צְעָדָה
𐤑𐤏𐤃𐤄
tsᵉʻâdâh
H6807 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Ornamental anklet or chain worn around the ankles, traditionally used as a decorative element in attire. In biblical and ancient Near Eastern contexts, it refers specifically to a type of jewelry that encircled the ankle, often producing a tinkling or rattling sound. Broader semantic usage includes the action or result of stepping or marching, though in context it primarily denotes an ornament.
Semantic Range
anklet, ankle-chain, ornamental chain for the legs, decorative ankle jewelry, (rarely) act of marching or stepping
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root צעד (ts-ʻ-d), which primarily means 'to step, march, stride.' The noun form צְעָדָה is a feminine derivative that has shifted from the basic sense of stepping/marching to refer concretely to the object associated with the legs or feet, namely, an ankle ornament.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage (notably Isaiah 3:20), צְעָדָה refers to jewelry worn around the ankles, a form of adornment common in Iron Age Israel and the wider ancient Near East. Such decorative items were worn by women, often as part of festive or elaborate dress, and could signify status or wealth. The association with 'marching' or the movement of the legs may relate to the way such ornaments accentuated steps with sound or visual effect. In later Hebrew, the more general sense of stepping is less commonly attested for this form. English translations sometimes obscure the specificity of the item by opting for generic terms like 'ornament' or 'bracelet,' but the term most precisely denotes an anklet. Related terms include אֶצְעָדָה (bracelet) and צַעַד (step), but צְעָדָה's use is characteristically linked to the ankle/leg ornamentation. There is no evidence the term originally referred to a chain for fettering or bondage; it is a decorative, not a punitive, article.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of צַעַד; a march; (concretely) an (ornamental) ankle-chain; going, ornament of the legs.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צעד (ts-ʿ-d) — to step, stride, march
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4703 | מִצְעָד | in his steps |
| H6805 | צָעַד | in your stepping |
| H6806 | צַעַד | step |
| H685 | אֶצְעָדָה | step-chain |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6807-01 |
הַ/צְּעָדָה֙ | hatseadah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of marching | the ankle-chain | 1 |
H6807-03 |
וְ/הַ/צְּעָדוֹת֙ | vehatseadot | HC/Td/Ncfpa |
and the ornaments of the legs | and the ankle-chains | 1 |
H6807-02 |
צְעָדָ֛ה | tseadah | HNcfsa |
of marching | ornamental ankle-chain | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6807-02 |
2 Samuel 5:24 | צְעָדָ֛ה | tseadah | HNcfsa |
of marching | ornamental ankle-chain |
H6807-03 |
Isaiah 3:20 | וְ/הַ/צְּעָדוֹת֙ | vehatseadot | HC/Td/Ncfpa |
and the ornaments of the legs | and the ankle-chains |
H6807-01 |
1 Chronicles 14:15 | הַ/צְּעָדָה֙ | hatseadah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of marching | the ankle-chain |