H2233. zera

זֶ֫רַע‎ noun masculine^{Deuteronomy 28:38} sowing, seed, offspring (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic זְרַע‎, ; Phoenician זרע‎; Zinjirli id.; Arabic seed-produce, seed; Ethiopic Assyrian zêru, cultivated land, Belser^{BAS 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 Asrb^{Annals 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).