צִפּוֹר (H6833) — Hebrew Lexicon

צִפּוֹר

𐤑𐤐𐤅𐤓

tsippôwr

H6833 noun

SILEX Entry

Root צפר to chirp, to twitter, to make a high-pitched sound

Definition

A generic term for a bird, especially a small bird, used in both collective and individual senses. While it most often designates small, hopping birds such as sparrows, it can refer to birds in general, without further specification, in certain passages. The word focuses on the natural qualities of birds—especially their flight, vocalizations, and movements. Context determines whether the reference is to a particular kind of small bird or to birds collectively.

Semantic Range

bird, generic bird, small bird, sparrow, fowl (in sacrificial or poetic usage)

Root / Etymology

From the root צפר, which in related Semitic languages and forms may carry the idea of chirping, twittering, or early morning activity (possibly related to sound or activity at daybreak). The word צִפּוֹר is formed as a noun from this root, and denotes a bird, with the diminutive sense ('little bird') sometimes being contextually implied but not inherent in the morphology.

Historical & Contextual Notes

צִפּוֹר is used throughout the Hebrew Bible for a wide range of bird references, often where the type of bird is not specified or where a generic term for birds is appropriate. It is sometimes used in poetic parallelism with עוף (ʿôf, 'flying creature', a more general word for birds or flying animals, including insects). The Septuagint often renders צִפּוֹר as 'ornis' (Greek for 'bird'), reflecting the term's generic use. In sacrificial contexts (e.g., the purification rituals in Leviticus), צִפּוֹר can designate birds generally rather than a specific species, making English translations such as 'bird' or 'fowl' generally accurate but potentially missing the nuance that larger or predatory birds are not in view. The term is not limited to sparrows, despite some translation traditions. Its use spans early and later biblical texts with little semantic shift.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or צִפֹּר; from צָפַר; a little bird (as hopping); bird, fowl, sparrow.

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Root Family

צפר (ṣ-p-r) — to chirp, to twitter, to make a high-pitched sound

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H6691	צוֹפַר	Tsophar
H6834	צִפּוֹר	Tsippôr
H6841	צְפִיר	and he-goats of
H6842	צָפִיר	prancing male goat
H6843	צְפִירָה	the encircling crown
H6852	צָפַר	and he will depart at dawn
H6853	צְפַר	like birds
H6854	צְפַרְדֵּעַ	with the frogs
H6855	צִפֹּרָה	Bird-named Tsippôrâh
H6856	צִפֹּרֶן	with a claw

Word Forms

13 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H6833-01`	הַ/צִפֹּ֖ר	hatsipor	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the bird	the chirping bird	12
`H6833-07`	צִפּ֥וֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsc`	bird	chirping bird of	11
`H6833-03`	כְּ֝/צִפּ֗וֹר	ketsipor	`HR/Ncbsa`	like a bird	like a chirping bird	3
`H6833-02`	כַּ/צִּפּ֣וֹר	katsipor	`HRd/Ncbsa`	like a bird	like a chirping bird	3
`H6833-08`	צִפֳּרִ֥ים	tsiporim	`HNcbpa`	birds	chirping birds	3
`H6833-06`	לְ/צִפּ֨וֹר	letsipor	`HR/Ncbsc`	to bird	to a bird of	1
`H6833-05`	כְ/צִפּוֹר֙	khetsipor	`HR/Ncbsa`	like a bird	like a chirping bird	1
`H6833-09`	וּ֝/כְ/צִפּ֗וֹר	ukhetsipor	`HC/R/Ncbsa`	and like a bird	and like a chirping bird	1
`H6833-13`	וְ/צִפֳּרִים֙	vetsiporim	`HC/Ncbpa`	and birds	and chirping birds	1
`H6833-10`	וּ/בַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר	uvatsipor	`HC/Rd/Ncbsa`	and with the bird	and with the bird	1
`H6833-04`	כְּ/צִפֳּרִ֣ים	ketsiporim	`HR/Ncbpa`	like-birds	like chirping birds	1
`H6833-12`	וְ/צִפּ֥וֹר	vetsipor	`HC/Ncbsc`	and birds	and bird of	1
`H6833-11`	וְ/כַ֨/צִּפֳּרִ֔ים	vekhatsiporim	`HC/Rd/Ncbpa`	and like birds	and like chirping birds	1

Occurrences in Scripture

40 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H6833-07`	Genesis 7:14	צִפּ֥וֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsc`	bird	chirping bird of
`H6833-01`	Genesis 15:10	הַ/צִפֹּ֖ר	hatsipor	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the birds	the chirping bird
`H6833-08`	Leviticus 14:4	צִפֳּרִ֥ים	tsiporim	`HNcbpa`	birds	chirping birds
`H6833-01`	Leviticus 14:5	הַ/צִּפּ֣וֹר	hatsipor	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-01`	Leviticus 14:6	הַ/צִּפֹּ֤ר	hatsipor	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-01`	Leviticus 14:6	הַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר	hatsipor-2	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-01`	Leviticus 14:6	הַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר	hatsipor-3	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-01`	Leviticus 14:7	הַ/צִּפֹּ֥ר	hatsipor	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-08`	Leviticus 14:49	צִפֳּרִ֑ים	tsiporim	`HNcbpa`	birds	chirping birds
`H6833-01`	Leviticus 14:50	הַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר	hatsipor	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-01`	Leviticus 14:51	הַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר	hatsipor	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the-bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-01`	Leviticus 14:51	הַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר	hatsipor-2	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the-bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-01`	Leviticus 14:52	הַ/צִּפּ֔וֹר	hatsipor	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-10`	Leviticus 14:52	וּ/בַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר	uvatsipor	`HC/Rd/Ncbsa`	and with the bird	and with the bird
`H6833-01`	Leviticus 14:53	הַ/צִּפֹּ֧ר	hatsipor	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-07`	Deuteronomy 4:17	צִפּ֣וֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsc`	winged bird	chirping bird of
`H6833-07`	Deuteronomy 14:11	צִפּ֥וֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsa`	bird	chirping bird of
`H6833-07`	Deuteronomy 22:6	צִפּ֣וֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsa`	of a bird	chirping bird of
`H6833-04`	Isaiah 31:5	כְּ/צִפֳּרִ֣ים	ketsiporim	`HR/Ncbpa`	like-birds	like chirping birds
`H6833-07`	Ezekiel 17:23	צִפּ֣וֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsa`	birds	chirping bird of
`H6833-07`	Ezekiel 39:4	צִפּ֧וֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsa`	birds	chirping bird of
`H6833-06`	Ezekiel 39:17	לְ/צִפּ֨וֹר	letsipor	`HR/Ncbsc`	to bird	to a bird of
`H6833-05`	Hosea 11:11	כְ/צִפּוֹר֙	khetsipor	`HR/Ncbsa`	like a bird	like a chirping bird
`H6833-07`	Amos 3:5	צִפּוֹר֙	tsipor	`HNcbsa`	a bird	chirping bird of
`H6833-07`	Psalms 8:9	צִפּ֣וֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsc`	birds	chirping bird of
`H6833-07`	Psalms 11:1	צִפּֽוֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsa`	bird	chirping bird of
`H6833-07`	Psalms 84:4	צִפּ֨וֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsa`	bird	chirping bird of
`H6833-03`	Psalms 102:8	כְּ֝/צִפּ֗וֹר	ketsipor	`HR/Ncbsa`	like a bird	like a chirping bird
`H6833-08`	Psalms 104:17	צִפֳּרִ֣ים	tsiporim	`HNcbpa`	birds	chirping birds
`H6833-03`	Psalms 124:7	כְּ/צִפּ֥וֹר	ketsipor	`HR/Ncbsa`	like a bird	like a chirping bird
`H6833-12`	Psalms 148:10	וְ/צִפּ֥וֹר	vetsipor	`HC/Ncbsc`	and birds	and bird of
`H6833-09`	Proverbs 6:5	וּ֝/כְ/צִפּ֗וֹר	ukhetsipor	`HC/R/Ncbsa`	and like a bird	and like a chirping bird
`H6833-07`	Proverbs 7:23	צִפּ֣וֹר	tsipor	`HNcbsa`	bird	chirping bird of
`H6833-02`	Proverbs 26:2	כַּ/צִּפּ֣וֹר	katsipor	`HRd/Ncbsa`	like a bird	like a chirping bird
`H6833-03`	Proverbs 27:8	כְּ֭/צִפּוֹר	ketsipor	`HR/Ncbsa`	like-a-bird	like a chirping bird
`H6833-02`	Job 40:29	כַּ/צִּפּ֑וֹר	katsipor	`HRd/Ncbsa`	like a bird	like a chirping bird
`H6833-02`	Lamentations 3:52	כַּ/צִּפּ֖וֹר	katsipor	`HRd/Ncbsa`	like a bird	like a chirping bird
`H6833-11`	Ecclesiastes 9:12	וְ/כַ֨/צִּפֳּרִ֔ים	vekhatsiporim	`HC/Rd/Ncbpa`	and like birds	and like chirping birds
`H6833-01`	Ecclesiastes 12:4	הַ/צִּפּ֔וֹר	hatsipor	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the bird	the chirping bird
`H6833-13`	Nehemiah 5:18	וְ/צִפֳּרִים֙	vetsiporim	`HC/Ncbpa`	and birds	and chirping birds

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