Lexical Summary ts'adah: Step, pace Original Word: צְעָדָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance going, ornament of the legs Feminine of tsa'ad; a march; (concretely) an (ornamental) ankle-chain -- going, ornament of the legs. see HEBREW tsa'ad Brown-Driver-Briggs I. צְעָדָה noun feminine marching; — ׳קוֺל צ 2 Samuel 5:24 the sound of marching = 1 Chronicles 14:15. II. [צְעָדָה] noun feminine armlet, band clasping upper arm (so SS and others; most step-chain, from I. צעד); — plural הַצְּעָדוֺת Isaiah 3:20 (ladies' finery); read ׳הַצּ also 2 Kings 11:12 (for ᵑ0 הָעֵדוּת) WeBi. Eini. 4, 258 = compare (2), 361 Kmp SS Kit Benz. Topical Lexicon Occurrences in Scripture צְעָדָה appears three times in the Old Testament: 2 Samuel 5:24; 1 Chronicles 14:15; Isaiah 3:20. Military Guidance in David’s Conquests Both 2 Samuel 5:24 and 1 Chronicles 14:15 record the same strategic moment. David was to wait “until you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees; then act, for the LORD will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines”. Here צְעָדָה conveys a supernatural signal—divine footsteps going ahead of Israel’s army. The emphasis is not merely on audible movement but on the certainty of God’s direct involvement. David’s obedience to this sign led to a decisive victory, underscoring a theology of dependence: success in spiritual warfare flows from waiting for God’s initiative rather than trusting human strength. Adornment and Divine Judgment Isaiah 3:20 lists צְעָדָה among the ornate accessories of Jerusalem’s proud women—objects soon to be stripped away in judgment. By placing the term amid anklets, sashes, and perfume bottles, Isaiah contrasts the frivolous footsteps of vanity with the purposeful footsteps of the Lord in David’s day. The same noun thus functions as a literary pivot: holy movement leads to deliverance, vain display invites discipline. Symbolic Resonances 1. Guidance: The audible “marching” in the treetops teaches that God often precedes His people in unseen ways, calling them to discernment and prompt obedience (John 10:27). Historical Setting • David’s victories took place shortly after his coronation over all Israel, around 1004–1003 BC. The decisive blow against the Philistines solidified Israel’s security and affirmed the king’s legitimacy. Ministry Application • Spiritual Warfare: Leaders should wait for unmistakable divine prompting before major initiatives, confident that the Lord still “goes before” His people (Deuteronomy 31:8). Theological Unity Across its three occurrences, צְעָדָה presents a coherent theme: footsteps may announce either the advance of God or the advance of human pride. Scripture invites every generation to choose which footsteps will define its story. Forms and Transliterations הַצְּעָדָה֙ הצעדה וְהַצְּעָדוֹת֙ והצעדות צְעָדָ֛ה צעדה haṣ·ṣə·‘ā·ḏāh haṣṣə‘āḏāh hatztzeaDah ṣə‘āḏāh ṣə·‘ā·ḏāh tzeaDah vehatztzeadOt wə·haṣ·ṣə·‘ā·ḏō·wṯ wəhaṣṣə‘āḏōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Samuel 5:24 HEB: אֶת־ ק֧וֹל צְעָדָ֛ה בְּרָאשֵׁ֥י הַבְּכָאִ֖ים NAS: the sound of marching in the tops KJV: the sound of a going in the tops INT: listen the sound of marching the tops of the balsam 1 Chronicles 14:15 Isaiah 3:20 3 Occurrences |
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