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צִפּוֹר

𐤑𐤐𐤅𐤓

tsippôwr

H6833 noun

SILEX Entry

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.

Translation Consistency

primary "bird" 40 occurrences

tsippôr is a generic term for a bird (often a small bird or sparrow) and the corpus overwhelmingly uses the simple English noun “bird.” Choosing “bird” gives a natural, flexible rendering that fits both individual and collective senses and works in poetic or sacrificial contexts without over-specifying species (e.g., sparrow). It preserves the typical imagery (flight, song, movement) and matches the most common translations in the P2 data.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

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

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

צפר (Tsofar) — to leap, to depart, to go early; to chirp, to sound (of birds)

Root צפר 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

Word Forms

13 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6833-01 הַ/צִּפּ֔וֹר hatsipor HTd/Ncbsa the bird the chirping bird the bird 12
H6833-07 צִפּוֹר֙ tsipor HNcbsa bird chirping bird of bird 11
H6833-02 כַּ/צִּפּ֑וֹר katsipor HRd/Ncbsa like a bird like a chirping bird like a bird 3
H6833-03 כְּ֭/צִפּוֹר ketsipor HR/Ncbsa like a bird like a chirping bird like a bird 3
H6833-08 צִפֳּרִ֥ים tsiporim HNcbpa birds chirping birds birds 3
H6833-04 כְּ/צִפֳּרִ֣ים ketsiporim HR/Ncbpa like-birds like chirping birds like birds 1
H6833-05 כְ/צִפּוֹר֙ khetsipor HR/Ncbsa like a bird like a chirping bird like a bird 1
H6833-06 לְ/צִפּ֨וֹר letsipor HR/Ncbsc to bird to a bird of to a bird of 1
H6833-09 וּ֝/כְ/צִפּ֗וֹר ukhetsipor HC/R/Ncbsa and like a bird and like a chirping bird and like a bird 1
H6833-10 וּ/בַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר uvatsipor HC/Rd/Ncbsa and with the bird and with the bird and with the bird 1

Occurrences in Scripture

40 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6833-07 Genesis 7:14 צִפּ֥וֹר tsipor HNcbsc bird chirping bird of bird
H6833-01 Genesis 15:10 הַ/צִפֹּ֖ר hatsipor HTd/Ncbsa the birds the chirping bird the bird
H6833-08 Leviticus 14:4 צִפֳּרִ֥ים tsiporim HNcbpa birds chirping birds birds
H6833-01 Leviticus 14:5 הַ/צִּפּ֣וֹר hatsipor HTd/Ncbsa the bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-01 Leviticus 14:6 הַ/צִּפֹּ֤ר hatsipor HTd/Ncbsa the bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-01 Leviticus 14:6 הַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר hatsipor-2 HTd/Ncbsa the bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-01 Leviticus 14:6 הַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר hatsipor-3 HTd/Ncbsa the bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-01 Leviticus 14:7 הַ/צִּפֹּ֥ר hatsipor HTd/Ncbsa the bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-08 Leviticus 14:49 צִפֳּרִ֑ים tsiporim HNcbpa birds chirping birds birds
H6833-01 Leviticus 14:50 הַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר hatsipor HTd/Ncbsa the bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-01 Leviticus 14:51 הַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר hatsipor HTd/Ncbsa the-bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-01 Leviticus 14:51 הַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר hatsipor-2 HTd/Ncbsa the-bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-01 Leviticus 14:52 הַ/צִּפּ֔וֹר hatsipor HTd/Ncbsa of the bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-10 Leviticus 14:52 וּ/בַ/צִּפֹּ֣ר uvatsipor HC/Rd/Ncbsa and with the bird and with the bird and with the bird
H6833-01 Leviticus 14:53 הַ/צִּפֹּ֧ר hatsipor HTd/Ncbsa the bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-07 Deuteronomy 4:17 צִפּ֣וֹר tsipor HNcbsc winged bird chirping bird of bird
H6833-07 Deuteronomy 14:11 צִפּ֥וֹר tsipor HNcbsa bird chirping bird of bird
H6833-07 Deuteronomy 22:6 צִפּ֣וֹר tsipor HNcbsa of a bird chirping bird of bird
H6833-04 Isaiah 31:5 כְּ/צִפֳּרִ֣ים ketsiporim HR/Ncbpa like-birds like chirping birds like birds
H6833-07 Ezekiel 17:23 צִפּ֣וֹר tsipor HNcbsa birds chirping bird of bird of
H6833-07 Ezekiel 39:4 צִפּ֧וֹר tsipor HNcbsa birds chirping bird of bird of
H6833-06 Ezekiel 39:17 לְ/צִפּ֨וֹר letsipor HR/Ncbsc to bird to a bird of to a bird of
H6833-05 Hosea 11:11 כְ/צִפּוֹר֙ khetsipor HR/Ncbsa like a bird like a chirping bird like a bird
H6833-07 Amos 3:5 צִפּוֹר֙ tsipor HNcbsa a bird chirping bird of bird
H6833-07 Psalms 8:9 צִפּ֣וֹר tsipor HNcbsc birds chirping bird of bird of
H6833-07 Psalms 11:1 צִפּֽוֹר tsipor HNcbsa bird chirping bird of bird
H6833-07 Psalms 84:4 צִפּ֨וֹר tsipor HNcbsa bird chirping bird of bird
H6833-03 Psalms 102:8 כְּ֝/צִפּ֗וֹר ketsipor HR/Ncbsa like a bird like a chirping bird like a bird
H6833-08 Psalms 104:17 צִפֳּרִ֣ים tsiporim HNcbpa birds chirping birds birds
H6833-03 Psalms 124:7 כְּ/צִפּ֥וֹר ketsipor HR/Ncbsa like a bird like a chirping bird like a bird
H6833-12 Psalms 148:10 וְ/צִפּ֥וֹר vetsipor HC/Ncbsc and birds and bird of and bird
H6833-09 Proverbs 6:5 וּ֝/כְ/צִפּ֗וֹר ukhetsipor HC/R/Ncbsa and like a bird and like a chirping bird and like a bird
H6833-07 Proverbs 7:23 צִפּ֣וֹר tsipor HNcbsa bird chirping bird of bird
H6833-02 Proverbs 26:2 כַּ/צִּפּ֣וֹר katsipor HRd/Ncbsa like a bird like a chirping bird like a bird
H6833-03 Proverbs 27:8 כְּ֭/צִפּוֹר ketsipor HR/Ncbsa like-a-bird like a chirping bird like a bird
H6833-02 Job 40:29 כַּ/צִּפּ֑וֹר katsipor HRd/Ncbsa like a bird like a chirping bird like a bird
H6833-02 Lamentations 3:52 כַּ/צִּפּ֖וֹר katsipor HRd/Ncbsa like a bird like a chirping bird like a bird
H6833-11 Ecclesiastes 9:12 וְ/כַ֨/צִּפֳּרִ֔ים vekhatsiporim HC/Rd/Ncbpa and like birds and like chirping birds and like birds
H6833-01 Ecclesiastes 12:4 הַ/צִּפּ֔וֹר hatsipor HTd/Ncbsa of the bird the chirping bird the bird
H6833-13 Nehemiah 5:18 וְ/צִפֳּרִים֙ vetsiporim HC/Ncbpa and birds and chirping birds and birds
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