H6806 H6806
A step, stride, or pace; literally a footfall, figuratively the course and direction of one's life.
Refers to a single step or stride of the foot, spanning literal and deeply figurative uses. David celebrates that God 'broadens my steps beneath me' — giving firm, confident footing (2 Sam 22:37 = Ps 18:36). Proverbs observes that 'a man's steps are from the LORD' (Prov 16:9), and Jeremiah confesses that 'a person's steps are not in their own power' (Jer 10:23). Job invokes the word repeatedly in contexts of divine surveillance: 'Does He not see my steps and count them all?' (Job 31:4, 37). The plural in Proverbs 30:29 describes creatures 'stately in stride.' Lamentations 4:18 uses it for steps hunted by pursuers, closing in on a besieged city.
Senses
1. step, stride, pace — A step, stride, or pace (צַעַד), denoting the physical act of placing one foot forward and, by extension, the trajectory of a person's life under divine sovereignty. Spanish 'paso/pasos' and French 'marches' both reflect this dual literal-figurative range. Literal uses describe firm footing in battle (2 Sam 22:37) and stately animal gait (Prov 30:29). The figurative sense predominates in wisdom and prophetic literature, where steps represent life's direction governed by God (Prov 16:9; Jer 10:23) or scrutinized by Him (Job 14:16; 31:4; 34:21). 14×
AR["خَطْوٍ", "خُطواتِهِ", "خُطواتِي", "خُطُوَاتٍ", "خُطُوَاتُ", "خُطُوَاتُهَا", "خُطُوَاتِنَا", "خُطُوَاتِي", "خُطْوَتَهُ", "خُطْوَتُكَ", "خُطْوَتِهِ"]·ben["আমাদের-পদক্ষেপ", "আমার-পদক্ষেপ", "আমার-পদক্ষেপের", "তার-পদক্ষেপ", "তোমার-পদক্ষেপ", "পদক্ষেপ", "পদক্ষেপ-তার", "পদক্ষেপে"]·DE["[צעד]", "[צעדו]", "[צעדי]", "[צעדיה]", "[צעדיו]", "[צעדינו]", "[צעדך]", "mein-step", "steps"]·EN["her-steps", "his-step", "his-steps", "my-step", "my-steps", "our-steps", "steps", "steps-my", "stride", "the-steps-of", "your-step"]·FR["[צעדו]", "[צעדינו]", "marches", "mon-pas-moi", "mon-step", "pas", "sa-pas-elle", "son-pas-lui", "ton-pas-toi"]·heb["צעד", "צעדו", "צעדי", "צעדיה", "צעדיו", "צעדים", "צעדינו", "צעדך"]·HI["उसकी-शक्ति-के-कदम", "उसके-कदम", "कदम", "कदम-उसके", "कदम-को", "कदम-मेरा", "कदमों-अपने-की", "कदमों-उसके", "कदमों-मेरे", "चाल-तेरी", "मेरे-कदम", "हमारे-कदमों-को"]·ID["langkah", "langkah-langkah", "langkah-langkah-kami", "langkah-langkahku", "langkah-langkahnya", "langkahku", "langkahmu", "langkahnya"]·IT["[צעדי]", "gradini", "mio-gradino", "passo", "passo-mio", "passo-sua", "passo-suo", "passo-tuo"]·jav["jangkah", "jangkah-ipun", "jangkah-jangkah", "jangkah-kawula", "jangkah-kita", "jangkah-kula", "jangkah-panjenengan", "jangkahé", "lampah-kula", "tindak"]·KO["걸음", "걸음-을-그-의", "걸음을", "그녀-의-걸음-들-은", "그의-발걸음들을", "그의-발걸음을", "나의-걸음을", "나의-발걸음들을", "나의-발걸음들의", "네-걸음-이", "발걸음-을", "발걸음들이", "우리-발걸음들-을"]·PT["meu-passo", "meus-passos", "nossos-passos", "passo", "passos", "passos-de", "seu-passo", "seus-passos", "teu-passo"]·RU["выступающих", "свои", "шаг-его", "шаг-мой", "шаг-твой,", "шаги", "шаги-его", "шаги-её", "шаги-мои", "шаги-наши", "шагов", "шагов-моих"]·ES["en-paso", "mi-paso", "mis-pasos", "nuestros-pasos", "paso-su", "pasos", "pasos-de", "pasos-sus", "sus-pasos", "tus-pasos"]·SW["hatua", "hatua-yangu", "hatua-za", "hatua-zake", "hatua-zako", "hatua-zangu", "hatua-zetu", "ya-hatua-zangu", "za-kutembea"]·TR["adım", "adımda", "adımları", "adımları-onun", "adımlarımı", "adımlarımın", "adımlarımızı", "adımların", "adımlarını", "adımımı"]·urd["اس کے قدموں کو", "اپنے قدموں کا", "اپنے-قدم", "قدم", "قدم-اُس-کے", "قدم-تیرے", "میرا-قدم", "میرے قدموں کو", "میرے-قدم", "میرے-قدموں-کو", "ہمارے-قدموں-کا"]
2 Sam 6:13, 2 Sam 22:37, Job 14:16, Job 18:7, Job 31:4, Job 31:37, Job 34:21, Ps 18:36, Prov 4:12, Prov 5:5, Prov 16:9, Prov 30:29 (+2 more)
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [צַ֫עַד] n.m.2 S 6:13 step, pace;—abs. צָ֑עַד Pr 30:29; sf. צַעֲדוֹ Je 10:3; Pr 16:9, etc.; pl. cstr. צַעֲדֵי Jb 18:7; sf. צְעָדַי Jb 31:4, etc.;— 1. lit. step, pace, 2 S 6:13, תַּרְחִיב צַעֲדִי תַּחְתֵּנִי 2 S 22:37 = ψ 18:37, i.e. givest me firm footing, מֵיטִיבֵי צ׳ Pr 30:29 = making a good step, stately in march; La 4:18 (‖ לָ֑כֶת). 2. step, steps, in fig. of course of life, fortune: sg.…