BDB2464
זֶ֫רַע noun masculine Deut 28:38 sowing, seed, offspring (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic זְרַע, [untranscribed source text 1560]; Phoenician זרע; Zinjirli id.; Arabic [untranscribed source text 1561] seed-produce, seed; Ethiopic [untranscribed source text 1562] Assyrian zêru , cultivated land, BelserBAS ii. 130, compare Arabic [untranscribed source text 1563]) — absolute ׳ ז Gen 47:23 =; זָ֑רַע Gen 1:29 +; construct זֶרַע Isa 5:10 +; זְרַעֿ Num 11:7 suffix זַרְעִי 1Sam 20:42; 1Sam 24:22 זַרְעֲךָ Deut 11:10 +; זַרְעֶ֑ךָ Eccl 11:6 +; etc.; plural suffix זַרְעֵיכֶם 1Sam 8:15 —
1. literal:
a. a sowing
הַשָּׂדֶה
׳
לְז
Gen 47:24 (
J
; + אָכְלְכֶם; otherwise Lev 27:16 b, see below 2.c.);
׳
לֹא מְקוֺם ז
Num 20:5
no place for sowing (
J
E
; + וּתְאֵנָה וְגֶפֶן וְרִמּוֺן); compare ׳
שְׂדֵה ז
Ezek 17:5
a field suitable for sowing; hence
b.
sowing as regularly recurring at its season Gen 8:22 (
J
; || קָצִיר, + קֹר
וָחֹם וְקַיִץ וָחֹרֶף וְיוֺם וָלַיְלָה), Lev 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.) Gen 47:19
;
Gen 47:23
(
J
; compare Gen 47:14f.), Num 24:7 (
J
E
); נָתַן
לַֹזּרֵעַ
׳
ז
Isa 55:10
(|| לֶחֶם), Deut 28:38 (רַב
׳
ז), Lev 26:16 (
H
; with זָרַע), Lev 27:16 a, חֹמֶר שְׂעֹרִים
׳
ז Lev 27:16b (both
P
), compare
Isa 5:10.
b. figurative, of idolatry of Judah Isa 17:11 (|| קציר
); of fortunes of Zion ׳
מֶשֶׁךְ הַזּ
Ps 126:6
the dropping of seed, i.e. the proper quantity for sowing (opposed to
אֲלֻמֹּת
); Jer
35:7
(with זָרַע, || כֶּרֶם לֹא תִטָּ֔עוּ), compare Jer 35:9 (|| כרם
, שׂדה); ׳
מְטַר ז
Isa 30:23
(with זָרַע, || לֶחֶם
תְּבוּאַתּ הָאֲדָמָה); also Deut 11:10 (with זָרַע), Eccl 11:6 (c.
id.
); זֵרוּעַ
׳
ז
Lev 11:37
,
compare Lev
11:38
(both
P
); as yielding the crop תְּבוּאַת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ
Deut 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 Ezek 17:5, of growth and prosperity of Israel; ׳
הַזּ
Mal 2:3, read
perhaps הַזְּרֹעַ (compare
VB
).
c.
seed as product; the manna is compare with גַּד
׳
ז, coriander seed
Num 11:7
(
J
E
),
Exod 16:31 (
P
); seed of herbs and trees Gen 1:11 (twice in verse); Gen 1:12 (twice in verse); Gen 1:29
(twice in verse) (all
P
). Especially
d.
seed as corn-product, corn-crop, so (although not quite
clearly)
Deut 22:9
(with זָרַע; || תְּבוּאַת הַכָּ֑רֶם); plural 1Sam 8:15
(perhaps better arable lands, compare above As zêru
; || כרמים), הָאָרֶץ
׳
ז
Lev
27:30
(|| פְּרִיעֵֿץ; otherwise Gen 47:24, compare above 1.a.);
שִׁחֹר
׳
ז
Isa
23:3 (|| קְצִיר יְאוֺר); בַּמְּגוּרָה
׳
הַעוֺד הַזּ
Hag
2:19 (|| גֶּפֶן, תְּאֵנָה, רִמּוֺן
,
עֵץ הַזַּיִת); יָשִׁו֯ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ וְגָרְנְךָ יֶאֱסֹף
Job 39:12 (of harvest); so perhaps ׳
כְּבֵית סָאתַיִם ז
1Kgs 18:32
.
e.
זֶרַע הַשָּׁלוֺם הַגֶּפֶן
Zech 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 הַגֶּפֶּן appositive —
Verbs
used with ׳
ז in these senses are: — usually זַרַע
Gen
1:11;
Lev 26:16; Jer 35:7 +; הִפְרִיחַ
Isa 17:11
נָתַן בְּ = plant, sow
Ezek 17:5
נָתַן
yield
Isa 55:10
מָשַׁךְ
Amos 9:13.
3.
seed = semen virile, וְנִזְרְעָה זָ֑רַע
Num 5:28,
and she shall be made pregnant with seed; usually ׳
שִׁכְּבַתזֿ, flow of semen
Lev 22:4 (
H
),
Lev
15:16;
Lev 15:32 (
P
; all with תֵּצֵא), Lev 15:17 (
P
; with הָיָה); as accusative modi
שׁכב
׳
ז
׳
אתאִֿשָּׁה שׁ
Lev 19:20
(
H
),
Lev
15:18;
Num
5:13 (both
P
); so also נתן שְׁכָבְתּוֺ לְזרע
Lev 18:20
(
לְ genitives); compare בְּהֵמָה
׳
אָדָם וז
׳
ז
Jer 31:27
(as 2nd accusative after
זָרַע
q. v. 3.b.).
4.
seed = offspring:
a. rarely of animals, collective Gen 3:15; Gen 7:3 (both
J
). Usu.
b. of mankind, coll. = descendants, posterity; seed of the
woman
Gen 3:15 (
J
); seed of the patriarchs (especially Abraham) Gen 12:17; Gen 13:15; Gen 13:16 (twice in verse);
Gen 16:10
;
Gen 22:17
(twice in verse);
Gen 22:18;
Gen 24:7;
Gen 26:3;
Gen 26:4 (3 t. in verse); Gen 26:24; Gen 28:13; Gen 28:14 (twice in verse); Gen 32:13 (all
J
),
Gen
15:13;
Gen 15:18; Exod 32:13 (twice in verse); Exod 33:1 (all
J
E
),
Gen
21:12;
Josh
24:3 (both
E
; in both promised seed of Abraham restricted to line of Isaac), Deut 11:9; Deut 34:4; Neh 9:8 = a son
as involving posterity Gen 15:3; Gen 15:5 (
J
E
) compare below; phrase זַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם
Deut 1:8,
compare
Deut 4:37;
Deut 10:15
,
so
P
, Gen
17:7
(twice in verse); Gen 17:8; Gen 17:9; Gen 17:10; Gen 17:19; Gen 35:12; Gen 48:4
זִרְעֲךָ אִתָּךְ
Gen 28:4 (
P
; compare Num 18:19); see also below c.
c.
seed (= posterity) of other individuals Gen 21:13 (
E
; of Ishmael) Gen 24:60; Gen 48:19 (both
J
),
Num
14:24 (
J
E
),
Lev
21:21;
Lev
22:3;
Lev
22:4 (all
H
), Num
17:5
(
P
),
1Sam
20:42 (twice in verse); 1Sam 24:22; 2Sam 4:8; 1Kgs 2:33 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 11:39; 2Kgs 5:27;
Jer 29:32
;
Ezek 43:19
; Job 5:25
(||
צֶאֱצָאֶיךָ), Job 21:8 (|| id.); especially of seed of David as
anointed to reign Ps 18:51 = 2Sam 22:51 (|| לִמְשִׁיחוֺ), as sitting on
throne
Jer 33:21
,
compare Jer
33:22 Jer 33:26, Ps 89:5; Ps 89:30; Ps 89:37 of Jehoiachin Jer 22:28
; Jer
22:30, Jehoiakim Jer 36:31
(compare
Jer
36:30); of child (son) as involving posterity Gen 38:8; Gen 38:9 (twice in verse) (of Er's seed by
Onam); Gen
48:11
(all
J
), compare Gen 19:32; Gen 19:31 (
J
),
2Sam
7:12;
Ruth
4:12;
Lev 21:15 (
H
); phrase זַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם of seed of Noah and his sons Gen 9:9 of Aaron Exod 28:43
of Phinehas Num 25:13
(all
P
); of David 1Chr 17:11
לְזַרְעוֺ לְדֹרֹתָם
Exod 30:21
(
P
), compare Lev 21:17 (
H
; both of Aaron), see also b. above ׳
ז, of seed of righteous, especially Psalms: — Ps 25:13; Ps 37:25
; Ps 37:26
;
Ps 69:37
;
Ps 102:29
(|| בָּנִים), Ps 112:2 (|| דּוֺר ישׁרים), compare Ps 22:31 (on text see
Che); of wicked Ps 21:11; Ps 37:28.
d.
specifically
of a particular child (son) אַחֵר
׳
ז
Gen 4:25 (
J
); אֲנָשִׁים
׳
ז
1Sam 1:11
of
children Lev
18:21
; Lev 20:2
;
Lev 20:34
;
Lev 22:13
(all
H
), 1Sam
2:20
(compare בָּנִים, בָּנוֺת
1Sam 2:21);
children and grandchildren Gen 46:6; Gen 46:7 (
P
).
e.
family
Gen 17:12
(
P
; compare Assyrian
zêr bit abišu
AsrbAnnals iii. 10); note especially of
royal family
הַמֶּלֶךְ
׳
ז
1Kgs
11:14
הַמַּמְלָכָה
׳
ז
2Kgs 11:1
= 2Chr
22:10
הַמְּלוּכָה
׳
ז
2Kgs
25:25
= Jer
41:1; Ezek 17:13; Dan 1:3 = pedigree
בית אבותם וְזַרְעָם
Ezra 2:59
= Neh 7:61
= one's nation, as of same blood Esth 10:3 (|| עַם). —
Some verbs used
with ׳
ז in these senses are: — נָתַן, God subject Gen 15:3; Ruth 4:12 (followed by
מִן of woman); שִׂים
1Sam 2:20
with man as subject נתן
Gen 38:9
הֵקִים Gen 38:8
׳
חִיָּה ז, keep alive, or give life to, of
animals Gen 7:3
of woman
Gen
19:32;
Gen 19:34 (followed by מִן of man).
f.
especially as name for people of Israel, seed of Abraham
Isa 41:8
;
2Chr 20:7
(|| עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל), Jer 33:26; Ps 105:6 (|| בְּנֵי יעקִב
); of Israel
or Jacob
2Kgs 17:20;
Neh 9:2 (|| בני ישׂראל Neh 9:1), Isa 43:5; Isa 45:19
;
Isa 45:25
;
Jer
31:36; Jer 31:37; Jer 33:26; Ps 22:24 (twice in verse); 1Chr
16:13 (||
בני יעקב); so בֵּית ישׂראל
׳
ז
Jer 23:8
;
Ezek
44:22
(
ᵑ6
ᵐ5
Manuscripts Co strike out בית);
בית
׳
ז
יעקב
Ezek 20:5
in Esther. הַיְהוּדִים
׳
ז
Esth 6:13
so of Edom (seed of Esau) Jer 49:10, compare מִוֶּרע מָדַי
Dan 9:1.
g.
seed of Israel (or Jacob, or the people), is used also, by (later) prophets, of
future generations, in addressing the people: — Deut 28:46; Deut
28:59
;
Deut
30:6;
Deut 30:19; Deut 31:21, compare Num 18:19 (
P
; לְזַרְעֲךָ אִתָּ֑ךְ, || וּלְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנוֺתֶיךָ),
Jer
30:10
= Jer
46:27 (Jacob and Israel here = people), Ps 106:27 ||
צֶאֱצָא(יך ׅ
Isa 44:3
(Jacob and Jeshurun), Isa 48:19, compare Isa 61:9 also Jer 7:15; Isa 54:3
;
Isa 66:22
(|| שִׁמְכֶם); מִפִּי זַרְעֲךָ וּמִפִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ
Isa
59:21 of Jews (יהודים) Esth 9:27; Esth 9:28; Esth
9:31.
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
Isa
65:23
(|| צֶאֱצָאִים), compare Isa 61:9; Isa 65:9
הַקֹּדֶשׁ
׳
ז
Ezra 9:2
(of
Israel), compare Isa
53:10 note, in good sense צַדִּיקִים
׳
ז
Prov
11:21
(opposed to רַע); אֱמֶת
׳
ז
Jer 2:21
(||
שׂוֺרֵק); אלהים
׳
ז
Mal 2:15
—
קֹדֶשׁ
׳
ז
Isa 6:13
is a
gloss; — in bad sense מְרֵעִים
׳
ז
Isa 1:4
community of evil-doers (|| גּוֺיחֹֿטֵא, עַם כֶּבֶד
עָוֺן
, בָּנִים
מַשְׁחִיתִים), Isa 14:20
מְנָאֵף
׳
ז
Isa 57:3
(||
בני עֹנֲנָה); שָֿׁ֑קֶר
׳
ז
Isa 57:4 (|| יִלְדֵיפֶֿשַׁע).