנֹת‎ Lev 20:6 suffix ‎בִּזְנוֺתֵךְ‎ Ezek 23:30 Participle ‎זוֺנֶה‎ Ps 73:27; Ezek 6:9 ‎זֹנֶה‎ Hos 4:15 plural ‎זֹנִים‎ Lev 17:7 + 3 t.; ‎זוֺנָה‎ Deut 23:19* + 25 t.; ‎זֹנָה‎ Lev 21:7 + 2 t.; ‎זוֺנוֺת‎ Prov 29:3 ‎זֹנוֺת‎ Hos 4:14 + 4 t. —

1. be or act as a harlot, absolute Gen 38:24 (J), Deut 22:21 (D), Lev 21:9 (H), Hos 4:13; Hos 4:14; Amos 7:17 ‎זונה‎ + ‎(ה)אשׁה‎ Josh 2:1; Josh 6:22 (J), Lev 21:7 (H), Judg 11:1; Judg 16:1; Prov 6:26; Jer 3:3; Ezek 16:30; Ezek 23:44 ‎זוֺנָה‎ Gen 34:31; Gen 38:15; Josh 6:17; Josh 6:25 (all J), Deut 23:19*; Lev 21:14 (H), Prov 7:10; Prov 23:27; Isa 23:15; Isa 23:16; Joel 4:3*; Mic 1:7 (twice in verse); Ezek 16:31 ‎נָשִׁים זֹנוֺת‎ 1Kgs 3:16 ‎ז(ו)נות‎ 1Kgs 22:38; Prov 29:3; Hos 3:3; Hos 4:14; Ezek 16:33 ‎בית זונה‎ Jer 5:7 commit fornication, man's act ‎אל‎ ‎׳‎‎ז‎ Num 25:1 (J); of woman's act Judg 19:2 of land given to harlotry Lev 19:29.

2. figurative of improper intercourse with foreign nations (religious reference sometimes involved) ‎את‎ ‎׳‎‎ז‎ Isa 23:17 ‎אחרי‎ Ezek 23:30 ‎אל‎ Ezek 16:26; Ezek 16:28 (twice in verse); ‎תַזְנוּתיה‎ ‎׳‎‎ז‎ Ezek 23:43; Nah 3:4 ‎וַתִּזֶן אָהֳלָה תַחְתָּ֑י‎ and Ohola committed fornication (whilst) under me Ezek 23:5 (compare Num 5:19).

3. of intercourse with other deities, considered as harlotry, sometimes involving actual prostitution, ‎אחרי‎ ‎׳‎‎ז‎ Exod 34:15; Exod 34:16; Deut 31:16 (all J), Lev 17:7; Lev 20:5 (twice in verse) (all H), Judg 2:17; Judg 8:27; Judg 8:33; 1Chr 5:25; Ezek 6:9; Ezek 20:30 after ‎אֹבֹת‎, etc. Lev 20:6 (H), one's own heart & eyes Num 15:39 (H); especially of Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem under figure of lewd woman Ezek 16:15 (absolute) vEzek 16:16 (‎על במית‎), vEzek 16:17 (‎בְ‎ ‎׳‎‎ז‎), Ezek 23:3 (twice in verse); Ezek 23:19 (absolute), Jer 3:1 (with accusative); vJer 3:6 vJer 3:8 (absolute); absolute elsewhere Hos 2:7*; Hos 4:15; Ps 106:39 as leaving ‎׳‎‎י‎, followed by ‎מֵעַל‎ Hos 9:1 ‎מאחרי‎ Hos 1:2 (twice in verse); ‎מתחת‎ Hos 4:12 followed by ‎מן‎ alone Ps 73:27 ‎ז(ו)נה‎ Jer 2:20; Ezek 16:35; Ezek 16:41 ‎בית זונה‎ Jer 5:7 ‎לִבָּם הַזּוֺנֶה‎ their whorish heart Ezek 6:9.

4. ‎זונה‎ of moral defection Isa 1:21. Pu`al Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎אַהֲרַיִךְ לֹא זוּנָּה‎ fornication was not done (in going) after thee Ezek 16:34 (but strike out Co). Hiph`il Perfect 2 masculine singular ‎הִזְנֵיתָ‎ Hos 5:3 3 plural ‎חִזְנוּ‎ Hos 4:10; Hos 4:18; Exod 34:16 Imperfect ‎וַיֶּ֫זֶן‎ 2Chr 21:11 ‎וַתַּזְנֶה‎ 2Chr 21:13 Infinitive absolute ‎הַזְנֵה‎ Hos 4:18 construct ‎הַזְנוֺת‎ 2Chr 21:13 suffix ‎לְהַזְנוֺתָהּ‎ Lev 19:29.

1. cause to commit fornication:
a. sexual Lev 19:29 (H).
b. religious Exod 34:16 (J), 2Chr 21:11; 2Chr 21:13 (twice in verse).

2. commit fornication:
a. sexual Hos 4:10.
b. religious Hos 4:18 (twice in verse); Hos 5:3.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References