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Bible Lexicons
Old Testament Hebrew Lexical Dictionary Hebrew Lexicon
Strong's #2233 - זֶרַע
- Brown-Driver-Briggs
- Strong
- seed, sowing, offspring
- a sowing
- seed
- semen virile
- offspring, descendants, posterity, children
- of moral quality
- a practitioner of righteousness (figuratively)
- sowing time (by meton)
- Book
- Word
did not use
this Strong's Number
2137) orz (זראה ZRAh) AC: Sow CO: Seed AB: ?: The sowing of seeds by scattering them across the field. [from: rz- as a spreading of seeds]
V) orz (זראה ZRAh) - Sow: To spread seeds on the ground. KJV (56): (vf: Paal, Niphal, Hiphil, Pual) sow, yield, sower, bearing, conceive, seed, set - Strongs: H2232 (זָרַע)
Nm) orz (זראה ZRAh) - Seed: [Hebrew and Aramaic] KJV (230): seed, child, carnally, fruitful, seedtime, sowing - Strongs: H2233 (זֶרַע), H2234 (זְרַע)
dm) ofrz (זרואה ZRWAh) - Sown: KJV (2): sowing, sown - Strongs: H2221 (זֵרוּעַ)
hm) orzm (מזראה MZRAh) - Crop: What is sown. KJV (1): sown - Strongs: H4218 (מִזְרָע)
jm) nforz (זראהונ ZRAhWN) - Vegetable: As sown. KJV (2): pulse - Strongs: H2235 (זֵרֹעַ)
Jeff Benner, Ancient Hebrew Research Center Used by permission of the author.
a. a sowing הַשָּׂדֶה׳לְז Genesis 47:24 (J; + אָכְלְכֶם; otherwise Leviticus 27:16b, see below 2 c); ׳לֹא מְקוֺם ז Numbers 20:5 no place for sowing (J E; + וּתְאֵנָה וְגֶפֶן וְרִמּוֺן); compare ׳שְׂדֵה ז Ezekiel 17:5 a field suitable for sowing; hence
b. sowing as regularly recurring at its season Genesis 8:22 (J; "" קָצִיר, + קֹרוָחֹם וְקַיִץ וָחֹרֶף וְיוֺם וָלַיְלָה), Leviticus 26:5 (H; "" דַּיִשׁ, בָּצִיר; — compare Amos 9:13 below 2 a).
2 seed:
a. literally, sown, to raise crops for food, usually corn (wheat, barely, etc.) Genesis 47:19,23 (J; compare Genesis 47:14f.), Numbers 24:7 (JE); נָתַןלַֹזּרֵעַ ׳ז Isaiah 55:10 ("" לֶחֶם), Deuteronomy 28:38 (רַב׳ז), Leviticus 26:16 (H; with זָרַע), Leviticus 27:16a, חֹמֶר שְׂעֹרִים׳ז Leviticus 27:16b (both P), compare Isaiah 5:10.
b. figurative, of idolatry of Judah Isaiah 17:11 ("" קציר); of fortunes of Zion ׳מֶשֶׁךְ הַזּ Psalm 126:6 the dropping of seed, i.e. the proper quantity for sowing (opposed to אֲלֻמֹּת); Jeremiah 35:7 (with זָרַע, "" כֶּרֶם לֹא תִטָּ֔עוּ), compare Jeremiah 35:9 ("" כרם, שׂדה); ׳מְטַר ז Isaiah 30:23 (with זָרַע, "" לֶחֶםתְּבוּאַתּ הָאֲדָמָה); also Deuteronomy 11:10 (with זָרַע), Ecclesiastes 11:6 (c. id.); זֵרוּעַ׳ז Leviticus 11:37, compare Leviticus 11:38 (both P); as yielding the crop תְּבוּאַת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ Deuteronomy 14:22 the product of thy seed, compare d. below; ׳וְנִגַּשׁ תוֺרֵשׁ בַּקּוֺצֵר וְדֹרֵךְ עֲנָבִים בְּמשֵׁךְ הַזּ Amos 9:13, in figure of rapid and plentiful growth in the coming time; הָאָרֶץ׳ז producing a vine Ezekiel 17:5, of growth and prosperity of Israel; ׳הַזּ Malachi 2:3, read perhaps הַזְּרֹעַ (compare VB).
c. seed as product; the manna is compare with גַּד׳ז, coriander seed Numbers 11:7 (JE), Exodus 16:31 (P); seed of herbs and trees Genesis 1:11 (twice in verse); Genesis 1:12 (twice in verse); Genesis 1:29 (twice in verse) (all P). Especially
d. seed as corn-product, corn-crop, so (although not quite clearly) Deuteronomy 22:9 (with זָרַע; "" תְּבוּאַת הַכָּ֑רֶם); plural 1 Samuel 8:15 (perhaps better arable lands, compare above As zêru; "" כרמים), הָאָרֶץ׳ז Leviticus 27:30 ("" מְּרִיעֵֿץ; otherwise Genesis 47:24, compare above 1 a); שִׁחֹר׳ז Isaiah 23:3 ("" קְצִיר יְאוֺר); בַּמְּגוּרָה׳הַעוֺד הַזּ Haggai 2:19 ("" גֶּפֶן, תְּאֵנָה, רִמּוֺן, עֵץ הַזַּיִת); יָשִׁו֯ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ וְגָרְנְךָ יֶאֱסֹף Job 39:12 (of harvest); so perhaps ׳כְּבֵית סָאתַיִם ז 1 Kings 18:32.
e.זֶרַע הַשָּׁלוֺם הַגֶּפֶן Zechariah 8:12, read perhaps שׁלוֺם׳הַזּ the crop is security (= secure), so ᵑ6 Or and others; > Ew Hi and others who translate ׳הַשּׁ׳ז the growth of peace, making הַגֶּמֶּן appositive — Verbs used with ׳ז in these senses are: — usually זַרַע Genesis 1:11; Leviticus 26:16; Jeremiah 35:7 +; הִפְרִיחַ Isaiah 17:11; נָתַן בְּ = plant, sow Ezekiel 17:5; נָתַן yield Isaiah 55:10; מָשַׁךְ Amos 9:13.
3 seed = semen virile, וְנִזְרְעָה זָ֑רַע Numbers 5:28, and she shall be made pregnant with seed; usually ׳שִׁכְּבַתזֿ, flow of semen Leviticus 22:4 (H), Leviticus 15:16,32 (P; all with תֵּצֵא), Leviticus 15:17 (P; with הָיָה); as accusative modi שׁכב׳ז ׳אתאִֿשָּׁה שׁ Leviticus 19:20 (H), Leviticus 15:18; Numbers 5:13 (both P); so also נתן שְׁכָבְתּוֺ לְזרע Leviticus 18:20 (לְ Genitives); compare בְּהֵמָה׳אָדָם וז ׳ז Jeremiah 31:27 (as 2nd accusative after זָרַע q. v. 3 b).
4 seed = off spring:
a. rarely of animals, collective Genesis 3:15; Genesis 7:3 (both J). Usu.
b. of mankind, coll. = descendants, posterity; seed of the woman Genesis 3:15 (J); seed of the patriarchs (especially Abraham) Genesis 12:17; Genesis 13:15,16 (twice in verse); Genesis 16:10; Genesis 22:17 (twice in verse); Genesis 22:18; Genesis 24:7; Genesis 26:3,4 (3t. in verse); Genesis 26:24; Genesis 28:13,14 (twice in verse); Genesis 32:13 (all J), Genesis 15:13,18; Exodus 32:13 (twice in verse); Exodus 33:1 (all J E), Genesis 21:12; Joshua 24:3 (both E; in both promised seed of Abraham restricted to line of Isaac), Deuteronomy 11:9; Deuteronomy 34:4; Nehemiah 9:8; = a son as involving posterity Genesis 15:3,5 (JE) compare below; phrase זַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם Deuteronomy 1:8, compare Deuteronomy 4:37; Deuteronomy 10:15, so P, Genesis 17:7 (twice in verse); Genesis 17:8,9,10,19; Genesis 35:12; Genesis 48:4; זִרְעֲךָ אִתָּךְ Genesis 28:4 (P; compare Numbers 18:19); see also below
c. seed (= posterity) of other individuals Genesis 21:13 (E; of Ishmael) Genesis 24:60; Genesis 48:19 (both J), Numbers 14:24 (JE), Leviticus 21:21; Leviticus 22:3,4 (all H), Numbers 17:5 (P), 1 Samuel 20:42 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 24:22; 2 Samuel 4:8; 1 Kings 2:33 (twice in verse); 1 Kings 11:39; 2 Kings 5:27; Jeremiah 29:32; Ezekiel 43:19; Job 5:25 ("" צֶאֱצָאֶיךָ), Job 21:8 ("" id.); especially of seed of David as anointed to reign Psalm 18:51 = 2 Samuel 22:51 ("" לִמְשִׁיחוֺ), as sitting on throne Jeremiah 33:21, compare Jeremiah 33:22; Jeremiah 33:26, Psalm 89:5; Psalm 89:30; Psalm 89:37; of Jehoiachin Jeremiah 22:28,30, Jehoiakim Jeremiah 36:31 (compare Jeremiah 36:30); of child (son) as involving posterity Genesis 38:8,9 (twice in verse) (of Er's seed by Onam); Genesis 48:11 (all J), compare Genesis 19:32,31 (J), 2 Samuel 7:12; Ruth 4:12; Leviticus 21:15 (H); phrase זַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם of seed of Noah and his sons Genesis 9:9; of Aaron Exodus 28:43; of Phinehas Numbers 25:13 (all P); of David 1 Chronicles 17:11; לְזַרְעוֺ לְדֹרֹתָם Exodus 30:21 (P), compare Leviticus 21:17 (H; both of Aaron), see also b above ׳ז, of seed of righteous, especially Psalm: — Psalm 25:13; Psalm 37:25,26; Psalm 69:37; Psalm 102:29 ("" בָּנִים), Psalm 112:2 ("" דּוֺר ישׁרים), compare Psalm 22:31 (on text see Che); of wicked Psalm 21:11; Psalm 37:28.
d. specifically of a particular child (son) אַחֵר׳ז Genesis 4:25 (J); אֲנָשִׁים׳ז 1 Samuel 1:11; of children Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 20:2; Leviticus 20:34; Leviticus 22:13 (all H), 1 Samuel 2:20 (compare בָּנִים, בָּנוֺת 1 Samuel 2:21); children and grandchildren Genesis 46:6,7 (P).
e. family Genesis 17:12 (P; compare Assyrian zêr bit abišu Asrb Annals iii. 10); note especially of royal family הַמֶּלֶךְ׳ז 1 Kings 11:14; הַמַּמְלָכָה׳ז 2 Kings 11:1 2 Chronicles 22:10; הַמְּלוּכָה׳ז 2 Kings 25:25 = Jeremiah 41:1; Ezekiel 17:13; Daniel 1:3; = pedigree בית אבותם וְזַרְעָם Ezra 2:59 = Nehemiah 7:61; = one's nation, as of same blood Esther 10:3 ("" עַם). — Some verbs used with ׳ז in these senses are: — נָתַן, God subject Genesis 15:3; Ruth 4:12 (followed by מִן of woman); שִׂים 1 Samuel 2:20; with man as subject נתן Genesis 38:9; הֵקִים Genesis 38:8; ׳חִיָּה ז, keep alive, or give life to, of animals Genesis 7:3; of woman Genesis 19:32,34 (followed by מִן of man).
f. especially as name for people of Israel, seed of Abraham Isaiah 41:8; 2 Chronicles 20:7 ("" עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל), Jeremiah 33:26; Psalm 105:6 ("" בְּנֵי יעקִב); of Israel or Jacob 2 Kings 17:20; Nehemiah 9:2 ("" בני ישׂראל Nehemiah 9:1), Isaiah 43:5; Isaiah 45:19,25; Jeremiah 31:36,37; Jeremiah 33:26; Psalm 22:24 (twice in verse); 1 Chronicles 16:13 ("" בני יעקב); so בֵּית ישׂראל׳ז Jeremiah 23:8; Ezekiel 44:22 (ᵑ6ᵐ5 Manuscripts Co strike out בית); בית׳ז יעקב Ezekiel 20:5; in Esther. הַיְהוּדִים׳ז Esther 6:13; so of Edom (seed of Esau) Jeremiah 49:10, compare מִוֶּרע מָדַי Daniel 9:1.
g. seed of Israel (or Jacob, or the people), is used also, by (later) prophets, of future Generations, in addressing the people: — Deuteronomy 28:46,59; Deuteronomy 30:6,19; Deuteronomy 31:21, compare Numbers 18:19 (P; לְזַרְעֲךָ אִתָּ֑ךְ, "" וּלְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנוֺתֶיךָ), Jeremiah 30:10 = Jeremiah 46:27 (Jacob and Israel here = people), Psalm 106:27; "" צֶאֱצָא(יך ׅ Isaiah 44:3 (Jacob and Jeshurun), Isaiah 48:19, compare Isaiah 61:9; also Jeremiah 7:15; Isaiah 54:3; Isaiah 66:22 ("" שִׁמְכֶם); מִמִּי זַרְעֲךָ וּמִמִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ Isaiah 59:21; of Jews (יהודים) Esther 9:27,28,31.
5 seed as marked by moral quality = persons (or community) of such a quality; transition to this through such cases as those of ׳בְּרוּכֵי י׳ז Isaiah 65:23 ("" צֶאֱצָאִים), compare Isaiah 61:9; Isaiah 65:9; הַקֹּדֶשׁ׳ז Ezra 9:2 (of Israel), compare Isaiah 53:10; note, in good sense צַדִּיקִים׳ז Proverbs 11:21 (opposed to רַע); אֱמֶת׳ז Jeremiah 2:21 ("" שׂוֺרֵק); אלהים׳ז Malachi 2:15; — קֹדֶשׁ׳ז Isaiah 6:13 is a gloss; — in bad sense מְרֵעִים׳ז Isaiah 1:4 community of evil-doers ("" גּוֺיחֹֿטֵא, עַם כֶּבֶד עָוֺן, בָּנִיםמַשְׁחִיתִים), Isaiah 14:20; מְנָאֵף׳ז Isaiah 57:3 ("" בני עֹנֲנָה); שָֿׁ֑קֶר׳ז Isaiah 57:4 ("" יִלְדֵיפֶֿשַׁע).
זֶרַע const. id.; once זְרַע Numbers 11:7, with suff. זַרְעִי, pl. with suff. זַרְעֵיכֶם (1 Samuel 8:15).
(1) prop. sowing; hence seedtime, the time of sowing, i.e. winter, Genesis 8:22; Leviticus 26:5 also, a planting, Isaiah 17:11 (compare the root No. 3).
(2) seed, that which is scattered, whether of plants, trees, or grain, Genesis 1:11, 12, 29 47:23 Leviticus 26:16; Deuteronomy 22:9; Ecclesiastes 11:6 hence that which springs from seed sown, harvest, field of grain, 1 Samuel 8:15 the produce of fields, Job 39:12; Isaiah 23:3.
(3) semen virile, Leviticus 15:16, seq.; 18:21 19:20 (comp. the verb, Niphal, No. 3; Hiphil, No. 2); hence
(a) offspring, progeny, descendants, Genesis 3:15, 13:16 15:5, 13 Genesis 15:13, 17:7, 10 Genesis 17:10, 21:13, etc.; also of one son (when an only one, the passage therefore, Genesis 3:15, is not to be thus explained, as is done by polemical theologians), Genesis 4:25. 1 Samuel 1:11, זֶרַע אֲנָשִׁים “male offspring.” [The remark upon Genesis 3:15 is intended apparently to contradict its application to the Lord Jesus Christ and his redemption, as if he could not be the seed of the woman; in reply it will here suffice to remark, that in the very passage cited, immediately after Genesis 4:25, it is clear that זֶרַע is used of one son, namely, Seth, when he was not an only one, because Cain was yet alive; and further, this seed of the woman was to bruise the head of the tempter, “thy head,” which can in no sense apply to any but Christ individually, who became incarnate, “that by means of death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil.”] זֶרַע זַרְעֶךָ the offspring of thy offspring, i.e. thy descendants, Isaiah 59:21.
(b) stock, race, family; זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל Psalms 22:24. זֶרַע הַמֶּלֶךְ, ז׳ הַמַּמְלָכָה the royal race, 2 Kings 11:1; 1 Kings 11:14.
(c) a race of men, as זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ Isaiah 6:13 זֶרַע בְּרוּכֵי יְיָ Isaiah 65:23 and in an evil sense, זֶרַע מְרֵעִים Isaiah 1:4 זֶרַע שֶׁקֶר Isaiah 57:4 comp. Hebr. פִּרְחָח, Gr. γέννημα, Matthew 3:17 Germ. Brut, French race.
[“(4) a planting, what is planted, Isaiah 17:11. Also, a sprout, a shoot, Ezekiel 17:5. See the root in Kal No. 3.”]