Lexical Summary tsayid: Game, hunting, provision Original Word: צַיִד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance catch, food, hunter, that which he took in hunting, venison, victuals From a form of tsuwd and meaning the same; the chase; also game (thus taken); (generally) lunch (especially for a journey) -- X catcheth, food, X hunter, (that which he took in) hunting, venison, victuals. see HEBREW tsuwd Brown-Driver-Briggs I. צַ֫יִד noun masculine hunting, game; — absolute ׳צ Genesis 10:9+, צָ֑יִד Genesis 27:3 (Qr; > Kt צידה), Nehemiah 13:15, construct צֵיד Genesis 27:25; suffix צֵידִי Genesis 27:19, etc.; — 1 hunting Genesis 27:30; ׳גִּבֹּרצֿ Genesis 10:9 (twice in verse), ׳יֹדֵעַ צ Genesis 25:27 (all J). 2 game hunted and taken (compare BaNB 161), Genesis 25:28; Genesis 27:3 (see above) Genesis 27:5; Genesis 27:7; Genesis 27:19; Genesis 27:25; Genesis 27:31; Genesis 27:33 (all J), compare Proverbs 12:27; צֵיד חַיָּה אוֺ עוֺף Leviticus 17:13 (H). II. [צַ֫יִד] noun [masculine] provision, food; — absolute צָ֑יִד Nehemiah 13:15; suffix צֵידוֺ Job 38:41, etc.; — provision taken on journey Joshua 9:14, לֶחֶם צֵירָם Joshua 9:5 (both J E); more Generally (late). food, food-supply, Nehemiah 13:15. Psalm 132:15, of raven Job 38:41. — I.צַיִד see צוד Topical Lexicon Definition and Range of Meaning צַיִד (tsayid) denotes both the act of hunting and the food supplied through the hunt. In narrative settings the word often conveys skill, strength, or appetite; in legal and wisdom texts it can signify sustenance, diligence, or commercial “provisions.” Key Old Testament Portraits 1. Nimrod: Hunting and Human Prowess Genesis 10:9 introduces Nimrod as “a mighty hunter before the LORD.” His reputation for prowess made him proverbial. The verse underscores that extraordinary skill in taking game could elevate a man’s renown, yet it also foreshadows the tendency of human might to seek dominion apart from God. 2. Esau and Isaac: Appetite, Favor, and Family Conflict Genesis 25:27-34; Genesis 27:1-33 anchor צַיִד in household dynamics. Esau’s identity is inseparable from the chase: “Esau became a skilled hunter” (Genesis 25:27). Isaac’s partiality—“Because Isaac had a taste for wild game, he loved Esau” (Genesis 25:28)—creates a fissure that Rebekah and Jacob exploit. The repeated references to “game” in Genesis 27 expose how unchecked appetite (both for food and paternal blessing) can entangle an entire family. 3. Levitical Instruction: Hunters under the Covenant Leviticus 17:13 applies holiness regulations to the hunter: “Anyone…who hunts down any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain its blood and cover it with dirt.” The command affirms hunting as legitimate while subordinating it to reverence for life and obedience to God’s statutes. 4. Joshua and the Gibeonites: “Provisions” without Prayer Joshua 9:14 reports, “The men of Israel sampled their provisions, but they did not seek the counsel of the LORD.” Here צַיִד refers to travel supplies deceptively presented as proof of a long journey. The episode warns that judging by outward “provisions” without divine guidance leads to binding, avoidable alliances. 5. Nehemiah’s Reform: Commerce of Food on the Sabbath In Nehemiah 13:15 the term appears in a list of goods traded on the Sabbath: “I warned them against selling food on that day.” צַיִד is broadened to any marketable victuals, and its Sabbath abuse highlights the ease with which necessities can crowd out covenant priorities. Wisdom and Poetic Reflections • Job 38:41 marvels at God’s providence for the raven: “Who provides food for the raven?” Human hunters depend on skill; the Creator sustains even scavengers. Cultural Background Hunting in the Ancient Near East served multiple functions: – Survival and diet, especially for pastoralists in uncultivated zones. – Royal sport, often symbolizing dominion over chaos. – Economic exchange; dried or salted game became portable “provisions.” Biblical usage recognizes these realities yet frames hunting within moral and covenantal boundaries. Theological and Pastoral Insights • Skill and Provision: God permits and equips people to secure food through skillful endeavor (Genesis 27:3). Yet success must lead to gratitude, not pride (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). Contemporary Ministry Applications • Personal Discipline: Hunters prepare, pursue, and patiently track their quarry—traits valuable for spiritual disciplines such as prayer and Scripture study (1 Timothy 4:7-8). Conclusion צַיִד threads through Scripture as a tangible expression of human skill, need, and desire. Whether portraying a mighty hunter, a father’s palate, covenant law, or wisdom’s counsel, each occurrence summons readers to integrate practical provision with reverent obedience, ensuring that every chase, meal, and decision remains “before the LORD.” Forms and Transliterations מִצֵּ֣יד מִצֵּידִ֔י מִצֵּידָ֑ם מִצֵּידֽוֹ׃ מציד מצידו׃ מצידי מצידם צֵ֥יד צֵ֫יד֥וֹ צֵ֭ידָהּ צֵיד֑וֹ צַ֖יִד צַ֛יִד צַ֣יִד צַיִד֩ צָֽיִד׃ ציד ציד׃ צידה צידו miṣ·ṣê·ḏām miṣ·ṣê·ḏî miṣ·ṣê·ḏōw miṣ·ṣêḏ miṣṣêḏ miṣṣêḏām miṣṣêḏî miṣṣêḏōw mitzTzeid mitztzeiDam mitztzeiDi mitztzeiDo ṣa·yiḏ ṣā·yiḏ ṣayiḏ ṣāyiḏ ṣê·ḏāh ṣê·ḏōw ṣêḏ ṣêḏāh ṣêḏōw Tzayid tzeid Tzeidah tzeiDoLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 10:9 HEB: הָיָ֥ה גִבֹּֽר־ צַ֖יִד לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה NAS: He was a mighty hunter before KJV: He was a mighty hunter before INT: become was a mighty hunter before the LORD Genesis 10:9 Genesis 25:27 Genesis 25:28 Genesis 27:5 Genesis 27:7 Genesis 27:19 Genesis 27:25 Genesis 27:30 Genesis 27:31 Genesis 27:33 Leviticus 17:13 Joshua 9:14 Nehemiah 13:15 Job 38:41 Psalm 132:15 Proverbs 12:27 17 Occurrences |
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