צאֹן₂₇₃ collective noun feminine^{Genesis 30:36} (possibly masculine Genesis 30:39 a +, Kö^{Synt. § 247 g}, but dubious, Genesis 30:39b with verb feminine plural, as usually; in 1 Samuel 15:14 join הַוֶּה with קוֺל; see further Albr^{ZAW xv (1895), 316 ff.}) small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks; — ׳צ absolute Genesis 4:2 +; construct Genesis 29:9 +; suffix צאֹנוֺ Genesis 4:4 +; צאֹנֵנוּ Exodus 10:9, צאֹונֵוּ Psalm 144:13; as plural צאֹנֵינוֺ Nehemiah 10:37 van d. H. Gi (not Baer; very late, si vera lectio), etc.; —

1 literally

a. small cattle, usually of sheep and goats in one flock (Rob^{BR i. 477}) Genesis 30:31,32 +; sheep specified also Genesis 21:28 (׳כִּבְשׂת הַצּ), Genesis 31:28 (׳אֵילֵי צ) +; sheep only 1 Samuel 25:2 (+עִוִּים); goats specified Genesis 27:9; Jeremiah 50:8; ׳צ as yielding (1) animals for food Amos 6:4 (בָּרִים), 1 Samuel 14:32; 2 Samuel 12:4; Nehemiah 5:18 +; מַאְַבָל ׳צ Psalm 44:12 (in simile); (2) wool Genesis 31:19 + (see [ גָּזַז], גֵּז); (3) milk, ׳חֲלֵב צ Deuteronomy 32:14 (? goats' milk, compare Proverbs 27:27); (4) sacrificial victims Genesis 4:4 (J), Leviticus 1:2,10; Leviticus 3:6; Numbers 15:3 (all P), Numbers 22:40 (E), Deuteronomy 12:6,17,21 + often; so צאֹן קָדָשִׁים Ezekiel 36:38 a, compare בְקָרֵינוּ וְצאֹנֵינוּ בְּכוֺרֵי Nehemiah 10:37; in General as property (often + בָּקָר, etc.) Genesis 12:16; Genesis 13:5; Genesis 24:35; Job 1:3; Job 42:12 + often (see also II. [עַשְׁתָּרוֺת]); gift Genesis 20:14; Genesis 21:27; Genesis 38:17 (goat), Deuteronomy 15:14; 2Chronicles 17:11; booty 1 Samuel 15:9,15 + .

b. ׳צ sometimes of a definite number of animals (i.e. as plural of שֶׂה, etc.): two Isaiah 7:21, four Exodus 21:37 (larger numbers see 1 Samuel 25:2,5,18; Numbers 31:32,36; Nehemiah 5:18; Job 1:3; Job 42:12 above). — See also בֵּן 7b; גְּדֵרָה, מִכְלָה, מַרְבֵּץ, נָוֶה, עֵדֶר; כֶלֶב, רֹצֶה, שַׁצֵר.

2 simile of multitude Ezekiel 36:37,38, compare Psalm 107:41; of children Job 21:11; of dead, with death as shepherd Psalm 49:15; of (shepherdless) Israel Numbers 27:17; 1 Kings 22:17 2Chronicles 18:16; Zechariah 10:2; Zechariah 13:7, wandering in sin Isaiah 53:6; of Israel led by ׳י Psalm 77:21; Psalm 78:52; Psalm 80:2, compare Zechariah 9:16 (on text see We Now); Ezekiel 34:12; of Israel in distress, טִבְחָת ׳כְּצ Psalm 44:23, compare (of wicked) לְטִבְתָה ׳צ Jeremiah 12:3; of scattered Babylonian Isaiah 13:14.

3 metaphor of multitude, אָרָם ׳צ Ezekiel 36:38; of Israel 2 Samuel 24:17 = 1 Chronicles 21:17; Jeremiah 23:1,2,3; Ezekiel 24:5, and especially sustained figurative Ezekiel 34:2,317t. 34, also Zechariah 11:7,17; אֹבְדוֺת ׳צ Jeremiah 50:6, תִּפְאַרְתֵךְ ׳צ Jeremiah 13:20; of Israel under ׳יs care, (וֺ-, יִ֯) מַרְעִיתֶ֑ךָד ׳צ Psalm 74:1; Psalm 79:13; Psalm 100:3; Ezekiel 34:31, also יָדוֺ ׳צ Psalm 95:7("" מַרְעִיתוֺעַםֿ; read perhaps מַרְעִיתוֺ ׳צ, צַם יָדוֺ, so Che and others); נַחֲלָתֶךָ ׳צ Micah 7:14; also in combinations: ׳אַדִּירֵי הַצֵּ Jeremiah 25:34,35,36, חַהֲרֵגָה ׳צ Zechariah 11:4,7 (compare Psalm 44:23), ׳עֲנִיֵּי הַצּ Psalm 44:7; Psalm 44:11 (all of Israel); of Edom ׳צְעִירֵי הַ צּ Jeremiah 49:20; Jeremiah 50:45.