צָבָה (tsa.vah)
tsa.vah
to swell
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb tsa.vah means to swell or swell up, describing a physical expansion of the body. In the Old Testament, it appears only twice, both in Numbers 5:21-22. The context is the ritual for a suspected adulteress, where the priest pronounces a curse that her "womb shall swell" and her "thigh shall rot." This specific usage links the word to a visible, physical sign of divine judgment.
The sources indicate two forms: Qal (to swell) and Hiphil (to cause to swell). In this rare narrative, the focus is on the bodily consequence rather than an emotional state. The swelling serves as a tangible marker of guilt or innocence in a legal setting. Translators typically render it literally as "swell," preserving the stark, physical nature of the curse without adding metaphorical layers.
This word highlights how ancient Hebrew often used concrete physical imagery to describe spiritual realities. The swelling is not merely medical but symbolic of the breakdown of the body due to transgression. Its limited occurrence underscores the uniqueness of this specific legal ritual in Numbers, distinguishing it from other terms for judgment or punishment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tsavah appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times in the detailed ritual concerning a suspected adulteress in Numbers 5. In this context, it describes a physical swelling as part of a divine curse. This rare usage highlights how ancient Israelite law often used concrete, visible signs to address serious breaches of trust within the community.
For modern readers, this text can feel stark and unsettling. It reminds us that actions have real consequences, and that God cares deeply about integrity in relationships. The swelling was not just a medical symptom but a public marker of broken covenant. We are invited to reflect on how our own lives might need honesty and repair when trust is damaged.
While we do not perform such rituals today, the underlying principle remains: truth brings healing, while hidden sin can lead to decay. This passage calls us to value transparency and faithfulness in our marriages and friendships. It points us toward a God who desires wholeness rather than secrecy.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ make swell1×
- and/ it will swell1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לַ/צְבּ֥וֹת1×
- וְ/צָבְתָ֣ה1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 5:22
and this water that brings a curse will go into your bowels, and make your body swell, and your thigh fall away.” The woman shall say, “Amen, Amen.”
This verse introduces the curse formula, using tsavah to describe the physical swelling that would result from drinking the bitter water if guilt were present.
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Numbers 5:27
When he has made her drink the water, then it shall happen, if she is defiled and has committed a trespass against her husband, that the water that causes the curse will enter into her and become bitter, and her body will swell, and her thigh will fall away; and the woman will be a curse among her people.
Here the outcome is confirmed: the woman’s body swells and her thigh wastes away, serving as the visible sign of divine judgment on her trespass.