צֹנֵא
𐤑𐤍𐤀
tsônêʼ
H6792 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A zoological or herding term for a group of small domesticated animals, primarily sheep, indicating a flock under care. Used to denote collective animals of similar kind, especially those under pastoral management.
Semantic Range
flock, sheep, group of small livestock, collective of domesticated animals, herd (specifically of sheep and goats)
Root / Etymology
From the root צ-א-ן (צאן), meaning 'small livestock' or 'sheep, goats.' צֹנֵא is a variant spelling or dialectal form of צֹאן (tsōn). The core meaning of the root relates to small grazing animals, with the noun referring to their collective grouping as a flock. The variant ending in -ֵא or -ֶה may reflect dialectal variation or orthographic development.
Historical & Contextual Notes
צֹנֵא appears as a variant form of the much more common word צֹאן (tsōn). Both are terms for sheep or small livestock, but צֹנֵא is rare and may reflect regional or historical spelling variation. In ancient Israelite society, flocks of sheep and goats represented economic wealth and played significant roles in pastoral culture. The term is not restricted to sheep alone—in some usages, it can extend to include small domesticated animals more generally, particularly goats. Standard English translations typically employ 'flock,' sometimes specifying 'sheep' based on context, but may underrepresent the broader semantic possibility. The word's rarity and variant vocalization suggest it may have been used in specific local traditions or textual preserves, and it does not indicate a meaning distinct from the main term צֹאן. In later Hebrew, צֹאן became fully standard, while this particular form disappeared. There is no evidence for any ritualistic or specifically religious nuance to the term—it is a straightforward pastoral and economic term, not attached to the identity of the animals' owners beyond their function for herding. In modern translations, restricting this term to 'sheep' alone may occasionally narrow its actual referential range in the biblical context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or צֹנֶה; for צֹאן; a flock; sheep.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צאן (ṣ-ʾ-n) — to flock, to herd, small livestock, collective grazing animals
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6792-02 |
צֹנֶ֣ה | tsoneh | HNcmsa |
sheep and oxen | small-livestock flock | 1 |
H6792-01 |
לְ/צֹנַאֲ/כֶ֑ם | letsonaakhem | HR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp |
for your flocks | for your flock | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6792-01 |
Numbers 32:24 | לְ/צֹנַאֲ/כֶ֑ם | letsonaakhem | HR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp |
for your flocks | for your flock |
H6792-02 |
Psalms 8:8 | צֹנֶ֣ה | tsoneh | HNcmsa |
sheep and oxen | small-livestock flock |