כִּשְׂבָּה
a young ewe
Definition
כִּשְׂבָּה (kisbâh) refers specifically to a young female sheep, a ewe lamb. It is the feminine counterpart to the more general term כֶּשֶׂב (keseb, H3775), which can denote a lamb of either gender. This precise term appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Leviticus 5:6, within the context of the guilt offering (אָשָׁם). The law specifies that if someone cannot afford a sheep, they may bring two turtledoves or two pigeons; but if they can afford a lamb, the offering is to be a female, a כִּשְׂבָּה.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only in Leviticus 5:6. Its usage is highly specific to the sacrificial system, detailing the type of animal required for a guilt offering based on the worshiper's economic means. It appears in the legal material of the Torah (Pentateuch), establishing a precise requirement for a ritual context.
Etymology
The word is a straightforward feminine form derived from the masculine noun כֶּשֶׂב (keseb, H3775), meaning 'lamb' or 'young ram.' It is formed with the standard feminine suffix -ָה (-ah). Related cognates exist in other Semitic languages, such as Akkadian 'kasbu,' referring to a young lamb.
Semantic Range
The specification of a female lamb in Leviticus 5:6 highlights the accessibility and gradation within Israel's sacrificial system. God's law made provision for varying economic circumstances, ensuring that even those of modest means could participate in atonement. Understanding this precise term underscores the careful, intentional design of the sacrificial law, which points forward to the ultimate, sufficient sacrifice of Christ, who atoned for sin once for all (Hebrews 10:1-14).
In ancient Israelite pastoral society, sheep were a primary measure of wealth and a key source for sacrifices. Distinguishing the gender and age of sacrificial animals was culturally and ritually significant. A young female lamb represented a valuable but not the most costly offering, fitting for the guilt offering described, which addressed specific sins of trespass.
כֶּשֶׂב (keseb, H3775) — a lamb or young ram (general, often male); טָלֶה (ṭāleh, H2922) — a young lamb, often used in narrative contexts (e.g., Genesis 30:32); שֶׂה (śeh, H7716) — a general term for one of the flock (sheep or goat).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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