Word Study for H6854 (צְפַרְדֵּעַ)

tsᵉphardêaʻ /tsef-ar-day'-ah/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom צָפַר and a word elsewhere unused meaning a swamp

Meaninga marsh-leaper, i.e. frog

KJV usagefrog.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tsᵉphardêaʻ — 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 tsᵉphardêaʻ, represented by H6854, is the term for a frog. Derived from a term for a "marsh-leaper," it appears 13 times in 13 unique verses. Its usage is exclusively tied to the narrative of the second plague brought upon Egypt, where it serves as an instrument of divine judgment.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H6854 is central to the account of the plagues. God threatens to "smite all thy borders with frogs" if Pharaoh refuses to let Israel go Exodus 8:2. The plague's execution is dramatic: Aaron stretches his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs come up and cover the land Exodus 8:6. The infestation is total, with the frogs invading every part of Egyptian life, including houses, bedchambers, and ovens Exodus 8:3. The plague is so potent that Pharaoh eventually calls for Moses to "Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me" Exodus 8:8. The event is later recalled in the Psalms as a powerful demonstration of God's work (Psalms 78:45, Psalms 105:30).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the plague of frogs and its destructive nature:

H7843 shâchath (to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively);... destroy): This verb describes the effect of the frogs, which were sent to destroy the Egyptians, placing them in the same category as other devastating plagues Psalms 78:45.
H6157 ʻârôb (divers sorts of flies, swarm): The plague of frogs is mentioned in direct parallel with the plague of flies, another overwhelming infestation sent by God against Egypt Psalms 78:45.
H398 ʼâkal (to eat... consume, devour): While the flies are said to have devoured the Egyptians, the frogs are described in the same verse as having destroyed them, highlighting the distinct but equally ruinous nature of each plague Psalms 78:45.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6854 is found in its role within the Exodus narrative.

Instrument of Judgment: The common frog is transformed into a tool of God's judgment, demonstrating His sovereignty over both nature and the nation of Egypt Exodus 8:2.
Pervasive Power: The plague's ability to infiltrate every space, from the river to the king's chambers, symbolizes that no part of the defiant kingdom is shielded from God's reach (Psalms 105:30, Exodus 8:3).
Proof of Divine Authority: God commands Moses and Aaron to bring forth the frogs Exodus 8:5. Moses' subsequent successful intercession to have the LORD remove them demonstrates that God alone holds ultimate power over the plague, a power Pharaoh and his magicians lack Exodus 8:12-13.

Summary

In summary, H6854 is not merely a biological term. In scripture, the frog functions as a potent symbol of God's overwhelming power against a defiant ruler. The story of the plague illustrates how God can utilize any part of His creation, even a humble "marsh-leaper," to execute His divine will and demonstrate His authority over all the earth.

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 13 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.

צְפַרְדְּעִים
צְּפַרְדֵּעַ

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 13 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus (11 verses); never once in the other 37.

Exodus

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.