קָצַץ
𐤒𐤑𐤑
qâtsats
H7112 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To cut off, sever, or chop; to divide or break apart something, often by forceful separation. The term primarily describes the physical act of cutting or severing (e.g., wood, branches, hands), but also appears in figurative senses such as removing or breaking off relationships, agreements, or statuses.
Semantic Range
to cut off, to sever, to chop into pieces, to break apart, to divide, to remove forcefully, to terminate (relationship or association), utmost part (as what is cut off or removed)
Root / Etymology
From the root קצץ, conveying the action of cutting, chopping, or reducing by separation. As a verb, קָצַץ derives directly from this root and typically means to cut off or to sever. The morphological pattern denotes a basic, often forceful, kind of separation, in contrast to roots that might indicate shaping or carving.
Historical & Contextual Notes
קָצַץ occurs in both literal and metaphorical usages throughout the Hebrew Bible. In literal contexts (e.g., Genesis 21:33, regarding the planting of a tamarisk tree after prior cutting, or Deuteronomy 19:5, referring to chopping wood), it describes actions like chopping wood or severing limbs. Metaphorically, it can refer to the utter removal or destruction of something (e.g., removal from community—cf. similar imagery to the root כרת). Throughout the monarchic and exilic periods, figurative uses broaden, expressing the radical termination of blessings, relationships, or future hopes. The sense of uttermost or extremity (as in 'utmost border') comes from the idea of what has been cut off or forms the extreme end of something. Some English translations limit the term to 'cut off,' but the Hebrew usage also encompasses breaking in pieces, dividing, and sometimes expresses irreversible action. Related verbs include כרת (karat, to cut, often used for making covenants or cutting off people), but קָצַץ has a harsher, more destructive connotation. The term is distinct from others like גדע (gada‘, to hew down), which emphasizes felling or lopping rather than outright severance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to chop off (literally or figuratively); cut (asunder, in pieces, in sunder, off), [idiom] utmost.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
קצץ (q-ṣ-ṣ) — to cut off, to sever, to chop
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4739 | מָקַץ | in Makats |
| H7093 | קֵץ | the cut-off end |
| H7104 | קְצִיץ | Cut-Off Place |
| H7113 | קְצַץ | and cut off decisively |
Word Forms
8 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7112-05 |
וַ/יְקַצֵּץ֩ | vayeqatsets | HC/Vpw3ms |
and cut in pieces | and he chopped off | 3 |
H7112-02 |
קְצוּצֵ֣י | qetsutsey | HVqsmpc |
cut off | cut-off ones | 3 |
H7112-06 |
וַֽ/יְקַצְּצ֔וּ | vayeqatsetsu | HC/Vpw3mp |
and cut off | and they chopped off | 2 |
H7112-08 |
וְ/קִצֵּ֣ץ | veqitsets | HC/Vpp3ms |
and cut | and he chopped off | 2 |
H7112-07 |
וְ/קַצֹּתָ֖ה | veqatsotah | HC/Vqq2ms |
you shall cut off her | and you cut her off | 1 |
H7112-04 |
קִ֝צֵּ֗ץ | qitsets | HVpp3ms |
has cut | he chopped off | 1 |
H7112-03 |
קִצַּ֨ץ | qitsats | HVpp3ms |
cut off | he chopped off | 1 |
H7112-01 |
מְקֻצָּצִ֗ים | mequtsatsim | HVPsmpa |
cut off | those chopped off | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
14 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7112-08 |
Exodus 39:3 | וְ/קִצֵּ֣ץ | veqitsets | HC/Vpp3ms |
and cut | and he chopped off |
H7112-07 |
Deuteronomy 25:12 | וְ/קַצֹּתָ֖ה | veqatsotah | HC/Vqq2ms |
you shall cut off her | and you cut her off |
H7112-06 |
Judges 1:6 | וַֽ/יְקַצְּצ֔וּ | vayeqatsetsu | HC/Vpw3mp |
and they cut off | and they chopped off |
H7112-01 |
Judges 1:7 | מְקֻצָּצִ֗ים | mequtsatsim | HVPsmpa |
cut off | those chopped off |
H7112-06 |
2 Samuel 4:12 | וַֽ/יְקַצְּצ֤וּ | vayeqatsetsu | HC/Vpw3mp |
and cut off | and they chopped off |
H7112-05 |
2 Kings 16:17 | וַ/יְקַצֵּץ֩ | vayeqatsets | HC/Vpw3ms |
and cut off | and he chopped off |
H7112-03 |
2 Kings 18:16 | קִצַּ֨ץ | qitsats | HVpp3ms |
cut off | he chopped off |
H7112-05 |
2 Kings 24:13 | וַ/יְקַצֵּ֞ץ | vayeqatsets | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he cut in pieces | and he chopped off |
H7112-02 |
Jeremiah 9:25 | קְצוּצֵ֣י | qetsutsey | HVqsmpc |
cut off | cut-off ones |
H7112-02 |
Jeremiah 25:23 | קְצוּצֵ֥י | qetsutsey | HVqsmpc |
who cut | cut-off ones |