Lexical Definition

‎צָוָה‎ tsâvâh (tsaw-vaw') to command ^H:V
a primitive root

appoint, (for-) bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order.

• (intensively) to constitute, enjoin

1) to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order
1a)(Piel)
1a1) to lay charge upon
1a2) to give charge to, give command to
1a3) to give charge unto
1a4) to give charge over, appoint
1a5) to give charge, command
1a6) to charge, command
1a7) to charge, commission
1a8) to command, appoint, ordain (of divine act)
1b) (Pual) to be commanded

See Greek: ἀποστέλλω · διατίθεμαι · δίδωμι · ἐκφέρω · ἐνθυμέομαι · ἐντέλλομαι · ἐπιτάσσω · καθίστημι · κατισχύω · λαλέω · προστάσσω · συνιστάω · συντάσσω · τάσσω · τίθημι

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[‎צָוָה‎]₄₈₅ verb Pi`el lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order (Ba^{ZMG xii (1887), 641} Gerber^{124 op.} Arabic combine, II. enjoin, IV. charge; injunction, command; Thes compare Syriac , heap up (stones), , stone-heap, Arabic guide-stone, compare Schulth⁵⁷; Gerber makes Hebrew verbdenominative from ‎מִצְוָה‎ but verb is much earlier); — Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎צִוָּה‎ Gen 6:22 +; suffix ‎צִוַּנִי‎ Deut 4:5 +; ‎צִוְּךָ‎ Deut 4:23 +; ‎צִוָּהוּ‎ Gen 7:5 +, etc.; 1 singular ‎צִוִּיתִי‎ Exod 29:35 + 29 t., ‎צִוֵּיתִי‎ Lev 8:31 + 4 t., etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יְצַוֶּה‎ Gen 18:19 + 8 t.; ‎יְצַו‎ Deut 28:8 ‎וַיְצַו‎ Gen 2:16 +; suffix ‎וִיצַוְּךָ‎ 1Chr 22:12, etc.; 1s. ‎וָאֲצִוֶּה‎ Ezra 8:17 Qr (> Kt ‎ואוצאה‎); 3 masculine plural ‎וַיְצַזּוּ‎ Gen 50:16 +, etc.; Infinitive construct ‎צַוֹּת‎ 2Sam 18:5 +, etc.; Imperative masculine singular ‎צַוֵּה‎ Josh 4:16 + 2t.; ‎צַו‎ Lev 6:2* + 9 t.; masculine plural ‎צַוּוּ‎ Josh 1:11; Josh 4:3 Participle ‎מְצַוֶּה‎ Num 32:23 +; construct ‎מְצַוֵּה‎ Isa 55:4, etc.; feminine ‎מְצַוָּה‎ Gen 27:8 —

1. a. lay charge upon, with ‎עַל‎ person, Gen 2:16 (J) Gen 28:6 (P) 1Kgs 2:43; 1Kgs 11:11; Amos 2:12; Jer 35:6 + 6t.; ‎עַל‎ of thing, ‎עַל הֶעָבִים אֲצַוֶּה מֵהַמְטִיר‎ Isa 5:6, compare Job 36:32, ‎עַלתָֿגָב‎ ‎׳‎‎צ‎ 2Chr 7:13.
b. give charge to, command to with ‎לְ‎ person Exod 1:22 (E) 1Sam 20:29; 1Chr 22:17; Isa 13:3; Jer 32:23; Ps 105:8 ‎לָנוּ משֶׁה‎ ‎׳‎‎תּוֺרָה צ‎ Deut 33:4, compare Neh 9:14 ‎צַו לְבֵיתֶ֑ךָ‎ 2Kgs 20:1 give charge to thy household (in preparation for death) = Isa 38:1 (compare Late Hebrew, B.Bath.^{151 b}, ‎צַוָּאָה‎ 'verbal will' Id^{147 a}).
c. give charge uno, with ‎אֶל‎ person Exod 16:34 (P), 1Kgs 11:10 ‎וַיְצַו אֶלכֵּֿיתוֺ‎ 2Sam 17:23 (compare
b.).
d. give charge over, appoint, with accusative of person + ‎עַל‎ of thing, Neh 7:2; 1Chr 22:12, ‎(לִהְיוֺת) נָנִיד עַל‎ ‎׳‎‎צ‎ appoint one (to be) ruler over 2Sam 6:21; 1Kgs 1:35 with ‎לנגיד‎ 1Sam 13:14; 1Sam 25:30 ‎שׁפטים על‎ 2Sam 7:11 = 1Chr 17:10 with infinitive (no ‎על‎), ‎לִרְעוֺת עמי‎ 2Sam 7:7 = 1Chr 17:6 ‎וְצִוִּיתָה‎ ‎אֹתוֺ לְעֵינֵיהֶם‎ Num 27:19 (P) and thou shalt install him in their sight, compare vNum 27:23 (P).
e. give one charge, command (often ‎עַל‎ concerning), Gen 12:20 (J), Num 8:22 (P), 2Sam 14:8; 2Sam 18:5; Jer 7:22; Jer 39:11; Isa 45:12 (AV RV Che Ry^Kau; > Ges Ew Di Du and others as d), Isa 10:6 (al. against), Nah 1:14 (al. id.); with ‎לְ‎ Num 9:8; Num 32:38 (P), Ps 91:11; Lam 1:17; Esth 3:2 with ‎אֶל‎ Isa 23:11; Jer 47:7.

2. charge, command:
a. with accusative of person + thing, often, especially of the law: Deuteronomic phrases are ‎אשׁר אנכי מצוךָ‎ Exod 34:11 (J), Deut 4:40; Deut 6:2; Deut 6:6 + 18 t. Deuteronomy, compare Deut 15:15 ‎אשׁר‎ ‎אנכי מצוה אתכם‎ Deut 4:2 (twice in verse) + 9 t. Deuteronomy; ‎הַדֶּרֶךְ‎ ‎׳‎‎אשׁר צ‎ Deut 13:6*; Deut 13:6*; Exod 32:8 (E) Deut 5:30; Deut 9:12; Deut 9:16; Deut 11:28; Deut 31:29.
b. with accusative of person + object clause, e.g., Infinitive Gen 50:2+; ‎ו‎ consecutive Perfect Gen 18:19 (J), Num 35:2 (P); ‎ו‎ consecutive Imperfect 2Sam 4:12; 1Kgs 2:46 weak ‎ו‎ with Imperfect Exod 27:20 (P) Josh 4:16 Imperative Josh 1:9; 1Sam 18:22.
c. accusative of person, accusative of thing omitted, Exod 18:23 (E) Gen 49:33 (P) +; object given after ‎לֵאמֹר‎ Gen 26:11; Gen 32:15*; Gen 32:20*; Lev 6:2* +; ‎וַיּאֹמֶר‎ etc., Gen 28:1; Gen 49:29 +.
d. accusative of thing, accusative of person omitted, ‎לעולם בריתוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎צ‎ Ps 111:9 ‎וֶה הַדָּבָר‎ ‎׳‎‎י‎ ‎׳‎‎אֲשֶׁר צ‎, Exod 16:16; Exod 16:32; Exod 35:4; Lev 8:5; Lev 9:6; Lev 17:2; Num 30:2*; Num 36:6 (P); object clause, Lev 8:34 (P), Lev 13:54 (P); Gen 42:25 (E), 1Kgs 5:20*; Judg 4:6.
e. absolute Gen 50:16 (E), Lam 3:37.

3. charge, command, accusative of person in phrase ‎׳‎‎כַּאֲשֶׁר צ‎ Exod 23:15 (E) Gen 7:9 (P) +; ‎׳‎‎ככל אשׁר צ‎ Gen 7:5 (J) Exod 29:35 (P) +; ‎משֶׁה‎ ‎׳‎‎י‎ ‎׳‎‎כאשׁר צ‎ Exod 12:28; Exod 12:50; Exod 39:1; Exod 39:5 + 37 t. P; ‎משׁה‎ ‎׳‎‎י‎ ‎׳‎‎ככל אשׁר צ‎ Exod 39:32; Exod 39:42 + 5t. P; ‎׳‎‎לכל אשׁר צ‎ Josh 1:18; Josh 22:2; Jer 35:8 accusative of person omitted ‎׳‎‎כאשׁר צ‎ Exod 7:10; Num 32:25 (P) +; ‎׳‎‎ככל אשׁר צ‎ 2Kgs 11:9 = 2Chr 23:8 +; ‎׳‎‎לכל אשׁר צ‎ Exod 36:1 (P).

4. charge, with command to others, commission,
a. accusative of person +‎אֶל‎ person (sometimes + accusative of thing) Exod 6:13; Exod 25:22; Lev 27:34 (P) Deut 1:3; Jer 27:4; Esth 4:10 accusative of person omitted Gen 50:16 (E) Esth 3:12; Esth 8:9.
b. ‎בְּיַד‎ of agent, + ‎אֶל‎, Num 15:23; Num 36:13 (P); ‎אֶל‎ omitted Lev 8:36 (P), Ezra 9:11; Neh 8:14.
c. accusative of person + ‎עַל‎ for ‎אֶל‎ Ezra 8:17; 1Chr 22:13; Mal 3:22*; Esth 4:5.
d. with accusative of thing, ‎כִּרְכָתִי לְ‎ ‎׳‎‎וצ‎ Lev 25:21 (P) and I will command my blessing to you, with ‎אִתְּךָ‎ Deut 28:8, compare Ps 133:3 ‎חסדוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎צ‎ Ps 42:9*, ‎בֹּקֶר‎ Job 38:12, ‎נָחָשׁ‎, ‎חֶרֶב‎ Amos 9:3; Amos 9:4.

5. command, appoint, ordain, of divine act: in creation Isa 45:12; Ps 33:9; Ps 148:5, providence 2Sam 17:4; Amos 6:11; Amos 9:9; Job 37:12; Ps 78:23; Isa 34:16, redemption Ps 7:7*; Ps 44:5*; Ps 68:29*; Ps 71:3 so of idol Isa 48:5 (|| ‎עשׂה‎). Pu`al Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎צֻוָּה‎ Num 3:16; Num 36:2 2 masculine singular ‎צֻוֵּיתָה‎ Gen 45:19, etc.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יְצֻוֶּה‎ Exod 34:34 — be commanded, i.e. receive command, subject person, Gen 45:19 (E), with ‎בְּ‎ by whom Num 36:2 (P); ‎׳‎‎אשׁר צ‎ Exod 34:34 (P), ‎׳‎‎כִּיכֵֿן צ‎ Lev 8:35; Lev 10:13 (P), ‎׳‎‎כאשׁר צ‎ Num 3:16 (P) Ezek 12:7; Ezek 24:18; Ezek 37:7.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References