Word Study for H6792 (צֹנֵא) | Strong's Concordance

tsônêʼ /tso-nay'/ Ask about this word

Rootor צֹנֶה · for צֹאן

Meaninga flock

KJV usagesheep.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tsônêʼ — 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 tsônêʼ, represented by H6792, translates to a flock; sheep. It is a specific term that appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses, highlighting its use in particular contexts related to livestock and creation.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical appearances, H6792 is used in both practical and poetic ways. First, it is mentioned in a command regarding settlement, where the people are instructed to build cities for their families and folds for their sheep Numbers 32:24, linking the care of flocks directly to the establishment of communities. Second, it appears in a psalm that describes humanity's dominion over the natural world, listing sheep and oxen as primary examples of the animals under human authority Psalms 8:7.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a broader context for the role and management of livestock:

H1448 gᵉdêrâh (folds): Defined as an "enclosure (especially for flocks); (sheep-) cote (fold) hedge, wall," this word is used directly with H6792 to describe the protective structures built for sheep Numbers 32:24.
H504 ʼeleph (oxen): This term for "an ox or cow" appears alongside sheep in the list of animals over which humanity has dominion, highlighting the agricultural and domestic animals central to Israelite life Psalms 8:7.
H929 bᵉhêmâh (beasts): Meaning "a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal," this word refers to a wider category of creatures, including the beasts of the field, placing sheep within the larger animal kingdom Psalms 8:7.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H6792 is derived from its specific contexts.

Covenant and Provision: In Numbers 32:24, the command to build folds for sheep is part of fulfilling a spoken promise. This connects the practical care for flocks with faithfulness and the responsibilities of community settlement.
Dominion over Creation: The inclusion of sheep in Psalms 8:7 serves as a key illustration of the created order. It affirms a theological principle where humanity is given stewardship and authority over the animal kingdom, including domestic flocks.
Foundations of Community: The pairing of building cities for little ones H2945 with building folds for sheep H6792 suggests that the welfare of the flock was considered a foundational element for a stable and prosperous community Numbers 32:24.

Summary

In summary, while H6792 is a rarely used term for sheep, its appearances are significant. It is not merely a label for an animal but is used to frame important biblical concepts. It connects the tangible act of caring for a flock to the larger themes of establishing a community, keeping one's word, and understanding humanity's place within the divinely established order of creation.

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 2 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.

צֹנֶה
צֹנַאֲ

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Numbers and Psalms (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Numbers

Psalms

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.