צָדָה
𐤑𐤃𐤄
tsâdâh
H6658 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To hunt or stalk prey, particularly in the sense of closely tracking, pursuing, or lying in ambush. Used for both literal hunting of animals and metaphorically for pursuing or ambushing humans. The primary lexical sense is purposeful pursuit with the intent to catch, trap, or destroy. The term can imply hostility, threat, or a predatory mode of action, whether by individuals or groups.
Semantic Range
to hunt animals; to stalk or ambush humans (for hostile purpose); to lie in wait; to chase with intent to catch or harm; to metaphorically pursue or set a trap
Root / Etymology
From the root צדה, meaning 'to hunt, stalk, lay in wait.' The verbal form denotes the action itself, with emphasis on cunning or deliberate pursuit. There is no evidence for substantial semantic deviation from the root in biblical Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
צָדָה appears in several contexts in the Hebrew Bible, often describing hostile pursuit. In narrative passages (e.g., 1 Samuel 23:23), it describes Saul's pursuit of David, drawing on imagery of predatory hunting but applied to human adversaries. At times, it is used to depict the act of ambush or setting a trap (cf. Psalm 10:9), emphasizing threat and premeditation. The word is generally neutral concerning the literal or metaphorical prey; context determines whether the target is an animal or a person. It is distinct from related terms like רָדַף (to pursue, chase, usually with broader applications) or צָדוּ (to hunt, often used for hunting game for food). Later usage in Aramaic or post-biblical Hebrew may reflect further semantic developments, but these are not attested in the biblical Hebrew corpus. English translations sometimes narrow the sense to 'hunt' or 'chase,' which may under-represent the predatory and ambush elements present in the Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to chase; by implication, to desolate; destroy, hunt, lie in wait.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צדה (ṣ-d-h) — to hunt, to stalk, to lie in wait
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6658-02 |
צָדָ֔ה | tsadah | HVqp3ms |
he-hunted | he hunted | 1 |
H6658-01 |
נִצְדּ֧וּ | nitsedu | HVNp3cp |
are laid waste | were hunted | 1 |
H6658-03 |
צֹדֶ֥ה | tsodeh | HVqrmsa |
hunting | hunting one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6658-02 |
Exodus 21:13 | צָדָ֔ה | tsadah | HVqp3ms |
he-hunted | he hunted |
H6658-03 |
1 Samuel 24:12 | צֹדֶ֥ה | tsodeh | HVqrmsa |
hunting | hunting one |
H6658-01 |
Zephaniah 3:6 | נִצְדּ֧וּ | nitsedu | HVNp3cp |
are laid waste | were hunted |