Lexical Summary zeer: insignificance, smallness Original Word: זְעֵיר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance little From an unused root (akin (by permutation) to tsa'ar), meaning to dwindle; small -- little. see HEBREW tsa'ar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a little NASB Translation little (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs זְעֵיר noun [masculine] a little (diminutive form Ol§ 180 LagBN 85) — 1 of quantity, amount (of instruction) שָׁם ׳שָׁם ז ׳ז Isaiah 28:10,13 (in both "" צַו, קַו). 2 of time, וַאֲחַוֶּ֑ךָּ ׳כַּתַּרלִֿי ז Job 36:2. זער (ᵑ7 Syriac, be small; Biblical Hebrew זְעֵיר √ זְער; Egyptian Aramaic זער Cooke213, Nabataean זעירא, Palmyrene זערא Lzb268 SAC49). Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Nuance The word conveys the idea of something “small,” “brief,” or “slight”—whether in length of time, quantity, or intensity. It functions adverbially (“a little”) and adjectivally (“little, small”), stressing limitation without denying significance. Scripture often employs the term to underscore that even the smallest portion of divine revelation, time, or mercy carries weight in the purposes of God. Occurrences and Literary Setting 1. Job 36:2 introduces the term in a plea by Elihu: “Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is yet more to be said on God’s behalf”. Here the small extension of time is requested so that a fuller testimony to God’s greatness may be given. 2–5. Isaiah 28 twice repeats a refrain in verses 10 and 13: “precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” The prophet mocks Judah’s leaders, whose arrogant dismissal of prophetic instruction results in judgment. The double repetition stresses the incremental nature of divine teaching and the people’s reluctance to receive it. Collectively these contexts associate the word with two settings: patient exposition (Job) and stubborn resistance to that exposition (Isaiah). In both, God’s word comes in measured portions suited to hearers who either humble themselves (as Elihu urges) or harden themselves (as Judah’s leaders do). Connection with Biblical Themes of Growth and Revelation Throughout Scripture, the Lord frequently imparts truth “little by little” so that His people may grow (Deuteronomy 7:22; Mark 4:33). The occurrences in Isaiah 28 reveal that when incremental revelation is ignored, those same measured portions become a stumbling block leading to judgment. Conversely, Job 36 shows that even a brief moment spent receiving God-centered teaching can enlarge one’s understanding. Thus the term underscores the pedagogical principle that God often trains His children through manageable segments of truth—and that responsiveness to those segments determines either maturation or hardening. Historical and Cultural Insights In Isaiah’s day, Judah’s leaders boasted in human alliances and dismissed prophetic warnings as childish prattle. The prophet’s taunt “here a little, there a little” mirrors their contemptuous attitude toward the simple clarity of God’s commands. Yet the irony is sharp: the very simplicity they disdain becomes the means by which God brings about their downfall. The Assyrian invasion—executed “little by little,” wave after wave—embodies the judgment encoded in the phrase. Elihu, conversely, speaks in the twilight of the patriarchal period. His request for “a little longer” reflects the ancient Near-Eastern convention of extending hospitality and deference to a guest speaker. The brevity he requests places the focus not on himself but on the magnitude of divine justice he wishes to declare. Ministry and Devotional Implications 1. Faithful teachers should not despise incremental instruction. Small, steady doses of Scripture build doctrinal stability within the congregation. Christological and Eschatological Reflections Jesus Christ embodies the principle of humble smallness—born in an obscure village, teaching with simple parables, sowing the kingdom “like a mustard seed” that grows (Matthew 13:31-32). The term therefore anticipates the Messianic pattern in which what begins “little” culminates in cosmic redemption. Eschatologically, the phrase recalls “a little while” references (for example, Hebrews 10:37; Revelation 6:11) that assure believers of a definitive yet imminent consummation. The people of God live between the “little” already-given revelation and the full unveiling to come. Summary Used sparingly yet pointedly, this term highlights the divine strategy of imparting truth and executing judgment in measured portions. Whether requesting a brief audience for exalted teaching (Job) or exposing the tragic ridicule of prophetic clarity (Isaiah), Scripture testifies that God’s “little” is never trivial. Attending to the slightest instruction from the Lord secures blessing, while disregarding it invites calamity. Forms and Transliterations זְ֭עֵיר זְעֵ֣יר זְעֵ֥יר זעיר zə‘êr zə·‘êr ZeeirLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 36:2 HEB: כַּתַּר־ לִ֣י זְ֭עֵיר וַאֲחַוֶּ֑ךָּ כִּ֤י NAS: Wait for me a little, and I will show KJV: Suffer me a little, and I will shew INT: Wait A little will show there Isaiah 28:10 Isaiah 28:10 Isaiah 28:13 Isaiah 28:13 5 Occurrences |
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