B-Hebrew: The Biblical Hebrew Forum

I believe I have already commented on the fact that the root זב ZB, and its various variants are common in the names of plants and animals. Here:
אֵזוֹב EZOB, 'hyssop', as in Ex. 12:22
עֵשֶׂב ESEB, 'grass', as in Gen. 1:11
מִסְפּוֹא MISPO, 'fodder, as in Gen. 24:25
סוּף SUP, 'reeds', as in Ex. 2:3
סָעִיף SAIYP, 'branch, shoot', as in Isaiah 27:10

צָב CAB, 'turtle, lizard', as in Lev. 11:29
צְבִי CBIY, 'deer', as in Deut. 14:5
צֶפַע CEPA, 'snake', as in Isaiah 14:29
דוֹב DOB, 'bear', as in 1Sam. 17:34
שָפָן $APAN, 'hare', as in Lev. 11:5
טָף TAP, 'children', as in Gen. 47:12

Isaac Fried, Boston University

Ah, and not to forget

זְאֵב ZEB, 'wolf', as in Gen. 49:27

Isaac Fried, Boston University

Ah, and not to forget שָׂב SAB, 'elder, senior', as in Job 15:10
גַּם שָׂב גַּם יָשִׁישׁ בָּנוּ כַּבִּיר מֵאָבִיךָ יָמִים

Isaac Fried, Boston University

Evidently, שָׂב SAB, 'old', is kin to שְׂבַע in שְׂבַע יָמִים, 'full of days', as in Gen. 35:28-29
וַיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי יִצְחָק מְאַת שָׁנָה וּשְׁמֹנִים שָׁנָה וַיִּגְוַע יִצְחָק וַיָּמָת וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל עַמָּיו זָקֵן וּשְׂבַע יָמִים
KJV: "And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days"

From this root שׂבע (related in turn to צבע, צבא, צבה, סבא) we have also שׂבָע SOBA, 'satiation, fullness', as in Ex. 16:3
בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּשִׁבְתֵּנוּ עַל סִיר הַבָּשָׂר בְּאָכְלֵנוּ לֶחֶם לָשֹׂבַע
KJV: "in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full"

Also שֶבַע $EBA, 'seven, the big number'. Then שֶפַע $EPA, 'plenty', and שֶפִי $EPIY, 'vigor, briskness', as in Nu. 23:3
וַיֵּלֶךְ שֶׁפִי

Isaac Fried, Boston University