Original Word: צַב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tsab
Pronunciation: tsahb
Phonetic Spelling: (tsawb)
Definition: Lizard
Meaning: a palanquin, canopy, a species of lizard

Word Origin: From an unused root meaning to establish

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Greek equivalent in the New Testament for "tsab," as the specific dietary laws concerning lizards are not reiterated in the Greek Scriptures. However, the concept of clean and unclean animals is addressed in passages such as Acts 10:14-15, where Peter's vision challenges the traditional Jewish dietary restrictions.

Usage: The Hebrew word "tsab" refers to a type of lizard. In the context of the Old Testament, it is specifically mentioned in the dietary laws given to the Israelites, where certain animals are deemed unclean. The term is used to describe a creature that is not to be consumed or touched when dead, as it would render a person ceremonially unclean.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel, the dietary laws were a significant aspect of daily life and religious practice. These laws, found in the Torah, were intended to set the Israelites apart from other nations and to promote holiness and purity. The classification of animals into clean and unclean categories was a way to teach the Israelites about the importance of obedience and the distinction between the holy and the common. Lizards, along with other small creatures, were considered unclean, possibly due to their association with decay and the ground.

I. צָב noun [masculine] litter; — absolute ׳צ, in עֶגְלֹת צָב Numbers 7:3, probably litter-wagons, i.e. wagons covered, like palanquin; plural צַבִּים Isaiah 66:20 litters (on Vrss compare Di^Nu).

II. צבב (√ of following; compare Arabic cleave to ground; Late Hebrew צָב = Biblical Hebrew, Syriac in Lexicons; Arabic is a large lizard, see especially Seetzen^{:Reisen iii. 436 f f.}).

II. צָב noun [masculine] lizard, as unclean, Leviticus 11:29.

covered, litter, tortoise

From an unused root meaning to establish; a palanquin or canopy (as a fixture); also a species of lizard (probably as clinging fast) -- covered, litter, tortoise.

וְהַצָּ֥ב וּבַצַּבִּ֨ים ובצבים והצב צָב֙ צב ṣāḇ tzav ū·ḇaṣ·ṣab·bîm ūḇaṣṣabbîm uvatztzabBim vehatzTzav wə·haṣ·ṣāḇ wəhaṣṣāḇInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts