זָרַע
To sow ; figuratively, to disseminate , plant , fructify
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does זָרַע (zara) mean in the Bible?
זָרַע (zara) is a Hebrew word meaning "to sow ; figuratively, to disseminate , plant , fructify". to sow; figuratively, to disseminate, plant, fructify BDB: sow Usage: bear, conceive seed, set with sow(-er), yield. The metaphor illustrates how moral actions function like seeds producing future outcomes.
Meaning
Sowing extends from literal agriculture to covenant multiplication—God's seed-promise ensures generational fruitfulness and inheritance.
to sow; figuratively, to disseminate, plant, fructify BDB: sow Usage: bear, conceive seed, set with sow(-er), yield.
Why This Word Matters
The metaphor illustrates how moral actions function like seeds producing future outcomes. Hosea 10:9-15
Central metaphor of moral causation. Hosea 2:14-23
Reverses Jezreel judgment into restoration imagery. Proverbs 11:18
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 31×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 4×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 3×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 1×
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Showing 8 of 56 occurrences in the biblical text.