H2232 H2232
To sow seed, plant; of agricultural sowing, bearing seed (of plants), being sown (passive), and conceiving offspring (figurative).
Zara' is the Hebrew Bible's foundational agricultural verb, covering the full arc of seed and sowing from Genesis 1 to Zechariah. Its most frequent use describes the literal act of casting seed into soil — the backbone of ancient Israelite life. But the word's range is richer than simple farming. In Genesis 1, plants are described as 'seeding seed,' using the verb to characterize the self-propagating capacity built into creation itself. The passive forms describe land 'that has been sown' — cultivated territory versus wilderness. Most striking is the figurative extension to human conception in Leviticus 12:2 and Numbers 5:28, where a woman 'is sown with' or 'produces seed,' a metaphor Arabic and other Semitic cognates share. Across languages, the core agricultural meaning holds firm: Arabic zara'a, Aramaic zera', and Ethiopic zar'a all preserve the same sowing semantics, while Korean 씨를 뿌리다 ('scatter seeds') and Swahili -panda ('plant') confirm the cross-linguistic stability.
1. sow seed, plant crops — The dominant Qal active sense: physically sowing seed in the ground for agricultural purposes. This covers both literal field-sowing (Gen 26:12, 'Isaac sowed in that land and reaped a hundredfold') and the positive metaphorical extension of 'planting' people in a land (Jer 31:27, 'I will sow the house of Israel with the seed of man and beast'). Arabic zara'a and Korean 씨를 뿌리다 both select dedicated sowing vocabulary. The imperatives in Hosea 10:12 ('Sow for yourselves righteousness') show the metaphorical elasticity of this core sense. Forty-one occurrences make this the overwhelming default. 41×
AR["ازرَعوا","ازْرَعُوا","اِزْرَعُوا","تَزرَعُ","تَزْرَعُ","تَزْرَعُهُ","تَزْرَعُوا","تَزْرَعُونَ","تَزْرَعْ","فَـ-زَرَعَهَا","وَ-تَزْرَعُونَ","وَأَزْرَعُ","وَتَزْرَعُونَ","يِزْرَع"]·ben["আর-বপন-করব-আমি","এবং-ছড়িয়ে-দিলেন-তাতে","এবং-বপন-করবে","তুমি-বোন","তুমি-বোনো","তোমরা-বপন-করবে","বপন-করবে","বপন-করবে,","বপন-করো","বীজ-বপন-করবে","বুনবে","বোন"]·DE["[זרעו]","[יזרע]","[תזרע]","du-saeen","du-soll-saeen","saeen","sow","und-du-soll-saeen","und-du-wird-saeen","und-saeen","und-saete-es"]·EN["and-I-will-sow","and-sowed-it","and-you-shall-sow","and-you-will-sow","sow","will-sow","you-shall-sow","you-sow"]·FR["et-sema-il","et-semer","et-tu-devra-semer","et-tu-fera-semer","semer","sème","tu---semer","tu-devra-semer","tu-semer"]·heb["ו-זרעה","ו-זרעתי","ו-זרעתם","זרעו","יזרע","תזרע","תזרעו"]·HI["और-बोऊँगा-मैं","और-बोओगे","और-बोया","तुम बोओगे","तू बोएगा","बोएगा","बोओ","बोओगे","बोओगे-तू","बोता-था-तू","बोना"]·ID["Dan-kamu-akan-menabur","akan-menabur","dan-Aku-akan-menabur","dan-dia-menaburinya","dan-kamu-akan-menabur","engkau menabur","engkau tabur","kamu-akan-menabur","kamu-menabur","kamu-menanam","kamu-tabur","kamu-taburi","kamu-tanam","menaburlah"]·IT["e-seminare","e-seminò-esso","e-tu-dovra-seminare","e-tu-fara-seminare","il-suo-seme","semina","seminare","tu-dovra-seminare","tu-seminare","tu-shall-seminare"]·jav["Lan-sami-tandur","badhe-nyebar","badhé-nyebar","dipuntanem","kaping-tiga","lan-Kawula-nyebar-wiji","lan-nyebar","lan-sami-tandur","panjenengan-badhé-nanem","panjenengan-badhé-nyebar","panjenengan-nanem","panjenengan-sebar","sami-sebar","sami-tandur","sami-tandur,","sira-tanduri,"]·KO["그리고-너희는-파종할것이다","그리고-너희는-파종할지니라","그리고-버렸다-그것을","그리고-심으리라","너가-뿌리는","너는-씨를-뿌리라","너는-파종하라","너는-파종할지니라","너희는-뿌리라","너희는-파종하라","네가-뿌린","뿌리고","뿌릴-것이다-너는","뿐리라","뿐리리라","심겠으나","심다","심으라","심으리라-네가"]·PT["E-semeareis","Semeai","e-semearei","e-semeareis","e-semeou-a","semeai","semeardes","semeareis","semeares","semeará","semearás","semeias"]·RU["будешь-сеять","засевай","засеешь","и-засею","и-засеял-его","и-посеете","посеет,","посеешь","сеешь","сейте"]·ES["Y-sembraréis","sembrabas","sembrad","sembrará","sembrarás","sembraréis","siembres","y-la-sembró","y-sembraré","y-sembraréis"]·SW["Na-mtapanda","kupanda","mtapanda","na-akaupanda","na-mtapanda","na-nitapanda","panda","pandeni","ulipanda","utapanda"]·TR["ekecek","ekeceksin","ekeceksiniz","ekersin","ekin","ekiyorsun","ekmeyin","ve-ekeceksiniz","ve-ekeceğim","ve-serpti-üzerine"]·urd["اور-بوؤ-گے","اور-بوؤں-گا-میں","اور-بویا-اُس-میں","بوؤ","بوؤ-گا","بوؤ-گے","بوئے-گا","بوئے-گے","بوتا-تُو","بیجو","تُو-بوئے"]
Gen 26:12, Gen 47:23, Exod 23:10, Exod 23:16, Lev 19:19, Lev 25:3, Lev 25:4, Lev 25:11, Lev 25:20, Lev 25:22, Lev 26:16, Deut 11:10 (+29 more)
▼ 4 more senses below
Senses
2. be sown, be planted — Passive and stative forms (Nifal, Pual, Qal Passive Participle): land or seed that is sown or has been sown, describing territory in a state of cultivation. Deuteronomy 21:4 specifies a valley 'which is neither plowed nor sown'; Deuteronomy 29:23 laments land 'not sown' after judgment; Psalm 97:11 uses the metaphor 'light is sown for the righteous.' Arabic tuzra'u (passive) and Spanish es sembrado / sembrada consistently mark the passive voice. Eight occurrences, functionally distinguishing the state of being cultivated from the act of cultivating. 8×
AR["تُزْرَعُ","زُرِعَ","مَزْرُوعَةٍ","وَتُزْرَعُونَ","يُزْرَعُ","يُزْرَعُوا"]·ben["আর-বোনা-হবে।","বোনা","বোনা-হবে","বোনা-হয়েছে","রোপণ-করা-হবে"]·DE["[ונזרעתם]","[יזרע]","es-ist-sown","ist-sown","saeen","säte"]·EN["and-be-sown","is-sown","it-is-sown","sown","they-are-sown","will-be-sown"]·FR["cela-est-sown","est-sown","et-semer","semer"]·heb["ו-נזרעתם","זורעו","זרוע","זרועה","יזרע","ייזרע","תיזרע"]·HI["और-बोई-जाओगी","जो","बोई-गई-है","बोई-जाएगी","बोए-गए","बोया-जाएगा","बोये-हुए"]·ID["akan-ditaburkan","dan-kamu-ditaburi","ditabur","ditaburi","ditaburkan"]·IT["e-seminare","e-sown","esso-e-sown","il-suo-seme","seme","seminare"]·jav["badhé-dipunsebar","badhé-kasebar","dipun-sebar-winih","dipunsebar","kasebar","lan-panjenengan-kasebar"]·KO["그리고-너희가-심기리라","밤된","뿌려졌으며","뿌려지리라","뿐려졌도다","뿐리리라","심는"]·PT["e-sereis-semeados","foram-semeados","se-semeia","semeada","será-semeada","será-semeado","é-semeada","é-semeado"]·RU["будет-посеяно","засевается","засеется","засеянной","и-засеяны","посеян","посеяны"]·ES["es-sembrado","se-siembra","sembrada","sembrados","será-sembrada","será-sembrado","y-seréis-sembrados."]·SW["imepandwa","itapandwa","linapandwa","na-mtapandwa","panda","pandwa"]·TR["ekilecek","ekilir","ekilmeyecek","ekilmis","ekilmiş","ve-ekileceksiniz"]·urd["اور-بوئے-جاؤ-گے","بوئی-جائےگی","بوئی-جاتی-ہے","بوئی-ہوئی","بوئے-گئے","بویا-جائے","بویا-جائے-گا","بویا-جاتا"]
3. sense 3 — A participle cluster in Genesis 1:11-12, 29 describing plants as 'seeding seed' — the self-propagating, seed-bearing capacity of vegetation as created by God. Here the verb characterizes an inherent botanical property rather than a human agricultural act. Spanish que hace semilla ('that makes seed') and German das Samen sät ('that sows seed') both capture the attributive, definitional quality. Four occurrences, all in the creation account, making this a theologically distinctive cluster tied to the doctrine of created kinds. 4×
AR["يُزْرِعُ"]·ben["বীজ-দায়ী"]·DE["das-Samen-sät","der-Samen-sät"]·EN["seeding"]·FR["seeding"]·heb["זרע"]·HI["बीज-देने-वाला","बोने-वाला"]·ID["yang-berbiji"]·IT["seeding"]·jav["ingkang-ngwiji"]·KO["뿌리는"]·PT["que-dá","que-dê"]·RU["сеющий","сеющую"]·ES["que-hace-semilla","que-haga-semilla","que-siembra"]·SW["inayozaa","linazaa"]·TR["saçan","tohum-saçan"]·urd["بیج-دینے-والا","بیج-دینے-والی"]
4. conceive, become pregnant — Figurative extension to human conception: a woman 'producing seed' (Hifil) or 'being sown with' (Nifal) meaning to conceive offspring. Leviticus 12:2 prescribes purification when a woman 'conceives' (tazria'), and Numbers 5:28 promises that an innocent woman under the jealousy ordeal 'shall be sown with seed' — that is, she will conceive. Arabic habila ('to conceive') replaces zara'a in these contexts, and Korean 잉태하다 shifts from sowing to conception vocabulary. Two occurrences, but a semantically striking metaphorical leap from agriculture to human fertility. 2×
AR["حَبِلَتْ","وَ-تَحْبَلُ"]·ben["এবং-গর্ভবতী-হবে","গর্ভবতী-হয়"]·DE["sie-conceives","und-sie-soll-sein-sown-mit"]·EN["and-she-shall-be-sown-with","she-conceives"]·FR["elle-conceives","et-elle-devra-être-sown-avec"]·heb["ו-נזרעה","תזריע"]·HI["और-गर्भवती-होगी","और-जन्म देगी"]·ID["dan-dia-akan-mengandung","mengandung"]·IT["e-ella-dovra-essere-sown-con","ella-conceives"]·jav["lan-piyambakipun-meteng","ngandhut"]·KO["그리고-임신하리라","잉태하여"]·PT["conceber","e-será-semeada"]·RU["зачнёт","и-зачнёт"]·ES["conciba","y-concebirá"]·SW["Unzrah","atapata-mimba"]·TR["gebe-kalırsa","ve-gebe-kalacak"]·urd["اور-حاملہ-ہو","حاملہ-ہو"]
5. sense 5 — A single occurrence at Zechariah 10:9 where God declares 'I will sow them among the peoples,' using agricultural scattering as a metaphor for diaspora. Unlike sense 1's positive 'planting in a land,' here sowing means dispersing people outward among nations — yet with a redemptive purpose, since they will 'remember me in far countries.' Spanish los sembraré ('I will sow them') preserves the agricultural metaphor. This sense bridges agriculture and exile theology in a way that resists easy classification under either literal sowing or positive planting. 1×
AR["وَأَزْرَعُهُمْ"]·ben["এবং-বিক্ষেপ-করব-তাদের"]·DE["[ואזרעם]"]·EN["and-I-will-sow"]·FR["et-semer"]·heb["ו-אזרעם"]·HI["और-मैं-बोऊँगा-उन्हें"]·ID["dan-Aku-akan-menebarkan-mereka"]·IT["e-seminare"]·jav["lan-nyebar-Kawula-tiyang"]·KO["그리고-내가-흐트리리라-그들을"]·PT["E-semeei-os"]·RU["и-рассею-их-Я"]·ES["Y-los-sembraré"]·SW["na-nitawatawanya"]·TR["ve-ekeceğim"]·urd["اور-بوؤں-گا-اُنہیں"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)H0376 1. man, person, human male (2130×)H0001 1. father, immediate male parent (1031×)H0251 1. brother (blood sibling) (573×)H0120 1. man, human being (individual/generic) (527×)H0802 1. woman, female person (519×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)G0444 1. human being, person (469×)G3962 1. father or divine Father (413×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)G0080 1. brother, fellow believer (343×)H0802 2. wife, spouse (255×)H0517 1. mother, female parent (217×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)G0435 1. man, male person (202×)G1135 1. woman, adult female (190×)H2233 1. offspring, descendants (172×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. זָרַע vb. sow, scatter seed (NH id.; Assyrian zirû TPPrism vi. 15; Arabic زَرَعَ; Aramaic ܙܪܰܥ, זְרַע; Ethiopic ዘርአ: ዘርዐ: but in Sab. דֿרא DHMZMG 1883, 15 and in n.pr., Id. in MV10, pp. 242, 983)— Qal Pf. 3 ms. זָרַע Ju 6:3; 1 s. וְזָרַעְתִּ֫י Je 31:27; sf. וּזְרַעְתִּיהָ consec. Ho 2:25; 3 pl. זָֽרְעוּ Je 12:13; 2 mpl. זְרַעְתֶּם Hg 1:6; וּזְרַעְתֶּם consec. Gn 47:23 + 2 times; Impf.…