--- title: זֶרַע — sowing · The Tanakh dictionary description: זֶרַע (2233), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 229 times: sowing. BDB 1906: n.m. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/2233.html) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [Tanakh](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/) / [ז](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/1494-2.md)‎ / זֶרַע‎ # זֶרַע «זֶרַע» in the Tanakh dictionary: **sowing** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers. **Used:** 229 times · **Key:** 2233 · **BDB:** זֶ֫רַע ### Glosses offspring (123); seed (32); the.offspring (25) ### Meaning (OSHB) sowing [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/2233/#m1) ### Meaning (BDB 1906) n.m. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/2233/#m2) **The whole BDB entry:** n.m. Dt. 28:38 sowing, seed, offspring (NH id., Aramaic זְרַע, ܙܪܰܥ; Ph. זרע; Zinj. id.; Arabic زَرْعٌ 2 Ethiopic ዘርእ; Assyrian zêru, cultivated land, BelserBAS ii. 130, cf. Arabic زَرْعَةٌ )—abs. ז׳ Gn 47:23 +; זָ֑רַע Gn 1:29 +; cstr. זֶרַע Is 5:10 +; זְרַע־ Nu 11:7; sf. זַרְעִי 1 S 20:42; 24:22; זַרְעֲךָ Dt 11:10 +; זַרְעֶ֑ךָ Ec 11:6 +, etc.; pl. sf. זַרְעֵיכֶם 1 S 8:15;— lit.: a sowing לְז׳ הַשָּׂדֶה Gn 47:24 (J; + אָכְלְכֶם; otherwise Lv 27:16 b, v. infr. 2 c); לֹא מְקוֹם ז׳ Nu 20:5 no place for sowing (JE; + וּתְאֵנָה וְגֶפֶן וְרִמּוֹן); cf. שְׂדֵה ז׳ Ez 17:5 a field suitable for sowing; hence sowing as regularly recurring at its season Gn 8:22 (J; ‖ קָצִיר, + קֹר וָחֹם וְקַיִץ וָחֹרֶף וְיוֹם וָלַיְלָה), Lv 26:5 (H; ‖ דַּיִשׁ, בָּצִיר;—cf. Am 9:13 infr. 2 a). seed: lit., sown, to raise crops for food, usually corn (wheat, barley, etc.) Gn 47:19, 23 (J; cf. v 14 f.), Nu 24:7 (JE); נָתַן ז׳ לַזֹּרֵעַ Is 55:10 (‖ לֶחֶם), Dt 28:38 (ז׳ רַב), Lv 26:16 (H; c. זָרַע), 27:16a, ז׳ חֹמֶר שְׂעֹרִים v 16b (both P), cf. Is 5:10. fig., of idolatry of Judah Is 17:11 (‖ קציר); of fortunes of Zion מֶשֶׁךְ הַזּ׳ ψ 126:6 the dropping of seed, i.e. the proper quantity for sowing (opp. אֲלֻמֹּת); Je 35:7 (c. זָרַע, ‖ כֶּרֶם לֹא תִטָּ֔עוּ), cf. v 9 (‖ כרם, שׂדה); מְטַר ז׳ Is 30:23 (c. זָרַע ‖ לֶחֶם תְּבוּאַת הָאֲדָמָה); also Dt 11:10 (c. זָרַע), Ec 11:6 (c. id.); ז׳ זֵרוּעַ Lv 11:37, cf. v 38 (both P); as yielding the crop תְּבוּאַת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ Dt 14:22 the product of thy seed, cf. d infr.; וְנִגַּשׁ חוֹרֵשׁ בַּקּוֹצֵר וְדֹרֵךְ עֲנָבִים בְּמשֵׁךְ הַזּ׳ Am 9:13, in fig. of rapid and plentiful growth in the coming time; ז׳ הָאָרֶץ producing a vine Ez 17:5, of growth and prosperity of Isr.; הַזּ׳ Mal 2:3, read perhaps הַזְּרֹעַ (cf. VB). seed as product; the manna is comp. with ז׳ גַּד, coriander seed in Nu 11:7 (JE), Ex 16:31 (P); seed of herbs and trees Gn 1:11(×2), 12(×2), 29(×2) (all P). Especially seed as 3, so (although not quite clearly) Dt 22:9 (c. זָרַע; ‖ תְּבוּאַת הַכָּ֑רֶם); pl. 1 S 8:15 (perhaps better arable lands, cf. supr. As zêru; ‖ כרמים), ז׳ הָאָרֶץ Lv 27:30 (‖ פְּרִי־עֵץ; otherwise Gn 47:24, cf. supr. 1 a); ז׳ שִׁחֹר Is 23:3 (‖ קְצִיר יְאוֹר); הַעוֹד הַזּ׳ בַּמְּגוּרָה Hg 2:19 (‖ גֶּפֶן, תְּאֵנָה, רִמּוֹן, עֵץ הַזַּיִת); יָשִׁו֯ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ וְגָרְנְךָ יֶאֱסֹף Jb 39:12 (of harvest); so perhaps כְּבֵית סָאתַיִם ז׳ 1 K 18:32. זֶרַע הַשָּׁלוֹם הַגֶּפֶן Zc 8:12, read perhaps הַזּ׳ שׁלוֹם the crop is security (=secure), so 𝔖 Or al.; \> Ew Hi al. who transl. ז׳ הַשּׁ׳ the growth of peace, making הַגֶּפֶן appos.—Vbs. used c. ז׳ in these senses are:—usually זָרַע Gn 1:11 Lv 26:16 Je 35:7 +; הִפְרִיחַ Is 17:11; נָתַן בְּ=plant, sow Ez 17:5; נָתַן yield Is 55:10; מָשַׁךְ Am 9:13. seed=semen virile, וְנִזְרְעָה זָ֑רַע Nu 5:28, and she shall be made pregnant with seed; usually שִׁכְבַת־ז׳, flow of semen Lv 22:4 (H), Lv 15:16, 32 (P; all c. תֵּצֵא) 15:17 (P; c. הָיָה); as acc. modi שׁכב את־אִשָּׁה שׁ׳ ז׳ Lv 19:20 (H), 15:18 Nu 5:13 (both P); so also נתן שְׁכָבְתּוֹ לְזרע Lv 18:20 (לְ genitiv.); cf. ז׳ אָדָם וז׳ בְּהֵמָה Je 31:27 (as 2nd acc. after זָרַע q.v. 3 b). seed = off spring: rarely of animals, coll. Gn 3:15; 7:3 (both J). Usually of mankind, coll. =descendants, posterity; seed of the woman Gn 3:15 (J); seed of the patriarchs (especially Abr.) 12:17; 13:15, 16(×2); 16:10; 22:17(×2), 18; 24:7; 26:3, 4(×3), 24; 28:13, 14(×2); 32:13 (all J), 15:13, 18 Ex 32:13(×2); 33:1 (all JE), Gn 21:12 Jos 24:3 (both E; in both promised seed of Abr. restricted to line of Isaac), Dt 11:9; 34:4 Ne 9:8; = a son as involving posterity Gn 15:3, 5 (JE) cf. infr.; phr. זַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם Dt 1:8, cf. 4:37; 10:15, so P, Gn 17:7(×2), 8, 9, 10, 19; 35:12; 48:4; זַרְעֲךָ אִתָּךְ Gn 28:4 (P; cf. Nu 18:19); v. also infr. c. seed(= posterity) of other individuals Gn 21:13 (E; of Ishmael) 24:60; 48:19 (both J), Nu 14:24 (JE), Lv 21:21; 22:3, 4 (all H), Nu 17:5 (P), 1 S 20:42(×2) 24:22 2 S 4:8 1 K 2:33(×2) 11:39 2 K 5:27 Je 29:32 Ez 43:19 Jb 5:25 (‖ צֶאֱצָאֶיךָ), 21:8 (‖ id.); especially of seed of David as anointed to reign ψ 18:51 = 2 S 22:51 (‖ לִמְשִׁיחוֹ), as sitting on throne Je 33:21, cf. v 22, 26, ψ 89:5, 30, 37; of Jehoiachin Je 22:28, 30, Jehoiakim 36:31 (cf. v 30); of child (son) as involving posterity Gn 38:8, 9(×2) (of Er’s seed by Onan), 48:11 (all J), cf. 19:32, 34 (J), 2 S 7:12 Ru 4:12 Lv 21:15 (H); phr. זַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם of seed of Noah and his sons Gn 9:9; of Aaron Ex 28:43; of Phinehas Nu 25:13 (all P); of David 1 Ch 17:11; לְזַרְעוֹ לְדֹרֹתָם Ex 30:21 (P), cf. Lv 21:17 (H; both of Aaron), v. also b supr. ז׳, of seed of righteous, especially ψψ:—ψ 25:13; 37:25, 26; 69:37; 102:29 (‖ בָּנִים), 112:2 (‖ דּוֹר ישׁרים), cf. 22:31 (on text v. Che); of wicked ψ 21:11; 37:28. specif. of a particular child (son) ז׳ אַחֵר Gn 4:25 (J); ז׳ אֲנָשִׁים 1 S 1:11; of children Lv 18:21; 20:2, 3, 4; 22:13 (all H), 1 S 2:20 (cf. בָּנִים, בָּנוֹת v 21); children and grandchildren Gn 46:6, 7 (P). = family Gn 17:12 (P; cf. Assyrian zêr bit abišu Asrb.Annals iii. 10); note especially of royal family ז׳ הַמֶּלֶךְ 1 K 11:14; ז׳ הַמַּמְלָכָה 2 K 11:1 = 2 Ch 22:10; ז׳ הַמְּלוּכָה 2 K 25:25 = Je 41:1, Ez 17:13 Dn 1:3; = pedigree בית אבותם וְזַרְעָם Ezr 2:59 = Ne 7:61; = one’s nation, as of same blood Est 10:3 (‖ עַם).—Some vbs. used c. ז׳ in these senses are:—נָתַן, God subj. Gn 15:3 Ru 4:12 (sq. מִן of woman); שִׂים 1 S 2:20; c. man as subj. נתן Gn 38:9; הֵקִים v 8; חִיָּה ז׳, keep alive, or give life to, of animals Gn 7:3; of woman 19:32, 34 (sq. מִן of man). especially as name for people of Isr., seed of Abr. Is 41:8 2 Ch 20:7 (‖ עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל), Je 33:26 ψ 105:6 (‖ בְּנֵי יעקב); of Isr. or Jacob 2 K 17:20 Ne 9:2 (‖ בני ישׂראל v 1), Is 43:5; 45:19, 25 Je 31:36, 37; 33:26 ψ 22:24(×2) 1 Ch 16:13 (‖ בני יעקב); so ז׳ בֵּית ישׂראל Je 23:8 Ez 44:22 (𝔖 𝔊 codd. Co del. בית); ז׳ בית יעקב Ez 20:5; in Est. ז׳ הַיְהוּדִים Est 6:13; so of Edom (seed of Esau) Je 49:10, cf. מִזֶּרע מָדַי Dn 9:1. seed of Isr. (or Jacob, or the people), is used also, by (later) prophets, of future generations, in addressing the people:—Dt 28:46, 59; 30:6, 19; 31:21, cf. Nu 18:19 (P; לְזַרְעֲךָ אִתָּ֑ךְ, ‖ וּלְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנוֹתֶיךָ), Je 30:10 = 46:27 (Jacob and Isr. here = people), ψ 106:27; ‖ צֶאֱצָא(יך) Is 44:3 (Jacob and Jeshurun), 48:19, cf. 61:9; also Je 7:15 Is 54:3; 66:22 (‖ שִׁמְכֶם); מִפִּי וַרְעֲךָ וּמִפִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ Is 59:21; of Jews (יהודים) Est 9:27, 28, 31. seed as marked by moral quality = persons (or community) of such a quality; transition to this through such cases as those of ז׳ בְּרוּכֵי י׳ Is 65:23 (‖ צֶאֱצָאִים), cf. 61:9; 65:9; ז׳ הַקֹּדֶשׁ Ezr 9:2 (of Isr.),0 cf. Is 53:10; note, in good sense ז׳ צַדִּיקִים Pr 11:21 (opp. רַע); ז׳ אֱמֶת Je 2:21 (‖ שׂוֹרֵק); ז׳ אלהים Mal 2:15;—ז׳ קֹדֶשׁ Is 6:13 is a gloss;—in bad sense ז׳ מְרֵעִים Is 1:4 2 (‖ גּוֹי־חֹטֵא, עַם כֶּבֶד עָוֹן, בָּנִים מַשְׁחִיתִים), 14:20; ז׳ מְנָאֵף 57:3 (‖ בני עֹנֲנָה); ז׳־שָׁ֑קֶר v 4 (‖ יִלְדֵי־פֶשַׁע). Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 203 of its verses cited, 0 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (6 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 0 with the glosses (5 candidates) ### Trees and pragmatics [Every English meaning of «זֶרַע» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/2233/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames. ### In the verses [1 Chronicles 16:13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/1CH.16.13/) זֶ֚רַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עַבְדּ֔וֹ בְּנֵ֥י יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּחִירָֽיו׃ *Word for word:* O.offspring of.Israel servant his O.descendants of.Jacob ones his.chosen *JPS 1917:* O ye seed of Israel His servant, ye children of Jacob, His chosen ones. [Psalms 105:6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.105.6/) זֶ֭רַע אַבְרָהָ֣ם עַבְדּ֑וֹ בְּנֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב בְּחִירָֽיו׃ *Word for word:* O.offspring of.Abraham servant his O.descendants of.Jacob ones his.chosen *JPS 1917:* O ye seed of Abraham His servant, ye children of Jacob, His chosen ones. - ← previous: [זָרַע](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/2232.md) - next →: [זֵרֹעִים](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/2235.md) - ↑ back to [ז](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/1494-2.md)