---
title: צַו — command · The Tanakh dictionary
description: צַו (6673), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 9 times: command. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# צַו

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«צַו» in the Tanakh dictionary: **command** — 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:** 9 times · **Key:** 6673 · **BDB:** צַו²

### Glosses

command (8); a.command (1)

### Meaning (OSHB)

command [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1510/6673/#m1)

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**The whole BDB entry:** appar. n.\[m.\], dub. word;—in הָלַךְ אַחֲרֵי־צָ֑ו Ho 5:11 usually command, ordinance; שָׁוְא; elsewhere only צַו לָצָ֙ו צַו לָצָ֔ו (‖ קַו לָקָו קַו לָקָו), Is 28:10 in mocking mimicry of Is.’s words, and, v 13, of the unintelligible speech of י׳’s foreign agents of judgment; Ges CheComm. al. (cf. AV RV) render command upon command; Ew Di (carpenter’s) rule (+ קַו = line and rule), from √ צָוָה (whence צִיּוּן); Du CheHpt. explain as mocking sounds without sense.

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 3 of its verses cited, 0 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (2 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (1 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «צַו» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1510/6673/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Hosea 5:11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/HOS.5.11/)

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עָשׁ֥וּק אֶפְרַ֖יִם רְצ֣וּץ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט כִּ֣י הוֹאִ֔יל הָלַ֖ךְ אַחֲרֵי־צָֽו׃

*Word for word:* \[is\].oppressed Ephraim \[it.is\].crushed of.judgment (dm) he.was.determined he.walked after a.command

*JPS 1917:* Oppressed is Ephraim, crushed in his right; because he willingly walked after filth.

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[Isaiah 28:10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/ISA.28.10/)

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כִּ֣י צַ֤ו לָצָו֙ צַ֣ו לָצָ֔ו קַ֥ו לָקָ֖ו קַ֣ו לָקָ֑ו זְעֵ֥יר שָׁ֖ם זְעֵ֥יר שָֽׁם׃

*Word for word:* (dm) command to command command to command line to line line to line a.little there a.little there

*JPS 1917:* For it is precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little.

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- ← previous: [צָהֳרַיִם](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/lemma_3a_5e6_5b8_5d4_5b3_5e8_5b7_5d9_5b4_5dd.md)
- next →: [צַוָּאר](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/w/6677.md)
- ↑ back to [צ](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/tanakh/1510.md)