Hebrew · H6680, G1781 · unreviewed

צָוָה

(Intensively) to constitute , enjoin · to enjoin

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

צָוָה H6680 (intensively) to constitute , enjoin
Pronunciation ṣāwāh
Authoritative directive establishing obligation; God's primary verb for binding covenantal commands and institutional arrangements.
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ἐντέλλομαι G1781 to enjoin
Pronunciation entéllomai
Commands with emphasis on the specific content or instruction being given, not merely the act of ordering.
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What does צָוָה (tsavah) mean in the Bible?

צָוָה · ἐντέλλομαι is a Hebrew word meaning "to command or give instruction".

Full entry for צָוָה (H6680, G1781) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to command or give instruction
Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 283×
Perfect 1Chr 6:34 · 1Chr 15:15 · 1Chr 16:15 · 1Chr 16:40 · 1Chr 22:13 · 1Kgs 8:58 · 1Kgs 11:10 · 1Kgs 13:9 · 1Kgs 22:31 · 1Sam 20:29 · 2Chr 18:30 · 2Chr 23:8 · 2Chr 25:4 · 2Kgs 11:9 · 2Kgs 14:6 · 2Kgs 16:16 239×
Participle active Amos 6:11 · Amos 9:9 · Deut 4:2 · Deut 11:13 · Deut 11:22 · Deut 11:27 · Deut 11:28 · Deut 12:11 · Deut 13:1 · Deut 27:1 · Deut 27:4 · Deut 28:14 · Gen 27:8 · Jer 34:22 · Num 32:25 16×
Imperfect 2Chr 7:13 · 2Sam 14:8 · Amos 9:3 · Amos 9:4 · Exod 25:22 · Isa 5:6 · Jer 7:23 · Jer 11:4 · 2Sam 9:11 · Deut 28:8 · Gen 18:19 · Num 9:8 · Ps 42:9 · Ps 91:11 · Exod 27:20 · Josh 3:8 16×
Sequential imperfect 1Kgs 5:20 · 2Kgs 20:1 · Deut 2:4 · Isa 38:1 · Josh 4:16 · Lev 6:2 · Lev 24:2 · Num 5:2 · Num 28:2 · Num 34:2 · Num 35:2 · Ps 44:5 12×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject
Perfect Ezek 12:7 · Ezek 24:18 · Ezek 37:7 · Lev 8:35 · Lev 10:13 · Num 3:16 · Num 36:2 · Gen 45:19
Imperfect Exod 34:34
Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 292 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form
Perfect 247 Imperfect 17 Participle 16 Imperative 12
Stem
Piel 283 Pual 9
Mood
Indicative 247 Imperative 12 Indicative/jussive 9 Indicative/cohortative 8
OT Occurrences
Gen 6:22 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Gen 7:9 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Gen 7:16 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Gen 18:19 Piel · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Gen 21:4 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Gen 27:8 Piel · Participle Gen 45:19 Pual · Perfect · Indicative Gen 47:11 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Gen 50:16 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 7:6 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 7:10 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 7:20 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 12:28 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 12:50 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 16:16 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 16:24 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 16:32 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 16:34 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 25:22 Piel · Imperfect · Indicative/cohortative Exod 27:20 Piel · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Exod 29:35 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 34:4 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 34:34 Pual · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Exod 35:1 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 35:4 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 35:10 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 35:29 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 36:1 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 36:5 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 38:22 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 39:1 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 39:5 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 39:7 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 39:21 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 39:26 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 39:29 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 39:31 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 39:32 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 39:42 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Exod 39:43 Piel · Perfect · Indicative +252 more occurrences

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources