6716. tsiy
Lexical Summary
tsiy: Ship, fleet

Original Word: צִי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tsiy
Pronunciation: tsee
Phonetic Spelling: (tsee)
KJV: ship
Word Origin: [from H6680 (צָּוָה - commanded)]

1. a ship (as a fixture)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
ship

From tsavah; a ship (as a fixture) -- ship.

see HEBREW tsavah

Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. צִי noun masculineIsaiah 33:21 ship (loan-word from Egyptian t'a£, according to Bondi66, compare ErmanZMG xivi (1892),123 DHMVOJ viii. 7, 165); — absolute צִי אַדִּיר Isaiah 33:21 a majestic ship; plural צִים Numbers 24:24 (JE), Ezekiel 30:9 (׳בַּצּ; but ᵐ5 σπεύδοντες, compare ᵑ6, whence Co Berthol אָצִים).

צִיּים, צִים see I, II. ׳צִ. צִין

proper name, of a locationsee צִן

צִינֹק see צנק. צִיעֹר see צער.

ציף see II. צוּף. I. צִיץ צִיצָה v, I.[[צוּץ].

Topical Lexicon
Principal imagery

צִי portrays the seagoing vessel—whether a lone ship or a fleet—standing for maritime movement, international commerce, and military projection. Scripture uses the term sparingly, yet each occurrence locates the vessel at a theological crossroads where human power meets the sovereignty of the LORD.

Distribution in Scripture

Numbers 24:24
Isaiah 33:21
Ezekiel 30:9
Daniel 11:30

From Balaam’s oracle on the plains of Moab to Daniel’s vision in Persia, the word appears only where the horizon widens beyond Israel’s borders, underscoring the reach of Gentile power and the ultimate supremacy of God over the nations.

Vehicles of foreign intervention

Numbers 24:24 and Daniel 11:30 bracket Israel’s history with a single motif: “Ships of Kittim.” In Balaam’s prophecy “ships will come from the coast of Kittim and overwhelm Asshur and Eber” (Numbers 24:24), announcing a future incursion of distant seafarers who will humble ancient superpowers. Daniel revisits the same expression when “Ships of Kittim will come against him” (Daniel 11:30), thwarting the ambitions of the northern king. Many scholars identify Kittim with Cyprus and, by extension, the maritime West—first Phoenician and Greek fleets, then Rome. In both passages צִי becomes a tangible sign that the rise and fall of empires lies in God’s hand.

Messengers of judgment

Ezekiel 30:9 situates the word in a vision of Egypt’s downfall: “Messengers will go out from Me in ships to frighten carefree Cush.” The vessel here is an agent of divine summons, rousing distant nations to witness the LORD’s judgment on Egypt. The image recalls the flood-waters of Noah and the locust storm of Joel—creation’s forces marshaled to execute righteous verdicts.

Contrast with Zion’s security

Isaiah 33:21 paints an eschatological Jerusalem surrounded by “rivers and wide canals, where no galley with oars will go, and no majestic ship will pass.” By denying צִי access to the holy city, the prophet highlights two truths: first, God Himself is the river that sustains Zion; second, human might—symbolized by the imposing warship—is powerless to breach His defenses. The absence of the ship underscores the presence of the King (Isaiah 33:22).

Historical horizons

1. Mediterranean expansion: Phoenicians, Greeks, and later Romans dominated the sea lanes. Their fleets carried commerce, culture, and conquest, fulfilling Balaam’s sketch of western intrusion.
2. Imperial rivalries: Asshur, Eber, Egypt, Cush, Seleucid Syria—all felt the impact of maritime powers. The limited but strategic use of צִי captures these pivot points.
3. Prophetic telescoping: By employing the same nautical term for events centuries apart (Numbers and Daniel), Scripture presents a continuous, coherent narrative of divine governance over history.

Theological themes

• Sovereignty: God summons, redirects, or restrains the ships according to His purpose (Proverbs 21:1).
• Transience of human power: The mightiest fleet cannot secure lasting dominion; empires sink beneath the waves of providence (Psalm 33:10-11).
• Hope for the faithful: Zion’s safety rests not in naval ingenuity but in the LORD who is “our judge, our lawgiver, our king” (Isaiah 33:22).

Ministry reflections

1. Trust God’s global reach: The same hand that governs distant fleets guides the believer’s personal voyage (Psalm 107:23-31).
2. Engage the nations: As ships once carried merchants and armies, so today God employs modern “vessels” (airlines, digital pathways) to spread the gospel (Matthew 28:19).
3. Guard against misplaced confidence: Churches and leaders must resist leaning on political or technological might, remembering that true security lies in covenant faithfulness (Psalm 20:7).

Summary

Though occurring only four times, צִי anchors pivotal prophetic scenes, revealing maritime power as both instrument and foil of divine rule. The word invites readers to lift their eyes from local concerns to the sweep of redemptive history, where every vessel, empire, and era moves under the command of the LORD of hosts.

Forms and Transliterations
בַּצִּ֔ים בצים וְצִ֥י וְצִים֙ וצי וצים צִיִּ֤ים ציים baṣ·ṣîm baṣṣîm batzTzim ṣî·yîm ṣîyîm tziYim veTzi veTzim wə·ṣî wə·ṣîm wəṣî wəṣîm
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Numbers 24:24
HEB: וְצִים֙ מִיַּ֣ד כִּתִּ֔ים
NAS: But ships [shall come] from the coast
KJV: And ships [shall come] from the coast
INT: ships the coast of Kittim

Isaiah 33:21
HEB: אֳנִי־ שַׁ֔יִט וְצִ֥י אַדִּ֖יר לֹ֥א
NAS: mighty ship will pass--
KJV: neither shall gallant ship pass
INT: boat oars ship mighty no

Ezekiel 30:9
HEB: מַלְאָכִ֤ים מִלְּפָנַי֙ בַּצִּ֔ים לְהַחֲרִ֖יד אֶת־
NAS: will go forth from Me in ships to frighten
KJV: from me in ships to make the careless
INT: messengers me ships to frighten Ethiopia

Daniel 11:30
HEB: וּבָ֨אוּ ב֜וֹ צִיִּ֤ים כִּתִּים֙ וְנִכְאָ֔ה
NAS: For ships of Kittim will come
KJV: For the ships of Chittim shall come
INT: will come ships of Kittim will be disheartened

4 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6716
4 Occurrences


baṣ·ṣîm — 1 Occ.
ṣî·yîm — 1 Occ.
wə·ṣî — 1 Occ.
wə·ṣîm — 1 Occ.

6715
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