Numbers 14:9

Verse Numbers 14:9. Their defence] צלם tsillam, their shadow, a metaphor highly expressive of protection and support in the sultry eastern countries. The protection of God is so called; see Psalms 91:1; Psalms 121:5; see also Isaiah 51:16; Isaiah 49:2; Isaiah 30:2.

The Arabs and Persians have the same word to express the same thing. [Persian] nemayeed zulli doulet mamdood bad. "May the shadow of thy prosperity be extended!" [Persian] nemayced zulli doulet ber mufareki khayr khwahen mamdood bad. "May the shadow of thy prosperity be spread over the heads of thy well-wishers!" They have also the following elegant distich: -

[Persian]

[Persian]

Sayahat kem mubad az seri ma

Bast Allah zullikem abeda.

"May thy protection never be removed from my head!

May God extend thy shadow eternally!"

Here the Arabic [Arabic] zull answers exactly to the Hebrew צל tsel, both signifying that which overspreads or overshadows. Numbers 14:14, Numbers 14:14.