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זְרוֹעַ

𐤆𐤓𐤅𐤏

zᵉrôwaʻ

H2220 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The upper limb or arm, especially the upper arm from the shoulder to the elbow, often used in both literal and metaphorical senses. In human contexts, denotes the physical arm, especially when extended or outstretched; in animals, refers to the foreleg or shoulder area. Metaphorically, signifies strength, power, or might—whether physical, military, or divine. When applied to deity, expresses the idea of powerful intervention or deliverance. May also convey support or assistance in some contexts.

Semantic Range

human arm; animal foreleg or shoulder; physical strength; power; might; support; (divine or human) aid; the power or effect of a person or deity

Root / Etymology

Root: זרע. While the form resembles the root זרע ('to sow, scatter'), the connection is likely by assonance rather than strict etymology. The underlying image is that of an arm stretched out, emphasizing the aspect of extension and reach. Lexically, the term diverges from the notion of 'sowing' to refer primarily to the limb and its functions.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, זְרוֹעַ is used both concretely (human and animal anatomy) and metaphorically (as a symbol of force or ability). When describing people, it can refer simply to the physical arm or denote bodily strength. In religious or theological texts, the 'arm of YHWH' is a recurrent phrase embodying God's powerful activity in history—especially acts of deliverance or judgment, such as the exodus from Egypt. In animal sacrifice, refers to the foreleg or shoulder (the priest's portion). English translations often render the term as 'arm,' but context may require 'strength,' 'power,' or even 'help' to capture the intended nuance. The metaphorical use of זְרוֹעַ is common in poetry and prophetic writings, where it may overlap in sense with יָד ('hand'), though יָד is broader and can mean 'power' or 'possession.' In later Hebrew, the metaphorical range of זְרוֹעַ was further developed. The term is not etymologically tied to the English 'shoulder,' though the anatomical overlap is sometimes relevant, especially in descriptions of sacrificial offerings.

Translation Consistency

primary "arm" 50 occurrences

'Arm' is the most common, natural English equivalent across literal and metaphorical uses (human limb, animal foreleg/shoulder, and figurative power/strength). It matches the majority P2 renderings ('arm'/'arms') while allowing consistent inflection/contextualization (singular base form used for all occurrences).

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (shortened) זְרֹעַ; and (feminine) זְרוֹעָה; or זְרֹעָה; from זָרַע; the arm (as stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively, force; arm, [phrase] help, mighty, power, shoulder, strength.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

זרע (Yizereel) — to sow, scatter seed

Root זרע to extend, stretch out, arm (limb), foreleg (of animal)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1872 דְּרַע and his arms
H2221 זֵרוּעַ sown produce
H2232 זָרַע let me sow seed
H2233 זֶרַע in their seed
H2234 זְרַע in seed of

Word Forms

32 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2220-19 זְרֹ֖עַ zeroa HNcbsc arm arm arm 13
H2220-06 וּ/בִ/זְר֥וֹעַ uvizeroa HC/R/Ncbsa and with arm and in an outstretched arm and in an arm 9
H2220-14 וּ/זְרֹע֔/וֹ uzeroo HC/Ncbsc/Sp3ms and his arm and his arm and his arm 7
H2220-26 זְרֹע֔/וֹ zeroo HNcbsc/Sp3ms his arm his outstretched arm his outstretched arm 7
H2220-27 זְרֹעֹ֣ת zeroot HNcbpc arms arms of arms of 5
H2220-01 בִּ/זְר֣וֹעַ bizeroa HR/Ncbsa with-arm in an outstretched arm with an outstretched arm 4
H2220-10 וּֽ/זְרֹעֲ/ךָ֖ uzeroakha HC/Ncbsc/Sp2ms and your arm and your outstretched arm and your outstretched arm 4
H2220-15 וּ/זְרֹע֤וֹת uzeroot HC/Ncbpc and arms and arms of and arms of 4
H2220-20 זְרֹ֣עֲ/ךָ֔ zeroakha HNcbsc/Sp2ms of your arm your outstretched arm your outstretched arm 4
H2220-30 זְרֹ֣עֹתָ֔י/ו zerootayv HNcbpc/Sp3ms his arms his arms his arms 4

Occurrences in Scripture

91 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2220-24 Genesis 49:24 זְרֹעֵ֣י zeroey HNcbpc arms of arms of arms of
H2220-01 Exodus 6:6 בִּ/זְר֣וֹעַ bizeroa HR/Ncbsa with an arm in an outstretched arm with an outstretched arm
H2220-20 Exodus 15:16 זְרוֹעֲ/ךָ֖ zeroakha HNcbsc/Sp2ms of your arm your outstretched arm your outstretched arm
H2220-03 Numbers 6:19 הַ/זְּרֹ֣עַ hazeroa HTd/Ncbsa the shoulder the outstretched arm the outstretched arm
H2220-06 Deuteronomy 4:34 וּ/בִ/זְר֣וֹעַ uvizeroa HC/R/Ncbsa and by an arm and in an outstretched arm and by an outstretched arm
H2220-06 Deuteronomy 5:15 וּ/בִ/זְרֹ֣עַ uvizeroa HC/R/Ncbsa and with arm and in an outstretched arm and by an outstretched arm
H2220-17 Deuteronomy 7:19 וְ/הַ/זְּרֹ֣עַ vehazeroa HC/Td/Ncbsa and the arm and the outstretched arm and the outstretched arm
H2220-07 Deuteronomy 9:29 וּ/בִֽ/זְרֹעֲ/ךָ֖ uvizeroakha HC/R/Ncbsc/Sp2ms and by your outstretched arm and by your arm and by your arm
H2220-14 Deuteronomy 11:2 וּ/זְרֹע֖/וֹ uzeroo HC/Ncbsc/Sp3ms and-arm-his and his arm and his arm
H2220-03 Deuteronomy 18:3 הַ/זְּרֹ֥עַ hazeroa HTd/Ncbsa the shoulder the outstretched arm the outstretched arm
H2220-06 Deuteronomy 26:8 וּ/בִ/זְרֹ֣עַ uvizeroa HC/R/Ncbsa and with arm and in an outstretched arm and in an arm
H2220-19 Deuteronomy 33:20 זְר֖וֹעַ zeroa HNcbsa the arm arm arm
H2220-27 Deuteronomy 33:27 זְרֹעֹ֣ת zeroot HNcbpc arms arms of arms of
H2220-30 Judges 15:14 זְרוֹעוֹתָ֗י/ו zerootayv HNcbpc/Sp3ms his arms his arms his arms
H2220-30 Judges 16:12 זְרֹעֹתָ֖י/ו zerootayv HNcbpc/Sp3ms his arms his arms his arms
H2220-20 1 Samuel 2:31 זְרֹ֣עֲ/ךָ֔ zeroakha HNcbsc/Sp2ms your arm your outstretched arm your outstretched arm
H2220-19 1 Samuel 2:31 זְרֹ֖עַ zeroa HNcbsc the arm arm arm
H2220-26 2 Samuel 1:10 זְרֹע֔/וֹ zeroo HNcbsc/Sp3ms his arm his outstretched arm his outstretched arm
H2220-29 2 Samuel 22:35 זְרֹעֹתָֽ/י zerootay HNcbpc/Sp1cs my arms my arms my arms
H2220-10 1 Kings 8:42 וּֽ/זְרֹעֲ/ךָ֖ uzeroakha HC/Ncbsc/Sp2ms and your arm and your outstretched arm and your outstretched arm
H2220-22 2 Kings 9:24 זְרֹעָ֔י/ו zeroayv HNcbpc/Sp3ms his arms his arms his arms
H2220-06 2 Kings 17:36 וּ/בִ/זְר֥וֹעַ uvizeroa HC/R/Ncbsa and with an arm and in an outstretched arm and in an outstretched arm
H2220-26 Isaiah 9:19 זְרֹע֖/וֹ zeroo HNcbsc/Sp3ms his arm his outstretched arm his outstretched arm
H2220-14 Isaiah 17:5 וּ/זְרֹע֖/וֹ uzeroo HC/Ncbsc/Sp3ms and his arm and his arm and his arm
H2220-26 Isaiah 30:30 זְרוֹע/וֹ֙ zeroo HNcbsc/Sp3ms of-his-arm his outstretched arm his outstretched arm
H2220-21 Isaiah 33:2 זְרֹעָ/ם֙ zeroam HNcbsc/Sp3mp their arm their arm their arm
H2220-14 Isaiah 40:10 וּ/זְרֹע֖/וֹ uzeroo HC/Ncbsc/Sp3ms and his arm and his arm and his arm
H2220-02 Isaiah 40:11 בִּ/זְרֹע/וֹ֙ bizeroo HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms in his arm in his arm in his arm
H2220-01 Isaiah 44:12 בִּ/זְר֣וֹעַ bizeroa HR/Ncbsc with-arm in an outstretched arm with the arm
H2220-14 Isaiah 48:14 וּ/זְרֹע֖/וֹ uzeroo HC/Ncbsc/Sp3ms and his arm and his arm and his arm
H2220-12 Isaiah 51:5 וּ/זְרֹעַ֖/י uzeroay HC/Ncbpc/Sp1cs and My arms and my arms and my arm
H2220-25 Isaiah 51:5 זְרֹעִ֖/י zeroi HNcbsc/Sp1cs My arm my arm my arm
H2220-19 Isaiah 51:9 זְר֣וֹעַ zeroa HNcbsc arm arm arm
H2220-19 Isaiah 52:10 זְר֣וֹעַ zeroa HNcbsc arm arm arm
H2220-09 Isaiah 53:1 וּ/זְר֥וֹעַ uzeroa HC/Ncbsc And arm and arm and arm
H2220-26 Isaiah 59:16 זְרֹע֔/וֹ zeroo HNcbsc/Sp3ms his arm his outstretched arm his outstretched arm
H2220-06 Isaiah 62:8 וּ/בִ/זְר֣וֹעַ uvizeroa HC/R/Ncbsc and by arm and in an outstretched arm and by the arm
H2220-25 Isaiah 63:5 זְרֹעִ֔/י zeroi HNcbsc/Sp1cs my-arm my arm my arm
H2220-19 Isaiah 63:12 זְר֖וֹעַ zeroa HNcbsc arm arm arm
H2220-26 Jeremiah 17:5 זְרֹע֑/וֹ zeroo HNcbsc/Sp3ms his arm his outstretched arm his outstretched arm
H2220-06 Jeremiah 21:5 וּ/בִ/זְר֣וֹעַ uvizeroa HC/R/Ncbsa and-with-arm and in an outstretched arm and in an arm
H2220-08 Jeremiah 27:5 וּ/בִ/זְרוֹעִ֖/י uvizeroi HC/R/Ncbsc/Sp1cs and by my arm and with my arm and with my arm
H2220-07 Jeremiah 32:17 וּ/בִֽ/זְרֹעֲ/ךָ֖ uvizeroakha HC/R/Ncbsc/Sp2ms and by your arm and by your arm and by your arm
H2220-14 Jeremiah 48:25 וּ/זְרֹע֖/וֹ uzeroo HC/Ncbsc/Sp3ms and his arm and his arm and his arm
H2220-10 Ezekiel 4:7 וּֽ/זְרֹעֲ/ךָ֖ uzeroakha HC/Ncbsc/Sp2ms and-your-arm and your outstretched arm and your outstretched arm
H2220-32 Ezekiel 13:20 זְרוֹעֹֽתֵי/כֶ֑ם zerooteykhem HNcbpc/Sp2mp your arms your arms your arms
H2220-18 Ezekiel 17:9 בִ/זְרֹ֤עַ vizeroa HR/Ncbsa by arm/strength by arm by arm
H2220-06 Ezekiel 20:33 וּ/בִ/זְר֧וֹעַ uvizeroa HC/R/Ncbsa and with arm and in an outstretched arm and with outstretched arm
H2220-06 Ezekiel 20:34 וּ/בִ/זְר֣וֹעַ uvizeroa HC/R/Ncbsa and with arm and in an outstretched arm and with an outstretched arm
H2220-04 Ezekiel 22:6 לִ/זְרֹע֖/וֹ lizeroo HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms according to his power to his arm according to his arm
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