Lexical Summary zera: a sowing, seed, offspring Original Word: זֶרַעTransliteration: zera Phonetic Spelling: (zeh'-rah) Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Short Definition: a sowing, seed, offspring Meaning: seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity Strong's Concordance child, fruitful, seedtime, sowing- time From zara'; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity -- X carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing- time. see HEBREW zara' Brown-Driver-Briggs H2233. zera זֶ֫רַע noun masculineDeuteronomy 28:38 sowing, seed, offspring (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic זְרַע, ; Phoenician זרע; Zinjirli id.; Arabic seed-produce, seed; Ethiopic Assyrian zêru, cultivated land, BelserBAS ii. 130, compare Arabic ) — absolute ׳ז Genesis 47:23 =; זָ֑רַע 1:29 +; construct זֶרַע Isaiah 5:10 +; זְרַעֿ Numbers 11:7; suffix זַרְעִי 1 Samuel 20:42; 24:22; זַרְעֲךָ Deuteronomy 11:10 +; זַרְעֶ֑ךָ Ecclesiastes 11:6 +; etc.; plural suffix זַרְעֵיכֶם 1 Samuel 8:15; — 1 literal: a. a sowing ׳לְז הַשָּׂדֶה Genesis 47:24 (J; + אָכְלְכֶם; otherwise Leviticus 27:16 b, see below 2c); ז מְקוֺם ׳לֹא Numbers 20:5 no place for sowing (J E; + וְרִמּוֺן וְגֶפֶן וּתְאֵנָה); compare ז ׳שְׂדֵה Ezekiel 17:5 a field suitable for sowing; hence b. sowing as regularly recurring at its season Genesis 8:22 (J; "" קָצִיר, + וָלַיְלָה וְיוֺם וָחֹרֶף וְקַיִץ וָחֹם קֹר), Leviticus 26:5 (H; "" בָּצִיר דַּיִשׁ,; — compare Amos 9:13 below 2a). 2 seed: a. literally, sown, to raise crops for food, usually corn (wheat, barely, etc.) Genesis 47:19, 23 (J; compare 47:14f.), Numbers 24:7 (JE); ׳ז לַֹזּרֵעַ נָתַן Isaiah 55:10 ("" לֶחֶם), Deuteronomy 28:38 (׳ז רַב), Leviticus 26:16 (H; with זָרַע), 27:16 a, ׳ז שְׂעֹרִים חֹמֶר 27:16b (both P), compare Isaiah 5:10. b. figurative, of idolatry of Judah Isaiah 17:11 ("" קציר); of fortunes of Zion הַזּ ׳מֶשֶׁךְ Psalm 126:6 the dropping of seed, i.e. the proper quantity for sowing (opposed to אֲלֻמֹּת); Jeremiah 35:7 (with זָרַע, "" תִטָּ֔עוּ לֹא כֶּרֶם), compare 35:9 ("" שׂדה כרם,); ז ׳מְטַר Isaiah 30:23 (with זָרַע, "" הָאֲדָמָה תְּבוּאַתּ לֶחֶם); also Deuteronomy 11:10 (with זָרַע), Ecclesiastes 11:6 (c. id.); ׳ז זֵרוּעַ Leviticus 11:37, compare 11:38 (both P); as yielding the crop זַרְעֶ֑ךָ תְּבוּאַת Deuteronomy 14:22 the product of thy seed, compare d. below; הַזּ בְּמשֵׁךְ עֲנָבִים וְדֹרֵךְ בַּקּוֺצֵר תוֺרֵשׁ ׳וְנִגַּשׁ Amos 9:13, in figure of rapid and plentiful growth in the coming time; ׳ז הָאָרֶץ 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 ׳ז גַּד, coriander seed Numbers 11:7 (JE), Exodus 16:31 (P); seed of herbs and trees Genesis 1:11 (twice in verse); 1:12 (twice in verse); 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; "" הַכָּ֑רֶם תְּבוּאַת); plural 1 Samuel 8:15 (perhaps better arable lands, compare above As zêru; "" כרמים), ׳ז הָאָרֶץ Leviticus 27:30 ("" מְּרִיעֵֿץ; otherwise Genesis 47:24, compare above 1a); ׳ז שִׁחֹר Isaiah 23:3 ("" יְאוֺר קְצִיר); הַזּ ׳הַעוֺד בַּמְּגוּרָה Haggai 2:19 ("" הַזַּיִת עֵץ רִמּוֺן, תְּאֵנָה, גֶּפֶן,); יֶאֱסֹף וְגָרְנְךָ זַרְעֶ֑ךָ יָשִׁו֯ב Job 39:12 (of harvest); so perhaps ז סָאתַיִם ׳כְּבֵית 1 Kings 18:32. e. הַגֶּפֶן הַשָּׁלוֺם זֶרַע Zechariah 8:12, read perhaps ׳הַזּ שׁלוֺם the crop is security (= secure), so ᵑ6 Or and others; > Ew Hi and others who translate ׳ז ׳הַשּׁ 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; בְּ נָתַן = plant, sow Ezekiel 17:5; נָתַן yield Isaiah 55:10; מָשַׁךְ Amos 9:13. 3 seed = semen virile, זָ֑רַע וְנִזְרְעָה Numbers 5:28, and she shall be made pregnant with seed; usually ׳שִׁכְּבַתזֿ, flow of semen Leviticus 22:4 (H), 15:16, 32 (P; all with תֵּצֵא), 15:17 (P; with הָיָה); as accusative modi שׁ ׳אתאִֿשָּׁה ׳ז שׁכב 19:20 (H), 15:18; Numbers 5:13 (both P); so also לְזרע שְׁכָבְתּוֺ נתן Leviticus 18:20 (לְ Genitives); compare ׳ז וז ׳אָדָם בְּהֵמָה Jeremiah 31:27 (as 2nd accusative after זָרַע q. v. 3b). 4 seed = off spring: a. rarely of animals, collective Genesis 3:15; 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) 12:17; 13:15-16, (twice in verse); 16:10; 22:17 (twice in verse); 22:18; 24:7; 26:3-4, (3 t. in verse); 26:24; 28:13-14, (twice in verse); 32:13 (all J), 15:13, 18; Exodus 32:13 (twice in verse); 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; 34:4; Nehemiah 9:8; = a son as involving posterity Genesis 15:3, 5 (JE) compare below; phrase אַחֲרֵיהֶם זַרְעָם Deuteronomy 1:8, compare 4:37; 10:15, so P, Genesis 17:7 (twice in verse); 17:8-9, 10, 19; 35:12; 48:4; אִתָּךְ זִרְעֲךָ 28:4 (P; compare Numbers 18:19); see also below c. seed (= posterity) of other individuals Genesis 21:13 (E; of Ishmael) 24:60; 48:19 (both J), Numbers 14:24 (JE), Leviticus 21:21; 22:3-4, (all H), Numbers 17:5 (P), 1 Samuel 20:42 (twice in verse); 24:22; 2 Samuel 4:8; 1 Kings 2:33 (twice in verse); 11:39; 2 Kings 5:27; Jeremiah 29:32; Ezekiel 43:19; Job 5:25 ("" צֶאֱצָאֶיךָ), 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 33:22; 33:26, Psalm 89:5; 89:30; 89:37; of Jehoiachin Jeremiah 22:28, 30, Jehoiakim 36:31 (compare 36:30); of child (son) as involving posterity Genesis 38:8-9, (twice in verse) (of Er's seed by Onam); 48:11 (all J), compare 19:32, 31 (J), 2 Samuel 7:12; Ruth 4:12; Leviticus 21:15 (H); phrase אַחֲרֵיהֶם זַרְעָם 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; לְדֹרֹתָם לְזַרְעוֺ Exodus 30:21 (P), compare Leviticus 21:17 (H; both of Aaron), see also b above ׳ז, of seed of righteous, especially Psalms: — Psalm 25:13; 37:25-26, Psalm 69:37; Psalm 102:29 ("" בָּנִים), 112:2 ("" ישׁרים דּוֺר), compare 22:31 (on text see Che); of wicked 21:11; 37:28. d. specifically of a particular child (son) ׳ז אַחֵר Genesis 4:25 (J); ׳ז אֲנָשִׁים 1 Samuel 1:11; of children Leviticus 18:21; 20:2; Leviticus 20:34; 22:13 (all H), 1 Samuel 2:20 (compare בָּנוֺת בָּנִים,2:21); children and grandchildren Genesis 46:6-7, (P). e. family Genesis 17:12 (P; compare Assyrian zêr bit abišu AsrbAnnals iii. 10); note especially of royal family ׳ז הַמֶּלֶךְ 1 Kings 11:14; ׳ז הַמַּמְלָכָה 2 Kings 11:1 2 Chronicles 22:10; ׳ז הַמְּלוּכָה 2 Kings 25:25 = Jeremiah 41:1; Ezekiel 17:13; Daniel 1:3; = pedigree וְזַרְעָם אבותם בית 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 38:8; ז ׳חִיָּה, keep alive, or give life to, of animals 7:3; of woman 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 ("" יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּךָ), Jeremiah 33:26; Psalm 105:6 ("" יעקִב בְּנֵי); of Israel or Jacob 2 Kings 17:20; Nehemiah 9:2 ("" ישׂראל בני 9:1), Isaiah 43:5; 45:19, 25; Jeremiah 31:36-37, 33:26; Psalm 22:24 (twice in verse); 1 Chronicles 16:13 ("" יעקב בני); so ׳ז ישׂראל בֵּית Jeremiah 23:8; Ezekiel 44:22 (ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Manuscripts Co strike out בית); יעקב ׳ז בית 20:5; in Esther. ׳ז הַיְהוּדִים Esther 6:13; so of Edom (seed of Esau) Jeremiah 49:10, compare מָדַי מִוֶּרע 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; 30:6, 19; 31:21, compare Numbers 18:19 (P; אִתָּ֑ךְ לְזַרְעֲךָ, "" וְלִבְנוֺתֶיךָ וּלְבָנֶיךָ), Jeremiah 30:10 = 46:27 (Jacob and Israel here = people), Psalm 106:27; "" ׅ צֶאֱצָא(יך Isaiah 44:3 (Jacob and Jeshurun), 48:19, compare 61:9; also Jeremiah 7:15; Isaiah 54:3; 66:22 ("" שִׁמְכֶם); זַרְעֲךָ זֶרַע וּמִמִּי זַרְעֲךָ מִמִּי 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 ׳ז י ׳בְּרוּכֵי Isaiah 65:23 ("" צֶאֱצָאִים), compare 61:9; 65:9; ׳ז הַקֹּדֶשׁ Ezra 9:2 (of Israel), compare Isaiah 53:10; note, in good sense ׳ז צַדִּיקִים Proverbs 11:21 (opposed to רַע); ׳ז אֱמֶת Jeremiah 2:21 ("" שׂוֺרֵק); ׳ז אלהים Malachi 2:15; — ׳ז קֹדֶשׁ Isaiah 6:13 is a gloss; — in bad sense ׳ז מְרֵעִים 1:4 community of evil-doers ("" מַשְׁחִיתִים בָּנִים עָוֺן, כֶּבֶד עַם גּוֺיחֹֿטֵא,), 14:20; ׳ז מְנָאֵף 57:3 ("" עֹנֲנָה בני); שָֿׁ֑קֶר׳ז 57:4 ("" יִלְדֵיפֶֿשַׁע). |