H6850 H6850
chirp, peep, whisper (onomatopoetic for high-pitched sounds of birds or spirits)
An onomatopoetic verb describing chirping, peeping, or whispering sounds—the high-pitched utterances of birds or the eerie whispers of spirits. Isaiah 8:19 warns against mediums and spiritists 'who chirp and mutter.' Isaiah 10:14 uses it of conquered peoples too frightened to make a sound (not even a bird's chirp). Isaiah 38:14 has Hezekiah 'chirping like a swallow' in his distress. Isaiah 29:4 depicts defeated Jerusalem speaking from the dust 'like a ghost' with a chirping voice. The word captures faint, high-pitched, often supernatural utterances.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Isaiah 8:19 describes mediums and spiritists 'who chirp and mutter' (הַמְצַפְצְפִים וְהַמַּהְגִּים). Isaiah 10:14 says no one 'opened his mouth or chirped' in resistance. Isaiah 38:14 has Hezekiah moaning: 'like a swallow or crane I chirp' (אֲצַפְצֵף). Isaiah 29:4 promises Jerusalem's voice will 'chirp from the dust' (תְּצַפְצֵף) like a ghost. Spanish susurrar (whisper) and gorjeo (chirp) capture the faint, high-pitched quality. French similarly emphasizes the bird-like or spirit-like sounds. 4×
AR["أُصَفْصِفُ", "المُزَقزِقِينَ", "وَ-مُصَفِّرٌ", "يَهْمِسُ"]·ben["আমি-চিৎকার-করি", "ফিসফিস-করবে", "বা-কিচিরমিচির", "যারা-ফিসফিস-করে"]·DE["[אצפצף]", "[המצפצפים]", "[ומצפצף]", "[תצפצף]"]·EN["I-chirp", "and-chirping", "shall-chirp", "the-chirping"]·FR["[אצפצף]", "[המצפצפים]", "[ומצפצף]", "[תצפצף]"]·heb["אצפצף", "ה-מצפצפים", "ו-מצפצף", "תצפצף"]·HI["फुसफुसाएगी", "फुसफुसाने-वालों", "मैं-चहचहाता-हूँ", "या-चहचहाने-वाला"]·ID["aku-berkicau", "berbisik", "dan-berkicau", "yang-berbisik"]·IT["e-pigolare", "pigolare"]·jav["ingkang-ngelik", "makaten", "ngrikik", "utawi-ngelik"]·KO["내가-지저귄다", "속삭이는", "속삭일-것이다", "지저귀는"]·PT["e-piando", "os-que-piam", "pio", "sussurrará"]·RU["будет-шептать", "и-пищащего", "шепчущим", "щебечу-я"]·ES["gorjeo", "los-que-susurran", "o-piara", "susurrará"]·SW["au-kulia", "ninalia", "wanaonong'ona", "yatanong'ona"]·TR["civildayacak", "civildayanlar", "inliyorum", "ve-civildayan"]·urd["اور-چہچہانے-والا", "میں-چہچہاتا-ہوں", "پھسپھسائے-گی", "پھسپھسانے-والوں"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [צָפַף] vb. Pilp. chirp, peep (onomatop.; NH Pilp. id.; JAram. צַפְצֵף chirp; Arabic صُفْصُفٌ sparrow, etc.);—Impf. 3 fs. תְּצַפְצֵף Is 29:4, 1 s. אֲצַפְצֵף 38:14; Pt. מְצַפְצֵף 10:14, pl. הַמְצַפְצְפִים 8:19;—chirp, peep: 1. of birds Is 10:14 (fig. of conquered peoples); of mourning, כְּסוּס … אֲצ׳ 38:14 (‖ אֶהְגֶּה כַּיּוֹנָה). 2. of spirits, ghosts Is 8:19 (+ הַמַּהְגִּים), מֵעָפָר אִמְרָתֵךְ תְּצ׳ 29:4 (like a spirit’s).