Word Study for H6646 (צְבִיָּה)

tsᵉbîyâh /tseb-ee-yaw'/ Ask about this word

Rootfeminine of צְבִי

Meaninga female gazelle

KJV usageroe.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tsᵉbîyâh — 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 Hebrew word tsᵉbîyâh, represented by H6646, is the feminine term for a female gazelle; roe. It appears only 2 times in the Bible, both within the same book. Its usage is highly specific, employed within a poetic simile to evoke an image of natural beauty and grace.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The word's two occurrences are found in the Song of Solomon, where it is used in nearly identical phrases to describe the beauty of the beloved. In both instances, her breasts are compared to "two young roes that are twins" (Song of Solomon 4:5, Song of Solomon 7:3). This specific and repeated imagery emphasizes symmetry, youth, and the gentle beauty associated with young gazelles. The first mention adds the detail that they "feed among the lilies" Song of Solomon 4:5, further enhancing the picture of serene, natural elegance.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words are essential to understanding the context of H6646:

H6082 ʻôpher (young roe): This word for a fawn or young hart is always used in conjunction with H6646 in its scriptural appearances, specifying that the roes are young (Song of Solomon 4:5, Song of Solomon 7:3).
H7699 shad (breast): This is the part of the body being described by the simile involving H6646. The comparison serves to praise its form and beauty (Song of Solomon 4:5, Song of Solomon 7:3).
H8147 shᵉnayim (two): This word for "two" is used to quantify both the breasts and the roes, establishing the parallel and underscoring the theme of symmetrical pairs (Song of Solomon 4:5, Song of Solomon 7:3).
H8380 tâʼôwm (twins): Used alongside H6646, this word reinforces the idea of perfect, identical pairing, a key element of the poetic imagery (Song of Solomon 4:5, Song of Solomon 7:3).

Theological Significance

The thematic contribution of H6646 is centered on the celebration of beauty in the context of romantic love.

Natural Imagery: The choice of a female gazelle as a point of comparison grounds the description in the natural world, associating the beloved's beauty with the grace and elegance found in creation.
Symmetry and Perfection: Its consistent pairing with words like two H8147 and twins H8380 creates a powerful theme of perfect, harmonious symmetry.
Poetic Praise: The word functions exclusively as a term of endearment and praise within the poetic dialogue of the Song of Solomon, highlighting the use of rich metaphors to express admiration.

Summary

In summary, H6646 tsᵉbîyâh is a highly specialized term whose meaning is entirely defined by its two appearances in the Song of Solomon. It does not carry broad theological weight but serves as a clear example of how biblical poetry uses specific imagery from the natural world to convey ideas of beauty, symmetry, and love. Its significance is found in its precise function within one of the Bible's most descriptive and intimate similes.

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 noun across 4 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

צְבָאוֹת
צְבִיָּה

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

2 verses, all in Song of Solomon — 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.