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בָּצַע

𐤁𐤑𐤏

bâtsaʻ

H1214 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To cut, break off, or sever, especially with the connotation of taking something by force or for personal gain, often implying plundering, seizing loot, or acting for selfish profit. In figurative or derived usage, to act in a covetous or greedy manner, or to obtain wealth unjustly. Occasionally, intransitive sense of bringing something to an end or being cut off. The primary sense is that of violent or forceful appropriation.

Semantic Range

to cut off, to break off, to divide or sever (physically), to plunder, to seize as loot, to acquire unjust gain, to act greedily, to covet, to end or finish (rare, context-dependent), to act with selfish ambition, to take bribes

Root / Etymology

Root: בָּצַע (ב-צ-ע). The root fundamentally means 'to cut or break off.' The verb developed to signify not only the act of physically dividing or cutting, but also, by metaphorical extension, acquiring something by seizing or appropriating it, especially with implication of greed or injustice. From this root, it came to be associated with plundering, robbery, or acting with selfish ambition for material gain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

בָּצַע in the Hebrew Bible most commonly appears with the nuance of acquiring wealth or goods through violence, greed, or unjust means (e.g., plundering in warfare or exploitative behaviors). It frequently serves as a negative characterization of someone motivated by personal gain, especially at others' expense (e.g., leaders taking bribes, merchants acting unfairly, or individuals stealing). In the wisdom literature and prophetic texts, it is strongly associated with covetousness and unethical acquisition of property. The figurative sense of 'cutting off' or 'fulfilling' an end is rare and context-dependent. The standard English translations such as "greedy" or "covetous" reflect a secondary, derived sense and may miss the original, concrete image of forcibly cutting off or taking something. This word is distinct from related terms like חמס (ḥāmas, "violence, wrong") in that בָּצַע connotes both the violent act and the greedy motivation. In post-exilic and later Hebrew, the term continues to connote greed, profit-seeking, and unlawful gain.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root to break off, i.e. (usually) plunder; figuratively, to finish, or (intransitively) stop; (be) covet(-ous), cut (off), finish, fulfill, gain (greedily), get, be given to (covetousness), greedy, perform, be wounded.

Bantu Hebrew

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Bemba bepa to cheat, defraud, lie
Chichewa bepa to cheat, trick, deceive
Lamba beepa to cheat, deceive
Tonga (Zambia) bepa to cheat, deceive, trick

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Root Family

בצע (bâtsaʻ) — to cut, break off, divide, sever

Root בצע to cut, break off, divide, sever
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1215 בֶּצַע ill-gotten gain

Word Forms

12 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1214-03 בֹּצֵ֛עַ botsea HVqrmsa greedy-for plundering one greedy one 5
H1214-01 בְּצֹ֥עַ betsoa HVqc get to seize unjust gain to seize unjust gain 1
H1214-02 בִּצַּ֤ע bitsa HVpp3ms he has fulfilled he plundered he fulfilled 1
H1214-04 תְּבַצַּ֑עְנָה tevatsaenah HVpi3fp will finish they will plunder will complete it 1
H1214-05 וּ/בְצַ֨עַ/ם֙ uvetsaam HC/Vqv2ms/Sp3mp and cut them off sever them sever them 1
H1214-06 וּ/בֹצֵ֥עַ uvotsea HC/Vqrmsa and the greedy and a plundering one and the greedy one 1
H1214-07 וַ/תְּבַצְּעִ֤י vatevatsei HC/Vpw2fs and-you-have-greedily-gained and you greedily seized and you greedily seized 1
H1214-08 וִֽ/יבַצְּעֵֽ/נִי vivatseeni HC/Vpi3ms/Sp1cs and-would-cut-me-off he will violently cut me off he will violently cut me off 1
H1214-09 יְבַצַּ֤ע yevatsa HVpi3ms he completes he forcefully seizes he completes 1
H1214-10 יְבַצְּעֵ֔/נִי yevatseeni HVpi3ms/Sp1cs He cuts me off he will violently cut me off he cuts me off 1

Occurrences in Scripture

16 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1214-09 Isaiah 10:12 יְבַצַּ֤ע yevatsa HVpi3ms he completes he forcefully seizes he completes
H1214-10 Isaiah 38:12 יְבַצְּעֵ֔/נִי yevatseeni HVpi3ms/Sp1cs He cuts me off he will violently cut me off he cuts me off
H1214-03 Jeremiah 6:13 בּוֹצֵ֣עַ botsea HVqrmsa is greedy for plundering one greedy one
H1214-03 Jeremiah 8:10 בֹּצֵ֣עַ botsea HVqrmsa greedy-for plundering one greedy one
H1214-07 Ezekiel 22:12 וַ/תְּבַצְּעִ֤י vatevatsei HC/Vpw2fs and-you-have-greedily-gained and you greedily seized and you greedily seized
H1214-01 Ezekiel 22:27 בְּצֹ֥עַ betsoa HVqc get to seize unjust gain to seize unjust gain
H1214-12 Joel 2:8 יִבְצָֽעוּ yivetsau HVqi3mp they-are-wounded they will seize greedily they will be wounded
H1214-05 Amos 9:1 וּ/בְצַ֨עַ/ם֙ uvetsaam HC/Vqv2ms/Sp3mp and cut them off sever them sever them
H1214-03 Habakkuk 2:9 בֹּצֵ֛עַ botsea HVqrmsa who covets plundering one who plunders
H1214-04 Zechariah 4:9 תְּבַצַּ֑עְנָה tevatsaenah HVpi3fp will finish they will plunder will complete it
H1214-06 Psalms 10:3 וּ/בֹצֵ֥עַ uvotsea HC/Vqrmsa and the greedy and a plundering one and the greedy one
H1214-03 Proverbs 1:19 בֹּ֣צֵֽעַ botsea HVqrmsa who is greedy plundering one one who is greedy
H1214-03 Proverbs 15:27 בּוֹצֵ֣עַ botsea HVqrmsa he who is greedy plundering one the one who is greedy
H1214-08 Job 6:9 וִֽ/יבַצְּעֵֽ/נִי vivatseeni HC/Vpi3ms/Sp1cs and-would-cut-me-off he will violently cut me off he will violently cut me off
H1214-11 Job 27:8 יִבְצָ֑ע yivetsa HVqi3ms is cut off he will seize for gain he is cut off
H1214-02 Lamentations 2:17 בִּצַּ֤ע bitsa HVpp3ms he has fulfilled he plundered he fulfilled
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