English · KJV
H6651

צָבַר

tsâbar /tsaw-bar'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto aggregate
KJV usagegather (together), heap (up), lay up.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tsâbar — 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 tsâbar, represented by H6651, is a primitive root meaning to aggregate; gather (together), heap (up), lay up. It appears 7 times across 7 unique verses in the Bible. The word consistently describes the act of amassing or piling things, whether it be valuable resources, materials for conquest, or the evidence of divine judgment.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H6651 is used to illustrate several forms of accumulation. It is prominently featured in the story of Joseph, who was instructed to lay up corn during the years of plenty Genesis 41:35 and ultimately gathered grain in such vast quantities it was like the sand of the sea Genesis 41:49. The term is also used to describe the amassing of wealth, such as Tyrus, which heaped up silver like dust Zechariah 9:3, and the wicked man who heaps up silver but will not enjoy it Job 27:16. The word can also describe a more literal piling, as when the Egyptians gathered the plague of frogs into heaps Exodus 8:14 or when an invading army heaps dust to capture a stronghold Habakkuk 1:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of gathering and accumulation:

  • H622 ʼâçaph (to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away): This word is used in direct contrast to H6651 to show the futility of hoarding wealth. A man "heapeth up" (tsâbar) riches, but does not know who "shall gather" (ʼâçaph) them Psalms 39:6.
  • H6908 qâbats (to grasp, i.e. collect; assemble): This word is used alongside H6651 in the instructions given to Joseph. The plan was to first "gather" (qâbats) all the food and then "lay up" (tsâbar) the corn under Pharaoh's authority Genesis 41:35.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6651 centers on the human act of accumulation and its spiritual implications.

  • The Futility of Earthly Wealth: The act of heaping up riches is presented as a vain and pointless endeavor when done with no regard for one's ultimate destiny. A man heaps up wealth, but has no knowledge of who will ultimately gather it Psalms 39:6.
  • Wise Stewardship and Providence: In contrast, the heaping up of resources can be an act of wisdom under divine guidance. Joseph's gathering of grain was a direct fulfillment of a plan to preserve life Genesis 41:49.
  • Symbols of Power and Judgment: The word is used to illustrate both human pride and divine judgment. Tyrus heaps up silver as a display of its own strength Zechariah 9:3, while the heaps of frogs in Egypt serve as a stinking reminder of God's power Exodus 8:14.

Summary

In summary, H6651 is a focused term for the act of heaping up or aggregating. It is a practical word that carries significant moral and theological overtones, defining the critical difference between wise preparation and futile hoarding. It illustrates how the physical act of gathering can represent profound spiritual realities, from the provident storage of grain in Joseph's time to the vain accumulation of riches that will ultimately be left behind.

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 7 occurrences, inflected in 5 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.

  • יִּצְבֹּר
  • יִצְבֹּר
  • יִצְבְּרוּ
  • יִּצְבְּרוּ
  • תִּצְבָּר

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H622 אָסַף a primitive root; to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, r H6908 קָבַץ a primitive root; to grasp, i.e. collect; assemble (selves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up), heap, resor

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

Appears in 7 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis (2 verses); never once in the other 33.

2
Genesis
1
Exodus
1
Job
1
Psalms
1
Habakkuk
1
Zechariah

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.