צָוָה
tsâvâh · tsaw-vaw'
(intensively) to constitute, enjoin
Lexicon
Derivation: a primitive root;
(intensively) to constitute, enjoin
Definition from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Wording is Strong's own, including his etymological notes, which are not separate meanings.
KJV renderings: appoint, (for-) bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order.
Letters
- צTsade90
Picture: a person lying on their side (or a fish hook)
- Concrete
- hook · trail · side · a man bowed
- Extended
- to hunt · to pursue · need · righteousness as a straight path
- וVav6
Picture: tent peg or hook
- Concrete
- nail · peg · hook
- Extended
- to fasten · to secure · to establish · and (joining)
- הHe5
Picture: a person with both arms raised
- Concrete
- a man calling out · a window · breath
- Extended
- behold! · revelation · to reveal · the (definite article)
Possible cultural reading (auto-composed)
to pursue the straight path › to fasten and establish › to reveal, behold
To pursue the straight path that works to fasten and establish that works to reveal, behold.
Interpretive, not lexical. The dictionary sense of צָוָה above is the attested meaning; this pictographic reading is a tradition about how the sign-shapes may have been heard. Both can be held at once, they are answering different questions.
Usage
494 occurrences · 494 OT · 0 NT · 186 distinct forms
KJV renderings of this word, by how often each one is used.
- commanded160 · 47%
- had commanded29 · 9%
- which i command25 · 7%
- hath commanded23 · 7%
- which he commanded13 · 4%
- which i commanded12 · 4%
- command12 · 4%
- charged7 · 2%
- shall command5 · 1%
- and he commanded5 · 1%
- which i have commanded4 · 1%
- as i commanded4 · 1%
- and command4 · 1%
- according to all that i have commanded4 · 1%
- commandeth4 · 1%
- and he charged3 · 1%
- charge3 · 1%
- in order3 · 1%
- and charged3 · 1%
- which i have not commanded3 · 1%
- and i commanded3 · 1%
- had charged3 · 1%
- all that i command3 · 1%
- bade2 · 1%
- i command2 · 1%
Where it is used, by book.
Inflected forms found in the text.
Counts are computed from the tagged Hebrew and Greek text aligned to the King James Version, not from an estimate.