Lexical Summary
ts'adah: Step, pace
Original Word:צְעָדָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:ts`adah
Pronunciation:tseh-aw-DAH
Phonetic Spelling:(tseh-aw-daw')
KJV: going, ornament of the legs
Word Origin:[feminine ofH6806 (צַּעַד - steps)]
1. a march
2. (concretely) an (ornamental) ankle-chain
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
going, ornament of the legs
Feminine oftsa'ad; a march; (concretely) an (ornamental) ankle-chain -- going, ornament of the legs.
see HEBREWtsa'ad
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. ; —
2 Samuel 5:24the sound of marching =
1 Chronicles 14:15.
II. [] (so SS and others; moststep-chain, from I. ); — pluralIsaiah 3:20 (ladies' finery); read also2 Kings 11:12 (for ) WeBi. Eini. 4, 258 = compare (2), 361 Kmp SS Kit Benz.
Topical Lexicon
Occurrences in Scriptureצְעָדָה appears three times in the Old Testament:2 Samuel 5:24;1 Chronicles 14:15;Isaiah 3:20.
Military Guidance in David’s Conquests
Both2 Samuel 5:24 and1 Chronicles 14:15 record the same strategic moment. David was to wait “until you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees; then act, for the LORD will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines”. Here צְעָדָה conveys a supernatural signal—divine footsteps going ahead of Israel’s army. The emphasis is not merely on audible movement but on the certainty of God’s direct involvement. David’s obedience to this sign led to a decisive victory, underscoring a theology of dependence: success in spiritual warfare flows from waiting for God’s initiative rather than trusting human strength.
Adornment and Divine Judgment
Isaiah 3:20 lists צְעָדָה among the ornate accessories of Jerusalem’s proud women—objects soon to be stripped away in judgment. By placing the term amid anklets, sashes, and perfume bottles, Isaiah contrasts the frivolous footsteps of vanity with the purposeful footsteps of the Lord in David’s day. The same noun thus functions as a literary pivot: holy movement leads to deliverance, vain display invites discipline.
Symbolic Resonances
1. Guidance: The audible “marching” in the treetops teaches that God often precedes His people in unseen ways, calling them to discernment and prompt obedience (John 10:27).
2. Readiness: David was commanded to “act promptly.” The believer is likewise exhorted to readiness when God’s direction becomes clear (Ephesians 5:15-17).
3. Humility: Isaiah’s use warns against self-exaltation. When footsteps become a means of drawing attention to self, they forfeit their true purpose—to follow the Lord (Micah 6:8).
Historical Setting
• David’s victories took place shortly after his coronation over all Israel, around 1004–1003 BC. The decisive blow against the Philistines solidified Israel’s security and affirmed the king’s legitimacy.
• Isaiah’s oracle (circa 740–700 BC) confronted Judah’s social decay more than two centuries later. The earlier lesson from David—trust in God’s advance—had been forgotten; Judah now trusted in appearance and alliances.
Ministry Application
• Spiritual Warfare: Leaders should wait for unmistakable divine prompting before major initiatives, confident that the Lord still “goes before” His people (Deuteronomy 31:8).
• Discernment: Congregations must cultivate sensitivity to the Spirit’s movement, distinguishing heavenly footsteps from cultural noise (Galatians 5:25).
• Holiness: Personal adornment and status symbols, while not condemned in themselves, become idols when they outshine the beauty of obedience. Isaiah’s warning remains a pastoral call to repent of pride and pursue the adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:3-4).
Theological Unity
Across its three occurrences, צְעָדָה presents a coherent theme: footsteps may announce either the advance of God or the advance of human pride. Scripture invites every generation to choose which footsteps will define its story.
Forms and Transliterations
הַצְּעָדָה֙ הצעדה וְהַצְּעָדוֹת֙ והצעדות צְעָדָ֛ה צעדה haṣ·ṣə·‘ā·ḏāh haṣṣə‘āḏāh hatztzeaDah ṣə‘āḏāh ṣə·‘ā·ḏāh tzeaDah vehatztzeadOt wə·haṣ·ṣə·‘ā·ḏō·wṯ wəhaṣṣə‘āḏōwṯ
Links
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Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
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