Mazalot
/məˈzɑːlət/noun
A Hebrew term for the zodiacal constellations or celestial signs.
Did you know?In the Hebrew Bible, *mazzaloth* appears in a passage condemning astral worship, linking the word to ancient debates over whether the heavens govern human destiny.
Etymological Timeline
1st millennium BCE
Akkadian
manzaltu
“A station or position; likely connected with the stations of celestial bodies”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
מַזָּלוֹת (mazzalot)
“Constellations or zodiacal signs; mentioned in 2 Kings 23:5 in the context of astral worship”
Late Antiquity
Rabbinic Hebrew
מַזָּלוֹת (mazzalot)
“Zodiacal constellations and their presumed influence on earthly events”
Medieval Hebrew
Hebrew
מַזָּל (mazal)
“A constellation, celestial influence, or fortune; the singular source of the later word *mazel*”
19th–20th Century
English
mazzaloth / mazalot
“A transliterated Hebrew term for the zodiac or its constellations”