Lexical Summary tsaphah: watchman, watchmen, keep watch Original Word: צָפָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance behold, espy, look up well, wait for, keep the watchman A primitive root; properly, to lean forward, i.e. To peer into the distance; by implication, to observe, await -- behold, espy, look up (well), wait for, (keep the) watch(-man). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to look out or about, spy, keep watch NASB Translation destined (1), keep watch (3), lookout (1), looks well (1), spies (1), watch (3), watch expectantly (1), watched (1), watching (2), watchman (14), watchman's (1), watchmen (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [צָפָה]37 verb look out or about, spy keep watch (Late Hebrew id., Pi`el hope;; Ethiopic  III. hope); — Qal28 Imperfect3masculine singular jussive יִצֶף בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ Genesis 31:49 (J) may ׳י keep watch between me and thee (that the covenant be kept = ׳עֵד וגו ׳א Genesis 31:50); 3feminine plural עֵינָיו בַּגּוֺיִם תִּצְמֶּי֑נָה Psalm 66:9 his eyes keep watch upon the nations; Participle active צוֺפֶה רָשָׁע֫ לַצַּדִּיק Psalm 37:32 a wicked man spieth upon the righteous; Cant 7:5 the town which looketh toward (מְּנֵי) Damascus; feminine צוֺפִיָּה Proverbs 31:27 she keepeth watch of (with accusative); plural ׳עֵינֵי י צֹפוֺת רָעִים וְטוֺבִים Proverbs 15:3; elsewhere as substantive watchman, absoluteצֹפֶה 2 Samuel 13:34 +; plural צֹפִים 1 Samuel 14:16 +, suffix צֹפָיו Isaiah 56:10 Qr (Kt צפו), צֹפַיִךְ Isaiah 52:8; — 1 Samuel 14:16; 2 Samuel 13:34 8t. Samuel Kings, Ezekiel 33:2,6 (twice in verse); Isaiah 52:8, so in שְׂדֵה צֹפִים Numbers 23:14 (JE); figurative of prophets Hosea 9:8; Jeremiah 6:17; Ezekiel 3:17; Ezekiel 33:7; Isaiah 56:10; — צוֺפִים 1 Samuel 1:1 see צוּפִי; Passive participle צָפוּ (Manuscripts and Qr צָפוּי), Job 15:22 spied out (and brought) to (אֱלֵי) the sword (Em Bi PerlesAnal. 29 צָפוּן compare Di Bu). Pi`el Perfect1plural צִמִּינוּ Lamentations 4:17; Imperfect1singular אֲצַמֶּה Micah 7:7 +; Imperative masculine singular צַמֵּה Nahum 2:2, feminine singular צַמִּי Jeremiah 48:19; Participle מְצַמֶּה 1 Samuel 4:13; Isaiah 21:6; plural suffix מְצַמֶּיךָ Micah 7:4; — watch (closely), אֶלרֶּֿרֶךְ ׳עִמְדִי וְצ Jeremiah 48:19, דֶֿרֶךְ׳צ Nahum 2:2; + אֶל of person expected Lamentations 4:17; figurative אֲצַמֶּה ׳בְּי Micah 7:7; absolute literal 1 Samuel 4:13; figurative Habakkuk 2:1 I will look forth, to see (לִרְאוֺת) what he will say; Psalm 5:4 I will look out (expectantly); participle as noun = watchman Isaiah 21:6; Micah 7:4. Topical Lexicon Overview צָפָה (tsaphah) conveys the idea of keeping watch from an elevated place—scanning the horizon, anticipating movement, and announcing what is seen. Its roughly three dozen Old Testament occurrences span narrative, prophetic, poetic, and wisdom literature, uniting them around the themes of vigilance, discernment, and faithful reporting. Literal watchman imagery Ancient cities stationed sentinels on walls and towers (2 Samuel 18:24–27; 2 Kings 9:17–20). Their task was simple yet critical: observe, identify approaching forces, and warn the gates. The text often lingers on the intensity of the watchman’s gaze: “The watchman reported, ‘He has reached them, but he is not coming back; and the driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi—for he drives like a madman’” (2 Kings 9:20). Tsaphah captures both the physical act of looking and the mental act of interpreting what is seen. Military and civic surveillance Tsaphah marks battlefield reconnaissance (1 Samuel 14:16) and royal security (2 Samuel 13:34). The watchman’s report shapes strategic decisions—Saul advances when the Benjamite watchmen see confusion in the Philistine camp; David prepares for Absalom’s return when the sentinel recognizes the swift runner. The vocabulary underlines the biblical conviction that every human plan requires alert assessment of external threats. Prophetic calling Isaiah links the literal watchman to the prophetic office: “For this is what the Lord has said to me: ‘Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees’” (Isaiah 21:6). Ezekiel personalizes the figure: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me” (Ezekiel 3:17). Here tsaphah shifts from military optics to moral and spiritual oversight. The prophet surveys Israel’s behavior in light of God’s covenant and announces danger or deliverance with equal clarity. Failure to warn results in shared guilt (Ezekiel 33:6). Divine oversight and covenant faithfulness Mizpah becomes a commemorative name because “The Lord watch between you and me” (Genesis 31:49). Even when Jacob and Laban part in mistrust, they acknowledge a higher Watcher whose eyes never close. Scripture thus elevates tsaphah beyond human towers to the heavenly throne, assuring readers that God Himself keeps covenantal watch. Priestly and worship settings Chronicles applies the verb to Levitical gatekeepers who “looked after” holy things (1 Chronicles 26:16), highlighting order in temple service. The priests’ vigilance safeguards purity, prefiguring the New Testament call for elders to “keep watch over your souls” (Hebrews 13:17). Wisdom literature and personal vigilance Proverbs appropriates the term for anticipatory wisdom: “The prudent man sees danger and hides himself” (Proverbs 22:3). Spiritual alertness becomes the hallmark of the wise, contrasting the complacent who stumble unaware. Messianic resonance Habakkuk embodies the watchman waiting for revelatory certainty: “I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the ramparts; I will watch to see what He will say to me” (Habakkuk 2:1). The posture anticipates Christ’s command, “Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42), extending tsaphah’s motif into eschatological expectation. Contemporary ministry implications 1. Pastoral oversight echoes Ezekiel: leaders discern cultural currents, warn against encroaching error, and point to approaching hope. Key references Genesis 31:49; 1 Samuel 14:16; 2 Samuel 13:34; 2 Samuel 18:24–27; 2 Kings 9:17–20; 2 Chronicles 20:24; Isaiah 21:6–8; Isaiah 52:8; Jeremiah 48:19; Ezekiel 3:17; Ezekiel 33:2–7; Habakkuk 2:1; Proverbs 31:27. Forms and Transliterations אֲצַפֶּ֔ה אצפה בְּצִפִּיָּתֵ֣נוּ בצפיתנו הַֽמְצַפֶּ֔ה הַצֹּפִים֙ הַצֹּפֶ֔ה הַצֹּפֶ֜ה הַצֹּפֶ֥ה הַצֹּפֶה֙ הַצֹּפֶה֮ המצפה הצפה הצפים וְ֠הַצֹּפֶה וְהַצֹּפֶה֩ וְצַפִּ֖י וְצָפ֖וּי וַאֲצַפֶּ֗ה וַאֲצַפֶּֽה׃ ואצפה ואצפה׃ והצפה וצפוי וצפי יִ֥צֶף יצף לְצֹפֶֽה׃ לצפה׃ מְצַפֶּ֔ה מְצַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ מצפה מצפיך צ֭וֹפִיָּה צִפִּ֔ינוּ צַפֵּה־ צֹ֝פ֗וֹת צֹפִ֔ים צֹפֶ֥ה צֹפַ֛יִךְ צֹפָ֞יו צוֹפֶ֖ה צוֹפֶ֣ה צופה צופיה צפה צפה־ צפות צפיו צפיך צפים צפינו תִּצְפֶּ֑ינָה תצפינה ’ă·ṣap·peh ’ăṣappeh atzapPeh bə·ṣip·pî·yā·ṯê·nū bəṣippîyāṯênū betzippiyaTenu ham·ṣap·peh hamṣappeh hamtzapPeh haṣ·ṣō·p̄eh haṣ·ṣō·p̄îm haṣṣōp̄eh haṣṣōp̄îm hatztzoFim hatztzoPeh lə·ṣō·p̄eh ləṣōp̄eh letzoPeh mə·ṣap·pe·ḵā mə·ṣap·peh məṣappeh məṣappeḵā metzapPeh metzapPeicha ṣap·pêh- ṣappêh- ṣip·pî·nū ṣippînū ṣō·p̄a·yiḵ ṣō·p̄āw ṣō·p̄eh ṣō·p̄îm ṣō·p̄ō·wṯ ṣō·w·p̄eh ṣō·w·p̄î·yāh ṣōp̄āw ṣōp̄ayiḵ ṣōp̄eh ṣōp̄îm ṣōp̄ōwṯ ṣōwp̄eh ṣōwp̄îyāh tiṣ·pe·nāh tiṣpenāh titzPeinah tzappeh tzipPinu tzoFav tzoFayich tzoFim Tzofiyah tzoFot tzoPeh vaatzapPeh Vehatztzofeh vehatztzoPeh vetzaFui vetzapPi wa’ăṣappeh wa·’ă·ṣap·peh wə·haṣ·ṣō·p̄eh wə·ṣā·p̄ui wə·ṣap·pî wəhaṣṣōp̄eh wəṣappî wəṣāp̄ui yi·ṣep̄ yiṣep̄ YitzefLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 31:49 HEB: אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔ר יִ֥צֶף יְהוָ֖ה בֵּינִ֣י NAS: May the LORD watch between KJV: The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent INT: for said watch may the LORD between 1 Samuel 4:13 1 Samuel 14:16 2 Samuel 13:34 2 Samuel 18:24 2 Samuel 18:25 2 Samuel 18:26 2 Samuel 18:26 2 Samuel 18:27 2 Kings 9:17 2 Kings 9:18 2 Kings 9:20 Job 15:22 Psalm 5:3 Psalm 37:32 Psalm 66:7 Proverbs 15:3 Proverbs 31:27 Songs 7:4 Isaiah 21:6 Isaiah 52:8 Isaiah 56:10 Jeremiah 6:17 Jeremiah 48:19 Lamentations 4:17 36 Occurrences |
    |