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זָחַח

𐤆𐤇𐤇

zâchach

H2118 verb

SILEX Entry

Root זחח to push aside, to displace, to move away

Definition

To push aside, displace, or perhaps act with arrogance or pride in a figurative sense. In most contexts, the verb indicates a physical act of pushing aside or causing something to be displaced. In some poetic or extended contexts, it can carry a metaphorical sense of acting proud, high, or exalted, suggesting a displacement of others by self-elevation.

Semantic Range

to push aside, to drive out, to displace, to act proudly or haughtily, to loosen

Root / Etymology

Root: זחח. The core meaning relates to moving or shifting, particularly in the sense of pushing aside or displacing. The lexeme is rare and its formation is consistent with verbs that denote movement or displacement. There is a semantic overlap with roots such as זח"ל (to slither, glide) and זח"ל (to crawl or creep), but זָחַח maintains a distinct sense of forced displacement or haughty movement rather than mere motion.

Historical & Contextual Notes

זָחַח is an extremely rare verb in Biblical Hebrew, with attestations essentially confined to poetic or late biblical texts (e.g., Psalms). The nuance of the root is not strictly physical; in poetic usage, it appears to be used figuratively for the act of behaving haughtily or arrogantly—elevating oneself and pushing aside others. Unlike more common verbs for 'pushing' (e.g., דָּחָה), זָחַח often appears in contexts that suggest both physical and social displacement. Later biblical and rabbinic literature tends to read the word with a moral or character-driven nuance (haughtiness). English translations sometimes render it as 'to shove,' 'to push aside,' or 'to act proudly' depending on context, but no single English term captures its rare, ambiguous nuance. The word is not to be confused with the common noun זֵחַ, which refers to belt/sash, nor with other roots related to gliding or creeping.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to shove or displace; loose.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

זחח (z-ḥ-ḥ) — push aside, displace, move away

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4206 מָזִיחַ waist-belt

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2118-01 יִזַּ֣ח yizach HVNi3ms be loosed he will be displaced 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2118-01 Exodus 28:28 יִזַּ֣ח yizach HVNi3ms be loosed he will be displaced
H2118-01 Exodus 39:21 יִזַּ֣ח yizach HVNi3ms be loosed he will be displaced
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