בֶּ֗צַע
𐤁𐤑𐤏
betsa
profit
from בָּצַע; plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust); covetousness, (dishonest) gain, lucre, profit.
Malachi 3:14 · Word #6
Lexicon H1215
| Lemma | בֶּצַע |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤁𐤑𐤏 |
| Transliteration | betsaʻ |
| Strong's | H1215 |
| In-context | profit |
Morphology HNcmsa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
SIBI-P1 H1215-02
plunder-gain
| Root | בצע (b-ṣ-ʿ) |
| Core Meanings | to cut off, to break off, to plunder, to gain by violence |
| Semantic Range | plunder, spoil, unjust gain, dishonest profit, covetous gain, lucre, bribe-derived profit |
| Conceptual Significance | בֶּצַע often carries moral weight in the Hebrew Bible, denoting gain acquired through exploitation, violence, or corruption. It is associated with greed, injustice, and leadership corruption, highlighting the ethical tension between covenant faithfulness and self-serving acquisition. |
| Morphological Notes | Common masculine singular noun (HNcmsa; one occurrence in construct HNcmsc). No pronominal suffixes. Functions as an abstract or concrete noun depending on context. |
| Rendering Rationale | The noun derives from the root בצע, "to cut off" or "to plunder," conveying gain obtained by cutting off a portion for oneself, often violently or unjustly. "Plunder-gain" preserves both the concrete imagery of seized spoil and the extended sense of dishonest profit. The form is masculine singular (absolute or construct), reflected in the singular rendering. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Words from Root בצע (to cut off, to break off, to plunder, to gain by violence)
| SILEX Code | Transliteration | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
H1215-01 |
batsa | cut-off gain |
|
betsay | Betsai ("Cut-Off" or "Divider") |
H1215-03 |
bevetsa | in plunder-profit of |
H1215-04 |
bitseam | their plunder-gain |
H1215-05 |
bitseekha | your plunder-gain |
H1215-06 |
bitseekhe | your plunder-gain |
H1214-01 |
botsea | a plundering one |
H1215-07 |
levitseo | to his plunder-gain |
H1214-02 |
tevatsaenah | they will greedily cut off |
H1215-08 |
vetsa | cut-off gain |
H1215-09 |
vitseam | their cut-off gain |
|
yivetsa | he breaks off (for gain) |
H1214-03 |
yivetsau | they will break off for gain |
Word Usage (23 occurrences of H1215)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis 37:26 | בֶּ֗צַע | betsa | profit |
| Exodus 18:21 | בָ֑צַע | vatsa | dishonest gain |
| Judges 5:19 | בֶּ֥צַע | betsa | plunder |