צְפִעָה
𐤑𐤐𐤏𐤄
tsᵉphiʻâh
H6849 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Feminine noun denoting something cast out, expelled, or excluded, especially in the context of ritual impurity—a discharge, outflow, or emission (often of bodily fluids) that results in exclusion from the community or sanctuary. The term refers to both the act or condition of being cast out and the object or substance causing exclusion under ritual law.
Semantic Range
discharge (bodily emission), something expelled or cast out, object/agent of ritual exclusion, act or status of being excluded (especially for impurity)
Root / Etymology
From the root צפע, meaning 'to spit, hiss, or emit,' though the precise nuance in this nominal form is linked to the notion of emission or expulsion. The noun is the feminine form associated with phenomena that ritually separate or exclude an individual.
Historical & Contextual Notes
צְפִעָה appears in Levitical law (Leviticus 22:4), within discussions of ritual purity requirements for priests and laity regarding bodily emissions that cause exclusion from holy activities. The term designates a physical discharge—likely implying an abnormal or ritually significant bodily fluid. Contextually similar to other technical terms for impurity and exclusion (e.g., נִדָּה, זוּב), but less common. English translations vary, using 'issue,' 'discharge,' or 'an outcast thing,' sometimes failing to convey the technical nature of exclusion in the Israelite ritual system. In later biblical periods, the term is rare; related forms may appear with modified meanings in post-biblical Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine from the same as צֶפַע; an outcast thing; issue.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
צפע (ts-p-ʿ) — emit, spit, expel
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6849-01 |
וְ/הַ/צְּפִע֔וֹת | vehatsefiot | HC/Td/Ncfpa |
and the issue | and the expelled discharges | and the expelled discharges | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6849-01 |
Isaiah 22:24 | וְ/הַ/צְּפִע֔וֹת | vehatsefiot | HC/Td/Ncfpa |
and the issue | and the expelled discharges | and the expelled discharges |