---
title: זָנַב — cut off · The Tanakh dictionary
description: זָנַב (2179), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 2 times: cut off. BDB 1906: vb.denom. cut off, or smite, the tail. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# זָנַב

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«זָנַב» in the Tanakh dictionary: **cut off** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 2 times · **Key:** 2179 · **BDB:** זִנֵּב

### Glosses

it.attacked.in.the.rear (1); you.will.attack.in.the.rear (1)

### Meaning (OSHB)

cut off [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/2179/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

vb.denom. cut off, or smite, the tail [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/2179/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** vb.denom. cut off, or smite, the tail, only fig., of hostile attack in war; Pf. consec. 2 mpl. וְזִנַּבְתֶּם Jos 10:19 (sq. אֹתָם); Impf. 3 ms. וַיְזַנֵּב בְּךָ כָּל־הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִים Dt 25:18; in both = attack or smite in the rear.

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Why these entries: BDB: same consonants, part of speech agrees, 2 of its verses cited, 0 words shared with the glosses (3 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 2 words shared with the BDB entry, 0 with the glosses (2 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «זָנַב» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/2179/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Deuteronomy 25:18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/DEU.25.18/)

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אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָֽרְךָ֜ בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וַיְזַנֵּ֤ב בְּךָ֙ כָּל־הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִ֣ים אַֽחַרֶ֔יךָוְאַתָּ֖ה עָיֵ֣ף וְיָגֵ֑עַ וְלֹ֥א יָרֵ֖א אֱלֹהִֽים׃

*Word for word:* (cmp) it met.you on the way and it.attacked.in.the.rear among you all \[those who.were\].straggling behind you and you \[were\].exhausted and weary and not it.feared God

*JPS 1917:* how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were enfeebled in thy rear, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

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[Joshua 10:19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/JOS.10.19/)

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וְאַתֶּם֙ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֔דוּ רִדְפוּ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י אֹֽיְבֵיכֶ֔ם וְזִנַּבְתֶּ֖ם אוֹתָ֑ם אַֽל־תִּתְּנ֗וּם לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם כִּ֧י נְתָנָ֛ם יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶֽם׃

*Word for word:* and you do.not delay pursue after enemies your and you.will.attack.in.the.rear them do.not permit them to go into cities their (dm) he has.given.them Yahweh God your in hand your

*JPS 1917:* but stay not ye; pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities; for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.'

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