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צָבָא

𐤑𐤁𐤀

tsâbâʼ

H6635 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A collective body organized for a specific purpose or service; most often refers to an army or host (human or celestial), but also to an organized company engaged in sacred duties. The term encompasses the notion of order, arrangement, and readiness for action. Used to refer both to human military forces and to groups such as the 'heavenly host' (celestial bodies, angelic beings), as well as to priests or Levites serving in the sanctuary.

Semantic Range

army, military host, group organized for war, host of celestial beings, service (esp. ritual or cultic duty), campaign, body of persons or things arranged for a purpose

Root / Etymology

From the root צבא meaning 'to wage war, serve, go out to battle, be engaged in service.' The noun צָבָא reflects this sense of organized service or warfare, whether martial or cultic. Derived from the verbal idea of going forth for a purpose (military or ritual).

Historical & Contextual Notes

Across Israelite literature, צָבָא denotes not just warriors but any body assembled for organized service—ranging from armed forces to the angelic or astral host, occasionally used of the Levites' duties in the sanctuary (Num 4:3, 4:23). In later biblical and post-biblical usage, the term's celestial sense ('host of heaven') becomes prominent, especially in polemics against astral worship (e.g., Deut 4:19, 17:3; 2 Kings 17:16). The term is sometimes translated as 'host' or 'army,' but these renderings may obscure its application to both human and non-human entities. The word is distinct from גִּדוּד (gidud, 'troop, raiding band'), which implies a smaller, less-organized force, and from מַחֲנֶה (machaneh, 'camp'), which describes the encamped group rather than the ordered company ready for service or battle. The use of צָבָא for the 'service of the Tent of Meeting' (Num 4:3, 8:24) reflects the extension of the martial metaphor to ritual/cultic duty.

Translation Consistency

primary "host" 415 occurrences

"Host" captures the broad, collective sense of צָבָא — an organized body for a purpose — and naturally covers military forces, heavenly assemblies ("heavenly host"), and other organized companies. It is more flexible than "army" for non-military and cultic uses and aligns with established biblical English idiom (e.g., "hosts of heaven"/"Lord of hosts"), making it the most consistent, natural single-word choice.

Alternatives (72 occurrences):
"service-host" (47x) "organized-host" (12x) "according to their armies" (3x) "army" (3x) "service" (2x) "battle" (2x) "warfare" (1x) "organized-hosts" (1x) "hard service" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (feminine) צְבָאָה; from צָבָא; a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship); appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

צבא (ṣ-b-ʾ) — to wage war, to serve, to go forth for duty

Root צ-ב-א to wage war, to serve, to go forth for duty
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6633 צָבָא the one mobilizing for service
H6634 צְבָא willing one
H6640 צְבוּ determined purpose
H6648 צֶבַע host of
H6717 צִיבָא to Stationed-One

Word Forms

26 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6635-18 צְבָא֖וֹת tsevaot HNcbpa of hosts organized hosts organized hosts 283
H6635-11 צְבָ֔א tseva HNcbsc the host host of service host of service 38
H6635-10 צָבָ֖א tsava HNcbsa to war service-host service-host 36
H6635-03 הַ/צָּבָ֔א hatsava HTd/Ncbsa of the army the organized host the organized host 33
H6635-05 לַ/צָּבָ֔א latsava HRd/Ncbsa to the army to the service-host to the service-host 16
H6635-06 לְ/צִבְאֹתָ֖/ם letsiveotam HR/Ncbpc/Sp3mp according to their armies to their hosts to their hosts 16
H6635-25 וּ/צְבָא֖/וֹ utsevao HC/Ncbsc/Sp3ms and his army and his organized-host and his organized-host 12
H6635-17 צְבָא֔/וֹ tsevao HNcbsc/Sp3ms of his army his organized host his organized host 11
H6635-14 צְבָאָֽ/ם tsevaam HNcbsc/Sp3mp their host their organized host their organized host 7
H6635-04 הַ/צְּבָא֑וֹת hatsevaot HTd/Ncbpa of hosts the hosts the hosts 5

Occurrences in Scripture

487 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6635-14 Genesis 2:1 צְבָאָֽ/ם tsevaam HNcbsc/Sp3mp their host their organized host their organized host
H6635-17 Genesis 21:22 צְבָא֔/וֹ tsevao HNcbsc/Sp3ms of his army his organized host his organized host
H6635-17 Genesis 21:32 צְבָא֔/וֹ tsevao HNcbsc/Sp3ms of his army his organized host his organized host
H6635-17 Genesis 26:26 צְבָאֽ/וֹ tsevao HNcbsc/Sp3ms of his army his organized host his organized host
H6635-20 Exodus 6:26 צִבְאֹתָֽ/ם tsiveotam HNcbpc/Sp3mp their hosts their hosts their hosts
H6635-21 Exodus 7:4 צִבְאֹתַ֜/י tsiveotay HNcbpc/Sp1cs my hosts my organized hosts my hosts
H6635-22 Exodus 12:17 צִבְאוֹתֵי/כֶ֖ם tsiveoteykhem HNcbpc/Sp2mp hosts-of-you(pl) your hosts your hosts
H6635-19 Exodus 12:41 צִבְא֥וֹת tsiveot HNcbpc hosts hosts of hosts of
H6635-20 Exodus 12:51 צִבְאֹתָֽ/ם tsiveotam HNcbpc/Sp3mp their armies their hosts their hosts
H6635-10 Numbers 1:3 צָבָ֖א tsava HNcbsa to war service-host service-host
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