BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
Zoth (H2063) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
Zōʾṯ (H2063) is a Hebrew feminine demonstrative pronoun, usually translated 'this,' used to point to something near or just mentioned.
Meaning of the word
Zōʾṯ is a Hebrew demonstrative pronoun in the feminine singular. Its core sense is 'this' — pointing to a specific person, thing, or action that is present in view or just spoken about. The lemma is listed as often functioning adverbially, so it can stand alone as a deictic pointer rather than always modifying a noun directly.
In the passages provided, zōʾ� consistently draws attention to the matter immediately at hand. In Genesis 2:23 Adam uses it to identify the woman standing before him; in Genesis 3:13–14 God uses it to single out the very act the woman and the serpent have just performed; in Genesis 12:7 it points to the land visibly shown to Abram; in Genesis 12:12 and 12:18 it highlights Sarah as 'this one' in the eyes of the Egyptians and Pharaoh; and in Exodus 14:5, 11 it marks the surprising deed Israel has just done in leaving Egypt.
Because the form is feminine singular, it sometimes agrees with an understood feminine noun (such as 'thing' or 'woman') even when the referent in context appears differently gendered. Readers should treat it as a near-pointing, deictic word whose precise antecedent is fixed by the surrounding sentence.
Usage in Scripture
Zōʾ� appears about ten times across eight distinct verses in the provided sample, concentrated in the early narrative books of Genesis and Exodus. Its occurrences cluster around moments of recognition or accusation: Adam recognizing Eve (Gen 2:23), God questioning the woman's deed (Gen 3:13), God judging the serpent for what it has done (Gen 3:14), the Lord identifying the land promised to Abram's seed (Gen 12:7), Egyptians pointing to Sarai (Gen 12:12), Pharaoh rebuking Abram (Gen 12:18), and Pharaoh's court plus the Israelites reacting to Israel's departure (Exod 14:5, 11).
In every case the word does the same narrative work: it sharpens focus onto a present reality—either a person standing there, a land visibly in view, or an action just performed. This makes zōʾṯ a useful marker for readers tracing how a particular event or individual becomes the immediate subject of attention at a turning point in the story.
The word in detail
- H2063 H2063 zōʾ� is a feminine singular demonstrative pronoun, glossed 'this,' and frequently used as an adverbial deictic pointer. In the example verses it regularly agrees with an implied feminine noun (such as 'thing' or 'woman') even where the referent seems masculine, so the antecedent must be determined from context.
Example verses
- Genesis 2:23 Adam uses zōʾṯ to identify the woman standing before him as 'this one now'—bone of his bones—marking her as a recognized counterpart in the narrative.
- Genesis 3:13 God's question 'What is this you have done?' uses zōʾṯ to press the woman to identify the very deed she has just committed.
- Genesis 12:7 The Lord points to 'this land' visibly shown to Abram, anchoring the promise to the territory before his eyes.
- Exodus 14:11 Israel's complaint 'Why have you dealt thus with us?' uses zōʾṯ to single out Moses' decisive action of bringing them out of Egypt as the immediate grievance.
Common questions
What part of speech is H2063 zōʾṯ?
It is a feminine singular demonstrative pronoun, glossed 'this.' The lexicon entry notes that it is often used adverbially, meaning it can function as a standalone deictic pointer rather than strictly modifying a noun.
Why is a feminine form used even when pointing to a man or to an action?
Hebrew demonstratives must agree with an explicit or implicit noun. Zōʾṯ, being feminine singular, often agrees with an understood feminine noun such as 'thing' (Hebrew dāḇār) or 'woman' (ʾiššāh). When the context makes the referent clear, readers identify what is being pointed to from the surrounding sentence.
Where does H2063 most commonly appear in Scripture?
In the sample provided, all ten occurrences fall in the early narrative books—Genesis and Exodus—clustering around scenes of recognition, accusation, and divine speech pointing to a person, land, or action just presented.