6852. tsaphar
Lexical Summary
tsaphar: To skip about, to leap

Original Word: צָפַר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: tsaphar
Pronunciation: tsaw-FAR
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-far')
KJV: depart early
NASB: depart
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to skip about, i.e. return

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
depart early

A primitive root; to skip about, i.e. Return -- depart early.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
perhaps to depart
NASB Translation
depart (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. [צָפַר] verb dubious; — Imperfect3masculine singular וְיִצְמֹּר מֵהַר הַגִּלְעָד יָשֹׁב Judges 7:3 let him return and (Vrss) let him depart, AV depart early (as Ki, from Aramaic צפרא, morning, improbable), wholly uncertain; Gr וְיַעֲבִר; on difficulty of ׳מֵהַר הַגּ see גִּלְעָד

2 and GFM, who conjectures וְיִצְרְפֵם גִּדְעֹן and so Gideson put them to test (compare Judges 7:4), so Bu Now (compare DrHast. ii. 176 n).

II. צפר (√ of following; compare Arabic peep, twitter whistle (usually of bird; onomatopoetic); Assyrian ƒapâru is cry, howl: Late Hebrew צִמּוֺר = Biblical Hebrew, so Phoenician צפר ᵑ7 צִמַּר, Syriac , Mandean ציפאר, ציפראM § 102; also Arabic sparrow, etc., and (perhaps) Assyrian iƒƒuru, bird).

Topical Lexicon
Occurrence and Immediate Context

The verb occurs once in the Hebrew canon, in Judges 7:3, where Gideon proclaims, “Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and depart from Mount Gilead.” Twenty-two thousand leave, reducing Israel’s fighting force to ten thousand. The term conveys an urgent, early departure—moving out swiftly at dawn with no lingering.

Historical Setting in Gideon’s Campaign

Gideon stands on the verge of battle against the Midianites. The Lord has already declared that the army is too large for Him to gain the glory (Judges 7:2). By inviting the timid to withdraw quickly, Israel’s commander obeys a longstanding divine principle (compare Deuteronomy 20:8) designed to purify the ranks. The verb highlights the immediacy of that obedience: those who lacked courage did not merely fade away; they left at once, before daybreak, ensuring unity and resolve among the remaining troops.

Linguistic Nuance and Imagery

Though appearing only here, the verb’s imagery enhances the narrative. It suggests the sound of hastened feet and the chill of early morning air—visual reinforcement that faith and fear cannot march together. The dawn setting also anticipates the “torch and trumpet” stratagem that will unfold during the night watches (Judges 7:16-22), underscoring a theme of God working outside human expectations.

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty in Human Weakness: The early departure prunes the army so that victory cannot be credited to numbers (Judges 7:2).
2. Holiness in the Camp: Fear is treated as a contaminant, removed decisively to preserve corporate faith (compare Joshua 7:13).
3. Prompt Obedience: Gideon obeys immediately; the reluctant soldiers likewise respond without hesitation. Scripture presents delayed obedience as functional disobedience (1 Samuel 15:22-23).

Intertextual Echoes and Foreshadowing

The principle of an early, voluntary withdrawal resurfaces in narratives where God narrows human resources to magnify His power: Jonathan’s two-man assault (1 Samuel 14), Elijah versus the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18), and Jesus selecting a small band of disciples who forsake all “immediately” (Matthew 4:20). Each scene highlights that God’s victories arise from faith, not force.

Christological Insight

In a reverse parallel, the faithful remnant who remain with Gideon prefigure the disciples who stay with Christ in His trials (Luke 22:28). Just as Gideon’s reduced host showcases divine deliverance, the seemingly defeated Messiah reveals God’s power through weakness (2 Corinthians 13:4).

Application for Ministry

• Leadership: Spiritual leaders must allow God to sift their teams, resisting the impulse to depend on numbers.
• Discipleship: Believers are called to swift obedience; postponement drains courage.
• Pastoral Care: Those gripped by fear need gracious space to step back, lest they hinder the faith of the body while they are being strengthened (Romans 14:1).

Practical Exhortations

– Cultivate morning disciplines; meet the Lord “early” (Psalm 5:3) so that fear departs before the day’s battles begin.

– Encourage voluntary service rather than coerced involvement; the Lord accomplishes more with ten thousand willing than with twenty-two thousand reluctant.

– When God reduces resources, anticipate greater glory, for “The LORD is my helper; I will not be afraid” (Hebrews 13:6).

Forms and Transliterations
וְיִצְפֹּ֖ר ויצפר veyitzPor wə·yiṣ·pōr wəyiṣpōr
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Englishman's Concordance
Judges 7:3
HEB: וְחָרֵ֔ד יָשֹׁ֥ב וְיִצְפֹּ֖ר מֵהַ֣ר הַגִּלְעָ֑ד
NAS: let him return and depart from Mount
KJV: let him return and depart early from mount
INT: and afraid return early mount Gilead

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 6852
1 Occurrence


wə·yiṣ·pōr — 1 Occ.

6851
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