צֹאן273 H6629
Flock, small livestock; collective term for sheep and goats as a group
A collective noun appearing 274 times, tson designates sheep and goats viewed together as a flock, the staple livestock of ancient Israelite pastoral life. It covers literal herds in grazing (Gen 30:31-32), sacrificial animals selected for offering, commercial wealth measured in flocks (Gen 24:35; 26:14), and the powerful metaphor of God's people as his flock (Ps 100:3; Ezek 34). The word never singles out sheep or goats individually but always sees them as a collective unit. German distinguishes Schafe from Ziegen, yet renders tson simply as Schafe, reflecting the term's default association with sheep within the collective.
Senses
1. flock, sheep/goats (small livestock) — A collective noun for small livestock, encompassing both sheep and goats as a unified group. Used of literal pastoral herds (Gen 30:31), animals for sacrifice (Gen 4:4), and wealth in flocks (Gen 24:35). Extended metaphorically to describe Israel as God's flock under his shepherding care (Ps 100:3; Ezek 34). French renders it as both brebis and moutons, reflecting the sheep-dominant reading of the collective. 274×
AR["غَنَماً", "غَنَمًا", "غَنَمٌ", "غَنَمٍ"]·ben["পাল", "ভেড়া", "মেষ", "মেষপাল", "মেষের"]·DE["Schaf", "Schafe", "von-Schafen"]·EN["flock", "flocks", "sheep"]·FR["brebis", "mouton", "moutons", "troupeau", "troupeaux"]·heb["צאן"]·HI["भेड़", "भेड़-बकरियाँ", "भेड़-बकरियां", "भेड़बकरियां", "भेड़बकरियों-के-लिए", "भेड़ें", "भेड़ों", "भेड़ों-का", "भेड़ों-के", "भेद"]·ID["domba", "kambing-domba"]·IT["gregge", "greggi", "pecora", "pecore"]·jav["menda", "mendha", "mènda", "wedhus", "wedhus-wedhus"]·KO["양", "양과", "양들과", "양들을", "양떼", "양떼와", "양을", "양의", "양이"]·PT["ovelhas", "rebanho"]·RU["мелкий-скот", "мелкого-скота", "овец", "овцы"]·ES["ovejas"]·SW["kondoo", "kundi", "mia", "na-ng'ombe"]·TR["koyun", "koyun-için", "koyunlar", "koyunların"]·urd["بھیڑ", "بھیڑ-بکریاں", "بھیڑ-بکریوں-کے", "بھیڑوں-کے", "بھیڑیں"]
Related Senses
H1241 1. cattle, herd (bovine livestock) (183×)H0352a 1. ram (male sheep) (156×)H6499 1. young bull, bullock (130×)H3532 1. lamb, young male sheep (105×)H2543 1. donkey (male ass) (96×)H7794 1. ox, bull (79×)H7462b 1. shepherd (agent noun) (76×)H5795 1. she-goat(s), female goat(s) (68×)H7462b 2. to shepherd, tend, pasture (60×)H1581 1. camel (domestic animal) (54×)H0738b 1. lion (46×)G4263 1. sheep (39×)H5739 1. flock or herd of livestock (38×)H5695 1. calf, young bull (35×)H0738a 1. lion (large predatory feline) (34×)H0860 1. female donkey (34×)H3611 1. dog (animal) (32×)H3715a 1. young lion, lion cub (31×)G0721 1. Lamb (29×)H6260 1. male goat, he-goat (28×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
צֹאן273 n.coll.f. Gn 30:36 (poss. m. v 39a +, KöSynt. § 247 g, but dub., v 39b c. vb. fpl., as usually; in 1 S 15:14 join הַזֶּה with קוֹל; v. further Albr ZAW xv (1895), 316 ff.) small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks;—צ׳ abs. Gn 4:2 +, cstr. 29:9 +; sf. צֹאנוֹ 4:4 +; צֹאנֵנוּ Ex 10:9, צֹאונֵנוּ ψ 144:13; as pl. צֹאנֵינוּ Ne 10:37 van d. H. Gi (not Baer); s. [צֹנֶא] צֹנֶה p. 856, etc.;— 1.…