Lexical Definition

‎צָפָה‎ tsâphâh (tsaw-faw') to watch ^H:V
a primitive root

behold, espy, look up (well), wait for, (keep the) watch(-man).

• properly, to lean forward, i.e. to peer into the distance
• by implication, to observe, await

1) to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch
1a)(Qal) to keep watch, spy
1b) (Piel) to watch, watch closely

See Greek: ἐπιβλέπω · καλύπτω · κατανοέω · κοσμέω · περιέχω · σκοπός · φυλάσσω

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. [‎צָפָה‎]₃₇ verb look out or about, spy keep watch (Late Hebrew id., Pi`el hope;; Ethiopic III. hope); —

Qal₂₈ Imperfect 3 masculine singular jussive ‎יִצֶף בֵּינִי‎ ‎וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ‎ Gen 31:49 (J) may ‎׳‎‎י‎ keep watch between me and thee (that the covenant be kept = ‎׳‎‎עֵד וגו‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ vGen 31:50); 3 feminine plural ‎עֵינָיו בַּגּוֺיִם תִּצְפֶּי֑נָה‎ Ps 66:9 his eyes keep watch upon the nations; Participle active ‎צוֺפֶה רָשָׁע֫ לַצַּדִּיק‎ Ps 37:32 a wicked man spieth upon the righteous; Song 7:5* the town which looketh toward (‎פְּנֵי‎) Damascus; feminine ‎צוֺפִיָּה‎ Prov 31:27 she keepeth watch of (with accusative); plural ‎׳‎‎עֵינֵי י‎ ‎צֹפוֺת רָעִים וְטוֺבִים‎ Prov 15:3 elsewhere as substantive watchman, absolute‎צֹפֶה‎ 2Sam 13:34 +; plural ‎צֹפִים‎ 1Sam 14:16 +, suffix ‎צֹפָיו‎ Isa 56:10 Qr (Kt ‎צפו‎), ‎צֹפַיִךְ‎ Isa 52:8 — 1Sam 14:16; 2Sam 13:34 + 8 t. Samuel Kings, Ezek 33:2; Ezek 33:6 (twice in verse); Isa 52:8, so in ‎שְׂדֵה צֹפִים‎ Num 23:14 (JE); figurative of prophets Hos 9:8; Jer 6:17; Ezek 3:17; Ezek 33:7; Isa 56:10 — ‎צוֺפִים‎ 1Sam 1:1 see ‎צוּפִי‎; Passive participle ‎צָפוּ‎ (Manuscripts and Qr ‎צָפוּי‎), Job 15:22 spied out (and brought) to (‎אֱלֵי‎) the sword (Em Bi Perles^{Anal. 29} ‎צָפוּן‎ compare Di Bu). Pi`el Perfect 1 plural ‎צִפִּינוּ‎ Lam 4:17 Imperfect 1 singular ‎אֲצַפֶּה‎ Mic 7:7 +; Imperative masculine singular ‎צַפֵּה‎ Nah 2:2*, feminine singular ‎צַפִּי‎ Jer 48:19 Participle ‎מְצַפֶּה‎ 1Sam 4:13; Isa 21:6 plural suffix ‎מְצַפֶּיךָ‎ Mic 7:4 — watch (closely), ‎אֶלרֶּֿרֶךְ‎ ‎׳‎‎עִמְדִי וְצ‎ Jer 48:19, ‎דֶֿרֶךְ‎‎׳‎‎צ‎ Nah 2:2* + ‎אֶל‎ of person expected Lam 4:17 figurative ‎אֲצַפֶּה‎ ‎׳‎‎בְּי‎ Mic 7:7 absolute literal 1Sam 4:13 figurative Hab 2:1 I will look forth, to see (‎לִרְאוֺת‎) what he will say; Ps 5:4* I will look out (expectantly); participle as noun = watchman Isa 21:6; Mic 7:4.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References