צוּד (tsud)
tsud
to hunt; to provision
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 12 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb tsud means to hunt, describing the active pursuit of game. It appears in twelve verses across Genesis, Job, and Lamentations. The basic sense involves tracking and capturing animals, a task that requires patience and skill. In its simplest form, it describes the physical act of hunting as practiced in the ancient Near East.
The word carries distinct nuances depending on its grammatical stem. In the Qal, it denotes standard hunting. The Pi’el intensifies this meaning, suggesting an eager or keen pursuit, highlighting the hunter’s determination. Interestingly, the Hithpael stem shifts focus entirely to provisioning; here, tsud means to take provisions for oneself, linking the act of hunting directly to survival and preparation.
This dual usage reveals how the ancient worldview connected labor with sustenance. The same root that describes chasing prey also describes gathering supplies for a journey. Translators often render it as "hunt" or "provision," depending on whether the context emphasizes the chase or the resulting food. This flexibility shows how central hunting was to daily life and resource management in biblical times.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tsud captures the intense focus required to track and catch prey, but it also describes the practical work of gathering food for survival. In ancient times, hunting was not just sport; it was a necessary skill for providing for one’s family. This duality reminds us that our daily efforts, whether seeking spiritual truth or meeting physical needs, are part of God’s design for sustaining life.
Yet the Bible also uses this image to describe danger. When enemies hunt like lions or set nets to trap the innocent, it highlights the vulnerability of the righteous. These passages remind us that we live in a world where harm can come from unexpected places, and our safety often feels precarious.
Ultimately, this word points us toward our need for God’s protection. While humans may hunt or scheme against us, He is the one who watches over our steps. We can find peace knowing that our Provider cares for both our physical needs and our spiritual safety, guiding us through every season of life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 12 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- ¿/ will you hunt1×
- you hunt/ me1×
- who/ hunted1×
- we took as our provisions1×
- to/ hunt1×
- they hunted/ me1×
- they hunted1×
- they hunt1×
- she hunts1×
- he will hunt1×
- certainly <to hunt>1×
- and/ they will hunt/ them1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תְּצוּדֵ֑/נִי1×
- תָצֽוּד\׃\ \פ1×
- צָד֣וּ1×
- צָד֛וּ/נִי1×
- צ֥וֹד1×
- לָ/צ֥וּד1×
- יָצ֥וּדוּ1×
- יָצ֜וּד1×
- וְ/צָד֞וּ/ם1×
- וְ/צ֥וּדָ/ה1×
- הַ/צָּֽד\־1×
- הִצְטַיַּ֤דְנוּ1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 27:3
Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and get me venison.
This verse establishes the literal meaning of the word as the active preparation for hunting game to provide food.
-
Job 10:16
If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.
Here the term shifts metaphorically to describe God’s overwhelming power, comparing His pursuit to a lion hunting its prey.
-
Proverbs 6:26
For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
The word illustrates how destructive desires can actively pursue and endanger a person’s soul with the same intensity as a hunter chasing game.
-
Lamentations 4:18
They hunt our steps, so that we can’t go in our streets. Our end is near. Our days are fulfilled, for our end has come.
This occurrence shows the word used to depict the relentless pressure of enemies who track the people’s every move, leaving no room for freedom.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word tsud mean?
How is tsud different from other words for seeking?
Why does this word appear in both Genesis and Lamentations?
Every Occurrence (12 verses across 8 books)
Genesis 3 verses
Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and get me venison.
Genesis 27:5Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
Genesis 27:33Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who, then, is he who has taken venison, and brought it to me, and I have eaten of…