Word Study for H6634 (צְבָא) | Strong's Concordance

tsᵉbâʼ /tseb-aw'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to פִּתְרוֹן in the figurative sense of summoning one's wishes

Meaningto please

KJV usagewill, would.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tsᵉbâʼ — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word tsᵉbâʼ, represented by H6634, corresponds to the concept of will or to please. It appears 10 times across 7 unique verses in the Bible, primarily in the book of Daniel. Its meaning revolves around the figurative sense of summoning one's wishes, expressing volition, desire, and the execution of sovereign pleasure.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H6634 is central to the theme of sovereignty. It is repeatedly used to describe God's absolute authority, as He "doeth according to his will in the army of heaven" Daniel 4:35. The narrative of Nebuchadnezzar's humbling hinges on the lesson that the Most High gives the kingdom of men "to whomsoever he will" (Daniel 4:17, Daniel 4:25, Daniel 4:32). This concept is also applied to human authority, where a powerful king exercises his will to slay or keep alive his subjects Daniel 5:19. The word can also simply mean "would," expressing a desire, as when Daniel sought to understand a vision Daniel 7:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words clarify the exercise of this sovereign will:

H7990 shallîyṭ (mighty; a premier; captain, be lawful, rule(-r)): This word is often used to describe the one who ruleth in the kingdom of men, a dominion that God gives according to His will (Daniel 4:17, Daniel 5:21).
H4437 malkûw (dominion; kingdom, kingly, realm, reign): The concept of a kingdom is the object of the sovereign will described by H6634, as God appoints rulers over the kingdom of men Daniel 4:25.
H6966 qûwm ({to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)}; appoint, establish, make, raise up self, (a-) rise (up), (make to) stand, set (up)): This verb describes the action taken as a result of sovereign will, such as when God setteth up over the kingdom whomsoever he will Daniel 4:17.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6634 is significant and focused.

Divine Sovereignty: The primary theological contribution of H6634 is to establish the absolute and unchallenged will of God. He acts according to his pleasure, and his authority is supreme over all creation, including the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth Daniel 4:35.
Authority Over Kingdoms: The word specifically highlights God's control over human governance. The repeated declaration that He gives the kingdom of men to whomever He will serves as a core lesson in the book of Daniel, humbling even the most powerful earthly kings Daniel 5:21.
Human Volition and Limitation: H6634 also illustrates the power of human will as seen in a king's authority over life and death Daniel 5:19. However, this authority is contextualized as subordinate to God's ultimate plan, showcasing the limits of human volition.

Summary

In summary, H6634 is a focused but powerful Aramaic term defining will and pleasure. Its use in the book of Daniel provides a profound theological framework for understanding sovereignty. It demonstrates that while humans possess and exercise their own will, the ultimate authority rests with God, who gives and takes away power according to His own unbreakable and supreme will.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 10 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

יִצְבֵּא
צָבֵא
צְבִית
מִצְבְּיֵ

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

7 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.