צָבֶה
𐤑𐤁𐤄
tsâbeh
H6639 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Swollen, distended (especially with reference to the body or its parts); used to describe a condition of abnormal swelling, especially due to disease such as edema (dropsy) or inflammation. In scriptural contexts, most often appears in legal or ritual descriptions related to physical symptoms.
Semantic Range
swollen, distended, turgid, inflamed, puffed-up (bodily), physically bloated (due to injury, infection, or disease)
Root / Etymology
From the root צבה, which carries the sense of 'to swell, to be bloated, to puff up.' The form צָבֶה is an adjective or substantive derived from this root, denoting the state of having become swollen, particularly in a medical or ritual-legal context.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term צָבֶה appears rarely, occurring in Levitical priestly texts concerned with ritual purity (notably Leviticus 13:18-20, describing symptoms of skin disease). It is used specifically for abnormal swelling and describes a visible symptom that made individuals subject to priestly inspection and possible ritual exclusion. The Hebrew uses strictly medical-observational language rather than later theological or symbolic interpretations. In English Bible translations, terms like 'swelling,' 'tumor,' or 'inflammation' are used but sometimes fail to capture the broader possible reference – from mere puffiness to serious pathological conditions. The word is distinct from other Hebrew terms for 'tumor' (e.g., עופל,טפחת), as it is more descriptive of appearance than of a specific diagnosis. Later rabbinic literature continues to use צָבֶה in halakhic discussions about bodily symptoms and ritual purity, maintaining its focus on physical manifestation rather than broader metaphorical meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from צָבָה; turgid; swell.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צבה (ts-b-h) — to swell, be inflated, be distended
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6639-01 |
צָבָֽה | tsavah | HAafsa |
swollen | swollen | swollen | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6639-01 |
Numbers 5:21 | צָבָֽה | tsavah | HAafsa |
swollen | swollen | swollen |