צֹאן

1. literally
  a. small cattle, usually of sheep and goats in one flock (Rob^{BR i. 477}) Gen 30:31; Gen 30:32 +; sheep specified also Gen 21:28 (׳כִּבְשׂת הַצּ), Gen 31:28 (׳אֵילֵי צ) +; sheep only 1Sam 25:2 (+עִוִּים); goats specified Gen 27:9; Jer 50:8 ׳צ as yielding (1) animals for food Amos 6:4 (בָּרִים), 1Sam 14:32; 2Sam 12:4; Neh 5:18 +; מַאְַבָל ׳צ Ps 44:12 (in simile); (2) wool Gen 31:19 + (see [ גָּזַז], גֵּז); (3) milk, ׳חֲלֵב צ Deut 32:14 (? goats' milk, compare Prov 27:27); (4) sacrificial victims Gen 4:4 (J), Lev 1:2; Lev 1:10; Lev 3:6; Num 15:3 (all P), Num 22:40 (E), Deut 12:6; Deut 12:17; Deut 12:21 + often; so צאֹן קָדָשִׁים Ezek 36:38 a, compare בְקָרֵינוּ וְצאֹנֵינוּ בְּכוֺרֵי Neh 10:37 in general as property (often + בָּקָר, etc.) Gen 12:16; Gen 13:5; Gen 24:35; Job 1:3; Job 42:12 + often (see also II. [עַשְׁתָּרוֺת]); gift Gen 20:14; Gen 21:27; Gen 38:17 (goat), Deut 15:14; 2Chr 17:11 booty 1Sam 15:9; 1Sam 15:15 + .
  b. ׳צ sometimes of a definite number of animals (i.e. as plural of שֶׂה, etc.): two Isa 7:21, four Exod 21:37 (larger numbers see 1Sam 25:2; 1Sam 25:5; 1Sam 25:18; Num 31:32; Num 31:36; Neh 5:18; Job 1:3; Job 42:12 above). — See also בֵּן 7 b; גְּדֵרָה, מִכְלָה, מַרְבֵּץ, נָוֶה, עֵדֶר; כֶלֶב, רֹצֶה, שַׁצֵר.

2. simile of multitude Ezek 36:37; Ezek 36:38, compare Ps 107:41 of children Job 21:11 of dead, with death as shepherd Ps 49:15 of (shepherdless) Israel Num 27:17; 1Kgs 22:17 = 2Chr 18:16; Zech 10:2; Zech 13:7, wandering in sin Isa 53:6 of Israel led by ׳י Ps 77:21; Ps 78:52; Ps 80:2, compare Zech 9:16 (on text see We Now); Ezek 34:12 of Israel in distress, טִבְחָת ׳כְּצ Ps 44:23, compare (of wicked) לְטִבְתָה ׳צ Jer 12:3 of scattered Babylonian Isa 13:14.

3. metaphor of multitude, אָרָם ׳צ Ezek 36:38 of Israel 2Sam 24:17 = 1Chr 21:17; Jer 23:1; Jer 23:2; Jer 23:3; Ezek 24:5, and especially sustained figurative Ezek 34:2; Ezek 34:3 + 17 t. 34, also Zech 11:7; Zech 11:17 אֹבְדוֺת ׳צ Jer 50:6, תִּפְאַרְתֵךְ ׳צ Jer 13:20 of Israel under ׳י's care, (וֺ-, יִ֯) מַרְעִיתֶ֑ךָד ׳צ Ps 74:1; Ps 79:13; Ps 100:3; Ezek 34:31, also יָדוֺ ׳צ Ps 95:7(|| מַרְעִיתוֺעַםֿ; read perhaps מַרְעִיתוֺ ׳צ, צַם יָדוֺ, so Che and others); נַחֲלָתֶךָ ׳צ Mic 7:14 also in combinations: ׳אַדִּירֵי הַצֵּ Jer 25:34; Jer 25:35; Jer 25:36, חַהֲרֵגָה ׳צ Zech 11:4; Zech 11:7 (compare Ps 44:23), ׳עֲנִיֵּי הַצּ vPs 44:7 vPs 44:11 (all of Israel); of Edom ׳צְעִירֵי הַ צּ Jer 49:20; Jer 50:45.