Lexical Summary tsephiah: Watchtower, lookout Original Word: צְפִעָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance issue Feminine from the same as tsepha'; an outcast thing -- issue. see HEBREW tsepha' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition perhaps offshoot NASB Translation issue (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [צְפִיעָה] noun feminine dubious; apparently, from context,offshoot; — plural הַצְּפִיעוֺת Isaiah 22:24 (figurative; "" הַצֶּאֱצָאִים). Topical Lexicon Definition and Occurrence צְפִעָה appears once in the Old Testament, in Isaiah 22:24, where the Berean Standard Bible renders it “bowls.” Although a humble household item, its lone placement in Scripture invites careful reflection on daily vessels that serve both practical and symbolic purposes. Cultural and Historical Background In eighth-century BC Judah, bowls were indispensable in homes and palaces alike. They held food, drink, spices, and oils, and they also featured in sacrificial ritual, catching blood or presenting grain (Numbers 7:13; 1 Kings 7:50). Their ubiquity meant that every family, from commoner to king, relied on them. Isaiah’s audience would instantly picture something ordinary yet essential—an object without which daily life stalled. Symbolism in Isaiah 22:24 Isaiah 22 contrasts Shebna, the self-serving steward, with Eliakim son of Hilkiah, whom the LORD will “peg... as a nail in a firm place” (Isaiah 22:23). Onto that nail “they will hang... all the lesser vessels, from the bowls to every kind of jar” (Isaiah 22:24). The bowls illustrate two truths: 1. Comprehensive Dependence – Every article in the royal household, even the smallest bowl, hangs securely because the nail is trustworthy. Likewise, Judah’s welfare would rest on Eliakim’s faithful stewardship—and ultimately on the LORD who appointed him. Connections with Temple Service While Isaiah 22 highlights palace administration, bowls elsewhere accompany worship. Exodus 25:29 and Numbers 7:13 mention bowls used with the table of showbread and freewill offerings. 1 Kings 7:50 lists golden bowls among Temple furnishings. The domestic bowl in Isaiah 22 therefore echoes sacred vessels, underscoring that the LORD’s concerns span sanctuary and household. He is Lord over every sphere, and integrity in civil leadership parallels holiness in cultic service. Prophetic and Messianic Implications Revelation 3:7 cites Isaiah 22:22 in presenting Jesus Christ as the One who holds “the key of David.” Just as Eliakim prefigured the Messiah’s trustworthy governance, so the bowls point forward to believers whose lives rest on Christ. 1 Peter 2:5 calls the church “living stones... to offer spiritual sacrifices,” suggesting that even the modest role of a “bowl” finds dignity when attached to the true Nail in a sure place. Lessons for Christian Ministry 1. Faithful Support – Leaders, like Eliakim, must be strong enough to bear both “glorious” responsibilities and the weight of countless “lesser vessels.” Thus, צְפִעָה, though mentioned only once, magnifies the Lord’s concern for everyday tools and the people who wield them, encouraging believers to place every aspect of life and service upon the steadfast Christ. Forms and Transliterations וְהַצְּפִע֔וֹת והצפעות vehatztzefiot wə·haṣ·ṣə·p̄i·‘ō·wṯ wəhaṣṣəp̄i‘ōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 22:24 HEB: אָבִ֗יו הַצֶּֽאֱצָאִים֙ וְהַצְּפִע֔וֹת כֹּ֖ל כְּלֵ֣י NAS: offspring and issue, all KJV: the offspring and the issue, all vessels INT: of his father's offspring and issue all of vessels 1 Occurrence |
    |