זוֹב
𐤆𐤅𐤁
zôwb
H2101 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A bodily discharge, particularly an abnormal or pathological flux, most frequently of a seminal or mucous nature; also includes menstrual discharge in some contexts. In biblical law, refers to a persistent bodily emission, distinguishing it from ordinary sexual or menstrual flow.
Semantic Range
bodily discharge, abnormal genital flux, chronic seminal emission, pathological menstrual flow, issue, running
Root / Etymology
From the root זוּב (zuv), meaning 'to flow, drip, ooze'. The noun זוֹב is a direct nominal derivation, indicating the result or state of something flowing or oozing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, זוֹב (zôwb) principally denotes a pathological genital discharge, differentiated from normal sexual emissions or menstruation. Levitical law (primarily Leviticus 15) addresses the ritual impurity associated with such discharges for both men and women. For men, it signifies a chronic emission unrelated to normal seminal emission (שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע), while for women it is distinguished from the regular menstrual cycle (נִדָּה). Later translations, especially in English and rabbinic usage, sometimes rendered the term generically as 'issue' or anachronistically as 'gonorrhea,' but the biblical usage is broader and includes any anomalous genital flux. The word's deployment is almost entirely confined to early priestly legal contexts (especially Leviticus), with limited usage elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible. The LXX sometimes translates with words denoting 'flow' or 'flux' (ῥύσις), but later traditions introduced medicalized or euphemistic renderings. The English term 'issue' common in translations may obscure its reference to abnormal bodily states, often associated with ritual impurity in the Israelite priestly system.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from זוּב; a seminal or menstrual flux; issue.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
זוב (z-w-b) — to flow, drip, ooze
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2100 | זוּב | the discharging one |
Word Forms
8 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2101-08 |
זוֹב֖/וֹ | zovo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his discharge | his flowing discharge | his flowing discharge | 3 |
H2101-04 |
מִ/זּוֹב֔/וֹ | mizovo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
from his discharge | from his abnormal discharge | from his abnormal discharge | 3 |
H2101-06 |
ז֨וֹב | zov | HNcmsc |
a-flow | pathological discharge | discharge | 2 |
H2101-05 |
זָבָ֔ה | zavah | HVqrfsa |
a discharge | flowing one | with a discharge | 1 |
H2101-07 |
זוֹבָ֔/הּ | zovah | HNcmsc/Sp3fs |
of her discharge | her oozing discharge | her discharge | 1 |
H2101-03 |
מִ/זּוֹבָ֑/הּ | mizovah | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs |
from her discharge | from her bodily discharge | from her discharge | 1 |
H2101-01 |
בְּ/זוֹב֑/וֹ | bezovo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
in regard to his discharge | his abnormal discharge | in his abnormal discharge | 1 |
H2101-02 |
מִ/זּ֖וֹב | mizov | HR/Ncmsc |
from her discharge | discharge-of | her discharge | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
13 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2101-08 |
Leviticus 15:2 | זוֹב֖/וֹ | zovo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his discharge | his flowing discharge | his discharge |
H2101-01 |
Leviticus 15:3 | בְּ/זוֹב֑/וֹ | bezovo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
in regard to his discharge | his abnormal discharge | in his abnormal discharge |
H2101-08 |
Leviticus 15:3 | זוֹב֗/וֹ | zovo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his discharge | his flowing discharge | his flowing discharge |
H2101-04 |
Leviticus 15:3 | מִ/זּוֹב֔/וֹ | mizovo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
from his discharge | from his abnormal discharge | from his abnormal discharge |
H2101-04 |
Leviticus 15:13 | מִ/זּוֹב֔/וֹ | mizovo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
of his discharge | from his abnormal discharge | from his discharge |
H2101-04 |
Leviticus 15:15 | מִ/זּוֹבֽ/וֹ | mizovo | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
from his discharge | from his abnormal discharge | from his abnormal discharge |
H2101-05 |
Leviticus 15:19 | זָבָ֔ה | zavah | HVqrfsa |
a discharge | flowing one | with a discharge |
H2101-06 |
Leviticus 15:25 | ז֨וֹב | zov | HNcmsc |
a-flow | pathological discharge | discharge |
H2101-06 |
Leviticus 15:25 | ז֣וֹב | zov-2 | HNcmsc |
flow | pathological discharge | discharge |
H2101-07 |
Leviticus 15:26 | זוֹבָ֔/הּ | zovah | HNcmsc/Sp3fs |
of her discharge | her oozing discharge | her discharge |