Lexical Summary zerua: Sown, planted Original Word: זִרִוּעַ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sowing, thing that is sown From zara'; something sown, i.e. A plant -- sowing, thing that is sown. see HEBREW zara' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom zara Definition a sowing, thing sown NASB Translation sowing (1), things sown (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs זֵרוּעַ noun [masculine] sowing, thing sown (intensive formative according to Ol§ 186 b Sta§ 228, yet on this and following compare BaNB 42, 178 Anm. 4) — ׳זֶרַע ז Leviticus 11:37 (P), כְּגַנָּה זֵָֽרוּעֶיהָ תַצְמִיךְַ Isaiah 61:11 in simile of Yahweh's causing righteousness to spring up. Topical Lexicon Meaning within its Narrative Landscapes זִרִוּעַ denotes “seed for sowing,” the grain kept back to be cast into the furrows, embodying potential life and future harvest. Unlike ordinary food-grain, seed for planting carried a sacred responsibility: in it lay the next season’s survival and God’s ongoing provision. Old Testament Occurrences 1. Leviticus 11:37 sets זִרִוּעַ inside the purity laws: “And if a carcass falls on any seed for sowing, the seed is still clean”. The life–giving purpose of seed renders it immune to ritual defilement by mere contact; death cannot nullify the promise of life God has built into creation. Agricultural Background Israel’s semi-arid climate made every seed precious. Farmers stored grain through the dry season, then cast it on rain-softened soil in hopeful dependence on the Lord (Deuteronomy 11:14). Seed that rotted, was eaten, or became unclean threatened the next year’s food supply. Thus Torah safeguards for seed underline divine care for covenant life in the land. Purity and Preservation Leviticus 11 links purity to the preservation of life. While human contact with death required cleansing, seed destined for the future stood outside the contagion of defilement. The statute subtly proclaims that God’s purposes march on even amid decay; life wins. This anticipates New Testament assurances that the imperishable “seed” of the word lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23). Promise of Righteousness Isaiah transforms tangible seed into a pledge of moral and spiritual renewal. Just as buried grain inevitably sprouts, so the Lord guarantees the emergence of righteousness and praise. The servant-Messiah (Isaiah 61:1–3) is the sower, and the restored people become the flourishing garden. The verse answers exile’s despair with agricultural certainty: what God plants, He finishes (Philippians 1:6). Messianic and Eschatological Trajectory Jesus cites Isaiah 61 in Luke 4:18–19, announcing that the sowing season has arrived. Parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:3–9, 18–23) echo זִרִוּעַ imagery, showing how gospel seed multiplies despite opposition. Revelation 22:2 pictures the harvest’s consummation in the New Jerusalem. From Torah to Prophets to Apostolic witness, the motif threads Scripture into a cohesive tapestry of life conquering death. Ministry Applications • Stewardship: Churches allocate resources toward gospel “seed,” trusting God for increase (2 Corinthians 9:10). Conclusion זִרִוּעַ, though appearing only twice, encapsulates a central biblical conviction: the life God implants cannot be quenched. Whether preserving literal grain from impurity or forecasting a worldwide harvest of righteousness, the term invites faith in the Creator who guarantees both bread for today and glory for eternity. Forms and Transliterations זֵר֖וּעַ זֵרוּעֶ֣יהָ זרוע זרועיה zê·rū·‘e·hā zê·rū·a‘ zêrū‘ehā zeRua zêrūa‘ zeruEihaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 11:37 HEB: כָּל־ זֶ֥רַע זֵר֖וּעַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִזָּרֵ֑עַ NAS: seed for sowing which KJV: fall upon any sowing seed INT: any seed sowing which is to be sown Isaiah 61:11 2 Occurrences |
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