בָּשַׁס

𐤁𐤔𐤎

bâshaç

H1318 verb

SILEX Entry

Root בּשׁס to trample, to tread down, to crush underfoot

Definition

To trample, crush underfoot, or press down by foot, with an emphasis on forceful or violent treading. The verb denotes the act of violently stepping on, overwhelming, or stamping upon something, usually in a literal or physical sense, but by extension can carry figurative connotations of subjugation or disrespect.

Semantic Range

to trample upon, to tread down violently, to stamp upon, to crush underfoot, to subjugate through trampling

Root / Etymology

From the root בשׁס, which signifies the action of treading down or trampling. The root bears a sense of intense action associated with the foot, usually in the context of destruction or humiliation. The form appears to be an archaic or rare verb, probably of onomatopoeic origin, imitating the sound or sensation of crushing.

Historical & Contextual Notes

בָּשַׁס is an extremely rare verb in Biblical Hebrew, attested only in obscure or poetic passages (e.g., not in regular prose narrative). It is often parallel to verbs denoting destruction or defeat, and its forceful, physical nuance distinguishes it from more neutral verbs for walking or stepping (e.g., הלך). Unlike its close synonym דָּרַךְ (darakh, 'to tread'), בָּשַׁס always has a violent or destructive overtone, typically describing a victor's trampling over the defeated or the desecration of an object or place. It is not commonly used for animals' movement or mundane human activity. In post-biblical Hebrew and later Jewish literary tradition, the verb is extremely rare or altogether absent, being replaced by other synonyms. English translations typically render it as 'trample,' 'tread down,' or 'stamp upon,' which generally capture the meaning, though sometimes the intensity of the Hebrew is stronger than the English suggests.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to trample down; tread.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בשׁס (b-š-s) — trampling, treading down, crushing underfoot

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1318-01 בּוֹשַׁסְ/כֶ֞ם boshasekhem HVmc/Sp2mp you trample your trampling-down 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1318-01 Amos 5:11 בּוֹשַׁסְ/כֶ֞ם boshasekhem HVmc/Sp2mp you trample your trampling-down