Lexical Summary
Tsippor: Bird
Original Word:צִפּוֹר
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Tsippowr
Pronunciation:tsip-PORE
Phonetic Spelling:(tsip-pore')
KJV: Zippor
NASB:Zippor
Word Origin:[the same asH6833 (צִּפּוֹר צִּפּוֹר - bird)]
1. Tsippor, a Moabite
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Zippor
The same astsippowr; Tsippor, a Moabite -- Zippor.
see HEBREWtsippowr
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom the same as
tsipporDefinition"bird," father of Balak
NASB TranslationZippor (7).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. (
bird; perhaps specifically
sparrow, compare Gray
Prop. N. 94; Palmyrene proper name, masculine ); —
Numbers 22:2,4,16;
Joshua 24:9;
Judges 11:25,
Numbers 22:10;
Numbers 23:18; .
Topical Lexicon
OverviewTsippor appears seven times in the Hebrew Scriptures, always as the father of Balak, king of Moab. Though his actions are not recorded, his name anchors a cluster of events in the plains of Moab that highlight the conflict between covenant Israel and pagan opposition.
Biblical Occurrences
•Numbers 22:2, 4, 10, 16
•Numbers 23:18
•Joshua 24:9
•Judges 11:25
The pattern is unmistakable: every mention occurs in connection with Balak’s futile attempt to have Balaam curse Israel.
Historical Setting
Moab and Midian, step-nations east of the Jordan, had watched Israel’s victories over Sihon and Og with alarm. Balak, son of Tsippor, formed an alliance and engaged the diviner Balaam. In the culture of the ancient Near East a king’s pedigree mattered; naming Tsippor legitimized Balak’s rule and underscored the seriousness of the threat Israel posed to established powers.
Role in the Balaam Narrative
Tsippor never speaks, yet his identity shapes the narrative in three ways:
1. Paternal Authority – Balak invokes his father’s name to add weight to the request: “This is what Balak son of Tsippor says: ‘Let nothing keep you from coming to me’” (Numbers 22:16).
2. Continuity of Pagan Resistance – The repeated title “son of Tsippor” reminds readers that Moab’s hostility is neither momentary nor isolated but ingrained.
3. Literary Contrast – Israel’s kings are introduced as “son of” to demonstrate covenant lineage; here the formula exposes a dynasty outside the covenant, standing in futile opposition to Yahweh’s purposes.
Theological Themes
Sovereignty of God: By magnifying Balak’s pedigree, Scripture magnifies the Lord’s triumph over that pedigree. The repeated “son of Tsippor” serves as a drumbeat of human defiance that collapses under divine blessing: “How can I curse whom God has not cursed?” (Numbers 23:8).
Blessing and Curse Motif: Moses’ narrative frames Tsippor’s household as the antithesis of Abraham’s. Instead of receiving the promise “I will bless those who bless you,” the family of Tsippor plots a curse—and thus finds itself on the wrong side ofGenesis 12:3.
Reminder to Later Generations:Joshua 24:9 andJudges 11:25 invoke Tsippor’s name centuries later to recall God’s earlier deliverance. Each citation functions as a covenant rehearsal, strengthening Israel’s faith by recounting how God overturned the plans of Balak, son of Tsippor.
Ministerial Reflections
1. Spiritual Heredity – Lineage can perpetuate either faith or rebellion. Parents shape trajectories that outlive them. Tsippor’s legacy warns against passing down hostility to God.
2. The Inviolability of God’s Blessing – Attempts to manipulate spiritual forces against God’s people ultimately strengthen the testimony of divine protection.
3. Evangelistic Impulse – Even those outside the covenant, such as the household of Tsippor, are within the reach of God’s revelation; Balaam’s oracles proclaim Messiah-tinged prophecies (Numbers 24:17) in the hearing of Moabite ears.
Later Canonical Echoes
Although Tsippor is not named beyond Judges, the New Testament remembers the Balaam episode (2 Peter 2:15;Revelation 2:14). Each allusion traces the danger of enticement to idolatry back to Balak—a son whose paternal designation silently indicts Tsippor’s lineage.
Summary
Tsippor’s appearances are few, but his name bookends a decisive lesson: no ancestral prestige, political alliance, or occult strategy can overturn the covenant promises of God. His silent presence intensifies the narrative tension and magnifies the triumph of grace over curse.
Forms and Transliterations
צִפֹּ֛ר צִפֹּֽר׃ צִפּ֑וֹר צִפּ֔וֹר צִפּ֖וֹר צִפּ֛וֹר צִפּוֹר֙ צפור צפר צפר׃ ṣip·pō·wr ṣip·pōr ṣippōr ṣippōwr tzipPor
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