6634. tseba

Lexical Summary

tseba: wished, wishes, desired

Original Word: צְבָא
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: tsba'
Pronunciation: tseb-aw'
Phonetic Spelling: (tseb-aw')
KJV: will, would
NASB: wished, wishes, desired, will
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H6623 (פִּתרוֹן פִּתרוֹן - interpretation) in the figurative sense of summoning one's wishes]

1. to please

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

will, would

(Aramaic) corresponding to pithrown in the figurative sense of summoning one's wishes; to please -- will, would.

see HEBREW pithrown

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to tsaba
Definition
to be inclined, desire, be pleased
NASB Translation
desired (1), will (1), wished (4), wishes (4).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[צְבָא] verb be inclined, desire, be pleased (ᵑ7 Syriac; compare Biblical Hebrew II. צבה); —

Pe`al 1. desire: Perfect1singular צְבִית (K^{§ 47 Beisp. 1}) a) Nö^{GGA, 1884, 1019} perfect intransitive) Daniel 7:19 (c. infinitive).

2 be pleased, will (without hindrance), absolute, of God: Imperfect3masculine singular יִצְבֵּא Daniel 4:14; Daniel 4:22; Daniel 4:29; Infinitive suffix מִצְבְּיֵהּ Daniel 4:32 according to his willing; of Nebuchadnezzar: Participle active צָבֵא Daniel 5:19 (4 t. in verse)

Topical Lexicon

Root Idea and Semantic Range

צְבָא describes the will, pleasure, or decision of a superior authority. It speaks of the inner resolve that produces outward action, especially the prerogative to dispose of persons or events exactly as one chooses.

Occurrences in Daniel

1. Daniel 4:17 – The heavenly decree is issued “so that the living may know that the Most High rules … and gives it to whom He wills.”
2. Daniel 4:25, 32 – Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling will last “until you acknowledge that the Most High rules … and gives it to whom He wills.”
3. Daniel 4:35 – “He does according to His will with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth.”
4. Daniel 5:19 (fourfold) – Of Nebuchadnezzar: “whom he wished he killed … kept alive … exalted … humbled.”
5. Daniel 5:21 – “He sets over it whom He wishes.”
6. Daniel 7:19 – Daniel seeks to know “the truth concerning the fourth beast,” a quest that implicitly submits to the divine will controlling history.

Historical Setting

Daniel ministers during the Babylonian and early Persian periods, when absolute monarchs claimed unchecked power. By repeatedly employing צְבָא, the narrative exposes the fragile limits of human sovereignty and reveals that every empire answers to a higher will—God’s.

Divine Sovereignty

The term consistently underscores that:
• God’s will is determinative in heaven and on earth (Daniel 4:35).
• Kingdoms change hands by divine pleasure, not by chance (Daniel 4:17, 25, 32; 5:21).
• Even the dreaded fourth beast of Daniel 7 can only act within boundaries set by that same will.

Human Authority as Delegated

Nebuchadnezzar’s unchecked power (Daniel 5:19) is presented as borrowed, not inherent. When the king forgets this, judgment falls (Daniel 4:25, 32). Thus צְבָא becomes a recurring reminder that human rulers are stewards, not ultimate lords.

Ministry Implications

1. Assurance in Turbulent Times – Believers under oppressive regimes can rest in the certainty that “He does according to His will” (Daniel 4:35).
2. Humility in Leadership – Those entrusted with authority must remember Nebuchadnezzar’s lesson: God “sets over it whom He wishes” (Daniel 5:21).
3. Prayer and Intercession – Because history bends to divine resolve, prayer aligns the church with the One whose will directs all things (compare 1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Christological Connection

The New Testament presents Jesus Christ as the ultimate expression of God’s sovereign will (Ephesians 1:9-10). The authority claimed in Daniel is vested in the risen Christ (Matthew 28:18), ensuring that the same צְבָא guiding ancient kingdoms now governs the advance of the gospel.

Living Application

• Trust – Rest in God’s unassailable right to order every circumstance.
• Surrender – Yield personal ambitions to His good pleasure.
• Bold Witness – Speak truth to power, knowing earthly rulers are subject to a higher decree.

Forms and Transliterations

וּֽכְמִצְבְּיֵ֗הּ וכמצביה יִצְבֵּ֖א יִצְבֵּ֖ה יִצְבֵּא֙ יצבא יצבה צְבִית֙ צָבֵ֖א צָבֵ֜א צָבֵא֙ צבא צבית ṣā·ḇê ṣāḇê ṣə·ḇîṯ ṣəḇîṯ tzaVe tzeVit ū·ḵə·miṣ·bə·yêh uchemitzbeYeh ūḵəmiṣbəyêh yiṣ·bê yiṣ·bêh yiṣbê yiṣbêh yitzBe yitzBeh

Englishman's Concordance

Daniel 4:17
HEB: וּלְמַן־ דִּ֤י יִצְבֵּא֙ יִתְּנִנַּ֔הּ וּשְׁפַ֥ל
NAS: it on whom He wishes And sets
KJV: it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up
INT: to whomsoever forasmuch wishes and bestows the lowliest

Daniel 4:25
HEB: וּלְמַן־ דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖א יִתְּנִנַּֽהּ׃
NAS: and bestows it on whomever He wishes.
KJV: and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
INT: to whomsoever forasmuch wishes and bestows

Daniel 4:32
HEB: וּלְמַן־ דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖א יִתְּנִנַּֽהּ׃
NAS: and bestows it on whomever He wishes.'
KJV: and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
INT: to whomsoever forasmuch will and bestows

Daniel 4:35
HEB: כְּלָ֣ה חֲשִׁיבִ֔ין וּֽכְמִצְבְּיֵ֗הּ עָבֵד֙ בְּחֵ֣יל
NAS: according to His will in the host
KJV: and he doeth according to his will in the army
INT: nothing are accounted to his will does the host

Daniel 5:19
HEB: דִּֽי־ הֲוָ֨ה צָבֵ֜א הֲוָ֣א קָטֵ֗ל
NAS: him; whomever he wished he killed
INT: whomever he wished he killed

Daniel 5:19
HEB: וְדִֽי־ הֲוָ֤ה צָבֵא֙ הֲוָ֣ה מַחֵ֔א
NAS: and whomever he wished he spared alive;
INT: and whomever he wished he spared

Daniel 5:19
HEB: וְדִֽי־ הֲוָ֤ה צָבֵא֙ הֲוָ֣ה מָרִ֔ים
NAS: and whomever he wished he elevated
INT: and whomever he wished he elevated

Daniel 5:19
HEB: וְדִֽי־ הֲוָ֥ה צָבֵ֖א הֲוָ֥ה מַשְׁפִּֽיל׃
NAS: and whomever he wished he humbled.
INT: and whomever he wished he humbled

Daniel 5:21
HEB: וּלְמַן־ דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖ה יְהָקֵ֥ים [עֲלַיֵהּ
NAS: over it whomever He wishes.
KJV: over it whomsoever he will.
INT: whomsoever forasmuch wishes sets and

Daniel 7:19
HEB: אֱדַ֗יִן צְבִית֙ לְיַצָּבָ֔א עַל־
NAS: Then I desired to know the exact meaning
KJV: Then I would know the truth of
INT: Then desired to know of

10 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6634
10 Occurrences

ṣā·ḇê — 4 Occ.
ṣə·ḇîṯ — 1 Occ.
ū·ḵə·miṣ·bə·yêh — 1 Occ.
yiṣ·bê — 3 Occ.
yiṣ·bêh — 1 Occ.