Deuteronomy 2:3 — Word Study
WLCרַב־ לָכֶ֕ם סֹ֖ב אֶת־ הָהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה פְּנ֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם צָפֹֽנָה׃
BSAYou have been wandering aroundçâbab [journeying, compassing] thiszeh hill countryhar [mountain, hilly area] long enoughrab turnpânâh [face] to the northtsâphôwn [Zaphon, the northern direction]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| רַב־ | [is] enough | Adj |
| לָכֶ֕ם | for you | Preposition, suffix |
| סֹ֖ב | going round | Verb, Qal, infinitive construct common |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| הָהָ֣ר | the hill country | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| הַזֶּ֑ה | this | Particle, particle |
| פְּנ֥וּ | turn | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine plural |
| לָכֶ֖ם | yourselves | Preposition, suffix |
| צָפֹֽנָה׃ | north -ward | Noun common feminine singular absolute, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “You have been wandering around this hill country long enough; turn to the north |
| KJV | Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. |
| ASV | Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. |
| YLT | Enough to you — is the going round of this mount; turn for yourselves northward. |
| WEB | “You have encircled this mountain long enough. Turn northward. |
| BBE | You have been journeying round this mountain long enough: now go to the north; |
Where they part company is רַב — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by an imperative, creating a clear directive.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbסָבַב
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Deuteronomy 2:3
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Instructions for the Journeygenerated
Deuteronomy 2:3 presents a moment of transition for the Israelites as they are reminded that they have wandered long enough in the hill country. The LORD commands them to turn north, indicating a new direction in their journey. This directive comes as they prepare to enter the land promised to them, highlighting the importance of obedience and following divine guidance.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 2:7–14 | Indeed, the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. The LORD your God has been with you these forty years, and you have lacked nothing. |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 1:6 | The LORD our God said to us at Horeb: “You have stayed at this mountain long enough. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רַב, rav-generated
The Hebrew word רַב (rav) means 'enough' or 'many'. It conveys a sense of abundance or completion, often used to indicate that something has reached a limit or a sufficient point. In this context, it signifies that the time of wandering has reached its conclusion.
As an adjective, רַב emphasizes the extent of their wandering, suggesting it has been excessive. This word is pivotal in the verse, marking a shift from a state of aimlessness to a call for decisive action.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is פְּנ֥וּ, turn, which governs the command to change direction. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the direction, with the subject implied as the Israelites.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the action of turning, followed by the duration of their wandering and the specific location they are to face, creating a clear directive.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates רַב as ἱκανούσθω, meaning 'let it be sufficient'. This choice conveys a similar sense of completion and sufficiency, aligning with the Hebrew intent.
The Greek word κυκλοῦν for סֹ֖ב emphasizes the action of going around, which retains the original meaning while adapting it to the Greek context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Deuteronomy 2:3 tells the Israelites that they have wandered around the hill country long enough and should turn north. This command marks a significant moment as they prepare to move forward into the land promised to them.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that the period of aimlessness in the wilderness is over, and it is time for the Israelites to take decisive action.
Turning north signifies a new phase in their journey, moving towards the land promised by God.
This verse shows that God provides direction and instruction to His people, emphasizing the importance of obedience.
We can learn the importance of recognizing when it is time to move forward and to follow divine guidance in our own lives.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel like I have been wandering, and how can I seek direction?
- What does it mean for me to turn towards a new direction in my own journey?
- How can I be more attentive to God's guidance in my daily decisions?
- What steps can I take to ensure I am not lingering in a place of indecision?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 2:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleYe have compassed this mountain long enough,.... It was time to be gone from thence, as from Horeb, Deuteronomy 1:6, turn you northward; from the southern border of Edom towards the land of Canaan, which lay north.
Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 2 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the LORD spake unto me, saying, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Deuteronomy 2 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTowards the land of the Amorites and Canaanites.
Read Matthew Poole on Deuteronomy 2 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsDeuteronomy 2:3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.Ver. 3. Turn you northward.] Thus God’ s word was their director unto all places, and in all actions. In which respect these histories of holy Scripture excel all human histories in the world, as is well observed. That which they tell us of their Dea vibilia, guiding passengers, &c., is a mere fiction.
Read John Trapp on Deuteronomy 2 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.—Apparently this command must have been issued when they were in Kadesh the second time, at the commencement of the fortieth year (Numbers 20:1). It was from this encampment that Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom asking permission to pass through his territory. It would be interesting to know when it was decided that Israel should enter the land of promise by passing over Jordan, instead of going through the Negeb. Did Mount Seir, or the territory of Edom, lie wholly on the east, or partly on the west of Israel when they were encamped in Kadesh? If Edom had acquired any territorial rights to the westward during the…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Deuteronomy 2 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. Turn you northward.] From Mount Seir, in order to get to Canaan. This was not the way they went before, viz., by Kadesh-barnea, but they were to proceed between Edom on the one hand, and Moab and Ammon on the other, so as to enter into Canaan through the land of the Amorites.
Read AdamClarke on Deuteronomy 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. Ye have compassed this mountain long enough] For the idiom see on Deuteronomy 1:6. turn you northward] Marching from Ḳ ?adesh down the W. of Mt Se‘îr, Israel had now reached not the sea, but probably the mouth of the W. el ’Ithm (or Yitm), which opens N.E. from the ‘Arabah across or round the S. end of Mt Se‘îr. By this natural avenue, along which the Hajj road from Damascus to Mecca runs, they would reach the plateau E. of Mt Se‘îr on their way to the Moab frontier. The W. el ’Ithm, opening from the ‘Arabah about 8 hours N. of the sea, cuts upwards through the southmost of the modern divisions into which the country anciently inhabited by Edom is divided, el-Ḥ ?isma or Ḥ ?esma. (See…
Read Cambridge on Deuteronomy 2 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible3. Turn you northward — When they should reach the southern limit of the Arabah they were to go northward toward the Arnon.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Deuteronomy 2 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
“You have been wandering around this hill country long enough; turn to the north
“You have encircled this mountain long enough. Turn northward.
“You have been wandering around this hill country long enough; turn to the north
“You have circled around this mountain long enough; now turn north.
Tyndale line
Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
Ye haue compassed this mountaine long ynough: turne you Northward.
Strictly literal
Ye have gone round this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
Enough to you — is the going round of this mount; turn for yourselves northward.
For you go around this mountain long enough; turn for yourselves northward.
Ye have traveled long enough around this mountain; turn yourselves northward.
'You have gone around this mountain long enough; turn northward.
From the Latin
You have compassed this mountain long enough: go toward the north:
Simplified
“You have been wandering around this mountain long enough. Go back north,
You have been journeying round this mountain long enough: now go to the north;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Dead Sea Scrolls, which closely match its wording. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in two words, using סוב (turn) and צפונה (north), indicating a slight variation in the command but maintaining the overall message.
רַב־ לָכֶ֕ם סֹ֖ב אֶת־ הָהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה פְּנ֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם צָפֹֽנָה׃
6 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
רב לכם סוב את ההר הזה פנו לכם צפונה
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: סוב (turn), צפונה (north)
רב ל׳ך סוב את ההר הזה פנו ל׳כם צפונ׳ה
9 words on the leather.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Deuteronomy 2:3
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רַב (rav) means much, many, or great, often used in contrast to מְעַט (me'at). It can describe abundance in quantity or rank and is also used as a noun for chief or captain. The word conveys a range of meanings from numerous to exceedingly, and it can function as both an adjective and a noun.
רַב 429 adj. much, many, great
(oft. opp. מְעַט)
much: of substances
esp. of collectives, numerous
pl. many
רַב as subst. coll. pers.
cstr. = abounding in
מִן comp. = more numerous than
רַב = abundant, enough
as adv. much, exceedingly
less oft. great
base
רַב 49 n.m. chief
base
H7227a רַב much, many, great . (oft. opp. מְעַט) . . much: of substances
. esp. of collectives, numerous
. pl. many
. רַב as subst. coll. pers.
. cstr. = abounding in
. + מִן comp. = more numerous than
. רַב = abundant, enough
. as adv. much, exceedingly
. less oft. great
H7227b רַב chief
7227 rab rab
by contracted from 7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age,
number, rank, quality):--(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly),
captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man,
one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold,
things, a time), ((ship-))master, mighty, more, (too, very)
much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous,
populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).
see HEBREW for 07231
רַב (rav) — many.
adj
1) much, many, great
1a) much
1b) many
1c) abounding in
1d) more numerous than
1e) abundant, enough
1f) great
1g) strong
1h) greater than
adv
1i) much, exceedingly
רַב (rav) — chief.
captain, chief
Aramaic equivalent: rav.re.van (רַבְרְבָן "noble" H7261)
רַב (rav) — (Sidon) the Great.
Combined with tsi.don (צִידוֹן "Sidon" H6721H)
§ captain, chief
Adj — AdjHAamsa
כֶם (khem) — you.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine plural
HR/Sp2mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2mp
The Hebrew word סָבַב (savav) means to turn or go around, encompassing a range of actions such as surrounding, marching, and changing direction. It is built from a primitive root and has various applications, both literal and figurative, including transforming or enclosing. The entries detail its uses in different verbal forms, but do not present any significant disagreement among lexicons.
סָבַב vb. turn about, go around, surround
Qal
turn, intrans.
march, or walk, around
go partly round, circle, skirt
make a round, or circuit, go about to
surround, encompass
Niph.
turn oneself against, close round upon
turn round (from a direct course)
esp. of boundary: turn round from, toward
pass. be turned over to, into the power of
Pi. to change, transform, the aspect of the matter
Po‛.
encompass (with protection)
come about, assemble round
march or go about
enclose, envelop
Hiph.
turn (trans.), cause to turn
bring over (i.e. to allegiance)
turn into, of changing name
= bring round, of changing name
cause to go around
surround with (acc.) wall
perh. also encompass (as foe)
Hoph.
be turned, of cart wheel
surrounded, i.e. set, of jewels
base
H5437 סָבַב turn about, go around, surround .. turn, intrans.
. . march, or walk, around
. go partly round, circle, skirt
. make a round, or circuit, go about to
. surround, encompass
. . . turn oneself against, close round upon
. turn round (from a direct course)
. esp. of boundary: turn round from, toward
. pass. be turned over to, into the power of
. to change, transform, the aspect of the matter
. . encompass (with protection)
. come about, assemble round
. march or go about
. enclose, envelop
. . . turn (trans.), cause to turn
. bring over (i.e. to allegiance)
. turn into, of changing name
. = bring round, of changing name
. . cause to go around
. surround with (acc.) wall
. perh. also encompass (as foe)
. . be turned, of cart wheel
. surrounded, i.e. set, of jewels
5437 cabab saw-bab'
a primitive root; to revolve, surround, or border; used in
various applications, literally and figuratively (as
follows):--bring, cast, fetch, lead, make, walk, X whirl, X
round about, be about on every side, apply, avoid, beset
(about), besiege, bring again, carry (about), change, cause to
come about, X circuit, (fetch a) compass (about, round),
drive, environ, X on every side, beset (close, come, compass,
go, stand) round about, inclose, remove, return, set, sit
down, turn (self) (about, aside, away, back).
סָבַב (sa.vav) — to turn: turn.
: turn/bring_around
1) to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or around, surround, encircle, change direction
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to turn, turn about, be brought round, change
1a2) to march or walk around, go partly around, circle about, skirt, make a round, make a circuit, go about to, surround, encompass
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to turn oneself, close round, turn round
1b2) to be turned over to
1c) (Piel) to turn about, change, transform
1d) (Poel)
1d1) to encompass, surround
1d2) to come about, assemble round
1d3) to march, go about
1d4) to enclose, envelop
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to turn, cause to turn, turn back, reverse, bring over, turn into, bring round
1e2) to cause to go around, surround, encompass
1f) (Hophal)
1f1) to be turned
1f2) to be surrounded
סָבַב (sa.vav) — to turn: surround.
: surround/go_round
V-Qal-Inf-a — Verb · Qal · infinitive construct commonHVqcc
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.
הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country
mountain, hill
hill-country, mountain-region
base
H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country
2022 har har
a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills
(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X
promotion.
see HEBREW for 02042
הַר (har) — mountain: mount.
: mount/hill
hill, mountain, hill country, mount
הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.
: hill_country
hill, mountain, hill country, mount
A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
kun'-tri ('erets, "land," sadheh, "field"; agros, "field," chora, "region"): The foregoing are the principal words rendered "country" in English Versions of the Bible, though we find also 'adhamah, "earth" (Jon 4:2); 'i, "island" (Jer 47:4 the King James Version); gelilah, "circuit" (Eze 47:8 the King James Version); chebhel, "rope" (De 3:14); maqom, "place" (Ge 29:26 the King James Version); nepheth,"hill" or "height" (Jos 17:11 the King James Version); genos, "race" (Ac 4:36 the King James Version); ge, "earth"…
→ LOVE OF Jud 5:1-31; 2Sa 10:12; Ne 1:1-11; 2:1-20; 5:1-18; Ps 137:1-6
The Jews held religion and country as one (a theocracy), therefore
See CHURCH, LOVE OF
→ See also PATRIOTISM
זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.
זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here
standing alone
In appos. to subst.
More oft. as pred.
It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
With prefixes (in special senses)
base
H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone
. In appos. to subst.
. More oft. as pred.
. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
. With prefixes (in special senses)
2088 zeh zeh
a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this
or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the
one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,
such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on
that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,
2098.
see HEBREW for 02063
see HEBREW for 02090
see HEBREW for 02097
see HEBREW for 02098
זֶה (zeh) — this.
1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such
1a) (alone)
1a1) this one
1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another
1b) (appos to subst)
1b1) this
1c) (as predicate)
1c1) this, such
1d) (enclitically)
1d1) then
1d2) who, whom
1d3) how now, what now
1d4) what now
1d5) wherefore now
1d6) behold here
1d7) just now
1d8) now, now already
1e) (poetry)
1e1) wherein, which, those who
1f) (with prefixes)
1f1) in this (place) here, then
1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter
1f3) thus and thus
1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus
1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side
1f6) on this account
1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how
Art | Pron — Particle · particleHTd/Tm
פָּנָה (panah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to turn, with various implications such as turning toward, away, or doing something. It can refer to both physical and figurative actions, like looking or regarding something. The entries indicate it can also mean to decline or approach, and it has different forms, including Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, each with specific nuances.
פָּנָה 135 vb. turn
Qal 117
turn toward
turn from
turn and do a thing
turn, decline
turn toward, approach
turn and look, look
of inanimate things, face
esp. fig. look at, regard
look for = expect
fig. look at = consider
Hiph.
turn
make a turn, shew (signs of) turning
Hoph. be ye turned back!
base
H6437 פָּנָה turn .. . turn toward
. turn from
. turn and do a thing
. turn, decline
. turn toward, approach
. . turn and look, look
. of inanimate things, face
. esp. fig. look at, regard
. look for = expect
. fig. look at = consider
. . turn
. make a turn, shew (signs of) turning
. be ye turned back!
6437 panah paw-naw'
a primitive root; to turn; by implication, to face, i.e.
appear, look, etc.:--appear, at (even-)tide, behold, cast
out, come on, X corner, dawning, empty, go away, lie, look,
mark, pass away, prepare, regard, (have) respect (to),
(re-)turn (aside, away, back, face, self), X right (early).
פָּנָה (pa.nah) — to turn.
1) to turn
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to turn toward or from or away
1a2) to turn and do
1a3) to turn, decline (of day)
1a4) to turn toward, approach (of evening)
1a5) to turn and look, look, look back or at or after or for
1b) (Piel) to turn away, put out of the way, make clear, clear away
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to turn
1c2) to make a turn, show signs of turning, turn back
1d) (Hophal) to be turned back
פָּנָה (pa.nah) — Corner (Gate).
This name means corner, to turn, to turn back
Another spelling of pin.nah (פִּנָּה "Corner( Gate)" H6438)
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine pluralHVqv2mp
כֶם (khem) — you.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine plural
HR/Sp2mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2mp
צָפוֹן (tsaphown) means 'north' and is derived from a root meaning 'hidden' or 'dark.' It is used specifically to refer to the northern direction, often associated with gloominess and the unknown. The term also appears in the context of a name, 'Zaphon,' which similarly denotes the north.
צָפוֹן 153 n.f. north (as the hidden, dark)
base
H6828 צָפוֹן north
6828 tsaphown tsaw-fone'
or tsaphon {tsaw-fone'}; from 6845; properly, hidden, i.e.
dark; used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and
unknown):--north(-ern, side, -ward, wind).
see HEBREW for 06845
צָפוֹן (tsa.phon) — north.
1) north (of direction), northward
1a) north
1b) northward
צָפוֹן (tsa.phon) — Zaphon.
This name means north
Also named: tsa.phon (צָפוֹן "Zaphon" H6829)
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular absolute · suffixHNcfsa/Sd
word: "Ward" and "guard" are two different spellings of the same word, and in consequence no clear line can be drawn between them. English Versions of the Bible, however, has used "guard" only in the sense of "a special body of soldiers" (Ge 37:36, etc.), while "ward" is used, not only in this sense (Jer 37:13; contrast 39:9), but also in a variety of others. So a "ward" may mean "any body of men on special duty," as 1Ch 9:23; the King James Version 1Ch 26:16; Ne 12:24,25 (the Revised Version (British and American) "watch"), or the duty itself, as Isa 21:8;
Ward
A prison (Gen. 40:3, 4); a watch-station (Isa. 21:8); a guard (Neh. 13:30).