צִי
𐤑𐤉
tsîy
H6716 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A ship, vessel, or large boat, especially one used for maritime navigation or trade. The term refers specifically to seagoing ships, often associated with trade or military expeditions, rather than ordinary river boats. In poetry and prophecy, it may also denote distant seafaring peoples or lands associated with ships.
Semantic Range
ship, large sea vessel, seagoing merchant ship, naval vessel, figurative of seafaring peoples or distant maritime lands
Root / Etymology
Root: צוה (tswh), meaning 'to command, appoint, set in order,' but the precise connection is uncertain. The derivation of צִי from this root is debated; some suggest the idea of an 'established' or 'appointed' vessel. Alternative connections to Egyptian or Northwest Semitic terms for ships have also been proposed, though these remain speculative. Etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, צִי appears infrequently, often in poetic or prophetic passages (e.g., Isaiah 33:21; Numbers 24:24). The word distinctively denotes seagoing vessels, likely reflecting the Israelite awareness of international maritime activity, especially regarding Tyre, Sidon, or other coastal peoples. It is not the general term for small boats or rivercraft, which might use different Hebrew terms (e.g., אֳנִיָּה 'oniyyah', ספינה 'sefinah'). In later usage and translation traditions, צִי came to be identified with maritime commerce and distant lands, sometimes rendered generically as 'ship.' However, it may also allude metonymically to traders or peoples arriving by ship. English translations (such as 'ship' or 'naval vessel') often simplify the nuance and do not always capture the term's poetic or international associations. There is little evidence that the term refers to internal Israelite vessels, and its usage reflects Israelite encounters with wider eastern Mediterranean sea trade, particularly during the monarchic and later periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from צָוָה; a ship (as a fixture); ship.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צוה (ts-w-h) — to command, appoint, set in order
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4687 | מִצְוָה | in his commands |
| H6673 | צַו | to a command |
| H6680 | צָוָה | I will command |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6716-04 |
וְ/צִים֙ | vetsim | HC/Ncmpa |
and-ships | and seagoing ships | 1 |
H6716-03 |
וְ/צִ֥י | vetsi | HC/Ncmsa |
and-mighty-ship | seagoing ship | 1 |
H6716-02 |
צִיִּ֤ים | tsiyim | HNcmpa |
ships | seagoing ships | 1 |
H6716-01 |
בַּ/צִּ֔ים | batsim | HRd/Ncmpa |
in ships | in seagoing ships | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6716-04 |
Numbers 24:24 | וְ/צִים֙ | vetsim | HC/Ncmpa |
and-ships | and seagoing ships |
H6716-03 |
Isaiah 33:21 | וְ/צִ֥י | vetsi | HC/Ncmsa |
and-mighty-ship | seagoing ship |
H6716-01 |
Ezekiel 30:9 | בַּ/צִּ֔ים | batsim | HRd/Ncmpa |
in ships | in seagoing ships |
H6716-02 |
Daniel 11:30 | צִיִּ֤ים | tsiyim | HNcmpa |
ships | seagoing ships |