Lexical Definition

‎זָרַע‎ zâraʻ (zaw-rah') to sow ^H:V
a primitive root

bear, conceive seed, set with sow(-er), yield.

• to sow
• figuratively, to disseminate, plant, fructify

1) to sow, scatter seed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to sow
1a2) producing, yielding seed
1b)(Niphal)
1b1) to be sown
1b2) to become pregnant, be made pregnant
1c) (Pual) to be sown
1d) (Hiphil) to produce seed, yield seed

See Greek: ἀνατέλλω · σπείρω · σπορά · σπόριμος

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: זֶרַע
I. ‎זָרַע‎ verb sow, scatter seed (Late Hebrew id.; Assyrian zirû TP^{Prism vi. 15}; Arabic ; Aramaic , ‎זְרַע‎; Ethiopic but in Sabean ‎דֿרא‎ DHM^{ZMG 1883, 15 and in proper name, Id. in} MV^{10, pp. 242, 983}) —

Qal Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎זָרַע‎ Judg 6:3 1 singular ‎וְזָרַעְתִּ֫י‎ Jer 31:27 suffix ‎וּזְרַעְתִּיהָ‎ consec Hos 2:25* 3 plural ‎זָָֽרְעוּ‎ Jer 12:13 2 masculine plural ‎זְרַעַתֶּם‎ Hag 1:6 ‎וּזְרַעְתֶּם‎ consecutive Gen 47:23 + 2 t.; Imperfect ‎יִזְרָ֑ע‎ Eccl 11:4 ‎וַיִּזְרַע‎ Gen 26:12 suffix ‎וַיִּזְרָעֶהָ‎ Judg 9:45 1 singular ‎אֶזְדְעָה‎ Judg 31:8 suffix ‎וְאֶזְרָעֵם‎ Zech 10:9, etc.; Imperative masculine singular ‎זְרַע‎ Eccl 11:6 masculine plural ‎זִרְעוּ‎ Hos 10:12 +2 t.; Infinitive ‎לִזְרֹעַ‎ Isa 28:24 Participle active ‎זֹרֵעַ‎ Isa 55:10 + 3 t.; ‎זזֹרֵעַ‎ Prov 22:8; Jer 50:16, etc.; Passive participle ‎זָרֻעַ‎ Ps 97:11 (but on text see below); feminine ‎זְרוּעָה‎ Jer 2:2 —

1. literally sow:
a. absolute sow (seed), do one's sowing Judg 6:3; Gen 26:12 (J), Isa 28:24 (after ploughing ‎חרשׁ‎); ‎זִרְעוּ וקצרו ונטעו‎ ‎כרמים‎ Isa 37:30 = 2Kgs 19:29 || ‎קצר‎ also Mic 6:15; Lev 25:11 (H), Eccl 11:4 || ‎אסף‎ Lev 25:20 (H); opposed to ‎אכל‎ Job 31:8 ‎זֹרְעֵי עלכֿלמֿים‎ Isa 32:20 (on construct compare Ges^{«GKC:130»§ 130}, 1); with ‎אתהֿשּׁנה הַשׁמינִת‎ Lev 25:22 followed by ‎הַרְבֵּה‎ Hag 1:6 (opposed to ‎הָבֵא מְעָ֑ט‎).
b. with accusative of land ‎אדמה‎ Exod 23:10 (J E; || ‎אסף‎), Gen 47:23 (J); field (‎שׂדה‎) Lev 25:3 (|| ‎אסף‎), compare vLev 25:4; Ps 107:37 as passive participle ‎אֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָה‎ Jer 2:2 (|| ‎מִדְבָּר‎).
c. with accusative of seed ‎אֶתזַֿרְעֲךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎ז‎ Deut 11:10, compare Deut 22:9; Jer 35:7; Lev 26:16 (H) Eccl 11:6 followed by ‎חִטִּים‎ Jer 12:13 (|| ‎קצר‎); compare also ‎בִּכּוּרֵי‎ ‎מַעֲשֶׂיךָ אשׁר תזרע בַּשָּׂדֶה‎ Exod 23:16 (JE).
d. followed by 2 accusative ‎לֹא תזרע כַּרְמְךָ כִּלְאַ֑יִם‎ Deut 22:9 compare ‎שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרַע כִּלְאַיִם‎ Lev 19:19 (H); ‎זַרְעֲךָ אשׁרתֿזדע אתהֿאדמה‎ Isa 30:23 also of destroyed city ‎וַיִּזְרָעֶהָ מֶ֑לַח‎ Judg 9:45.
e. participle active as substantive ‎זוֺרֵעַ‎ Jer 50:16 (|| ‎תֹּפֵשׂ מַגָּל בְּעֵת קָציר‎); ‎לַֹזּרֵעַ‎ Isa 55:10 (|| ‎לָאֹכֵל‎).

2. of shrub and tree producing, yielding seed, with accusative of congnate meaning with verb Gen 1:29 (twice in verse) (P), compare

Hiph`il 3. figurative:
a. of Yahweh's sowing (planting) Israel in the land ‎וזרעתיה לי‎ ‎בָארץ‎ Hos 2:25* (We ‎וזרעתיהו‎, object being Jezreel); on the other hand ‎וְאֶזְרָעֵם בָּעַמִּים‎ Zech 10:9.
b. with 2 accusative, of Yahweh's fructifying Israel and Judah ‎יהודה זֶרַע אדם וזרע‎ ‎׳‎‎וזרעתי אתבֿית ישׂראל ואתבֿ‎ ‎בהמה‎ Jer 31:27.
c. of moral action, ‎זִרְעוּ לָכֶם‎ ‎לִצְדָקָה‎ Hos 10:12 (|| ‎קצר‎); ‎צדקה‎‎׳‎‎ז‎ Prov 11:18 ‎אַלתִּֿזְרְעוּ‎ ‎אֶלקֹֿצִים‎ Jer 4:3 sow not in among thorns (said of a few righteous deeds amid much wickedness); especially of evil-doing ‎רוּחַ יזרעו וְסוּפָתָה יִקְצֹ֑רוּ‎ Hos 8:7 ‎זֹרְעֵי עָמָל‎ Job 4:8 (|| ‎קצר‎); ‎זוֺרֵעַ עַוְלָה יקצוראָֿוֶן‎ Prov 22:8.
d. of Israel's practising idolatry ‎זְמֹרַת‎ ‎זָר תִּזְרָעֶ֑נּוּ‎ Isa 17:10 (2 accusative)
e. ‎הזרעים בדמעה בְּרִנָּה‎ ‎יִקְצֹ֑רוּ‎ Ps 126:5 metaphor of distress followed by joy. feminine ‎אוֺר זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק‎ Ps 97:11 read probably ‎זָרַח‎, Vrss Ol Hu Bae Che and others

Niph`al be sown, fructified, Perfect 3 feminine singular ‎וְנִזְרְעָה‎ consecutive Num 5:28 2 masculine plural ‎וְנִזְרַעְתֶּם‎ consecutive Ezek 36:9 Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יִזָּרַע‎ Nah 1:14 ‎יִזָּרֵ֑עַ‎ Deut 21:4; Lev 11:37 3 feminine singular ‎תִּזָּרַע‎ Deut 29:22* —

1. be sown:
a. subject ‎אֶרֶץ‎, ‎ולא תַּצְמִחַ‎ ‎׳‎‎לֹא תִזּ‎ Deut 29:22*, compare (of ‎נַחַל אֵיתָן‎) ‎לא יֵעָבֵּד‎ ‎׳‎‎בּוֺ ולא יִזּ‎ Deut 21:4 in address to ‎הָרֵי ישׂראל‎, ‎וְנֶעֱבַּדְתֶּם וְנִזְרַעְתֶּם‎ Ezek 36:9.
b. subject ‎זֶרַע‎, ‎זֶרַע זֵרוּעַ‎ ‎אשׁר יִזָּרֵעַ‎ Lev 11:37 (P); figurative ‎מִשִּׁמְךָ עוֺד‎ ‎׳‎‎לֹא יִזּ‎ Nah 1:14 no more of thy name be sown, in judgment against Nineveh.

2. be fructified, made pregnant ‎וְנִזְרְעָה זָרַ֑ע‎ Num 5:28 (P; of woman). Pu`al Perfect 3 plural ‎זֹרָ֑עוּ‎ Isa 40:24 of princes and judges under figure of trees (|| ‎נִטָּ֑עוּ‎, ‎שֹׁרֵשׁ בָּאָרֶץ גִּזְעָם‎). Hiph`il Imperfect 3 feminine singular ‎תַּזְרִיעַ‎ Lev 12:2 Participle ‎מַזְרִיעַ‎ Gen 1:11; Gen 1:12 —

1. produce seed, of herb, with accusative of congnate meaning with verb Gen 1:11; Gen 1:12 apparently denominative from ‎זֶרַע‎; compare

Qal 2. 2. of a woman, = bear a child ‎תַּזְרִיעַ וְיָיָָֽלְדָה זָכָר‎ Lev 12:2.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References