← H2218 H2220 →

זָרָה

𐤆𐤓𐤄

zârâh

H2219 verb

SILEX Entry

Root זרה to scatter, to winnow, to disperse

Definition

To winnow or scatter, especially to toss grain or chaff in the air to separate, by extension to disperse, scatter, or spread objects or persons. The term primarily refers to an agricultural process of separating grain from chaff or impurities using wind. In broader contexts, it conveys the act of dispersing, scattering, or casting away (material objects, groups of people, or metaphorically, fortunes or circumstances).

Semantic Range

to winnow (grain), to scatter (chaff, people, objects), to toss about, to spread, to disperse, to cast away, to strew, to diffuse

Root / Etymology

From the root זרה, which fundamentally means 'to scatter' or 'to winnow.' The verb possesses a characteristic imagery of agricultural winnowing, expanded metaphorically to the dispersal or scattering of people or things. Not to be confused with the root זוּר (zur), which refers to being a stranger or foreign, although some metaphorical convergence may occur in extended uses.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, זָרָה is used predominantly in agricultural contexts, such as winnowing grain (Ruth 3:2; Isaiah 41:16), but also appears in figurative or metaphoric settings signifying the scattering of people (e.g., Israelite exile or dispersion; Jeremiah 31:10). The term occurs primarily in texts from the monarchic and exilic periods but persists in post-exilic literature in similar figurative functions. When used for people, the act of 'scattering' can imply divine judgment or the effects of calamity, but the underlying image is physical dispersal, not inherently theological. English translations sometimes restrict the meaning to 'winnow' or 'scatter,' but the word's range comprises both deliberate agricultural processes and metaphorical separation or removal. It should not be confused with verbs for exile or forced migration (e.g., גלה, galah), although the imagery may sometimes overlap, especially in poetic passages. There is no consistent distinction in biblical usage between casting away inanimate objects and scattering people, as both derive from the same root action of physically tossing or dispersing.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root (compare זוּר); to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow; cast away, compass, disperse, fan, scatter (away), spread, strew, winnow.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

זרה (z-r-h) — to scatter, to winnow, to disperse

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2239 זֶרֶת in the hand-span
H4214 מִזְרֶה with a winnowing shovel
H4215 מְזָרֶה and from scatterers

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2219-15 וְ/זֵרִיתִ֥י vezeriti HC/Vpq1cs and I will scatter and I scattered abroad 5
H2219-17 וְ/זֵרִתִ֥י/ם vezeritim HC/Vpq1cs/Sp3mp and I will scatter them and I scattered them 4
H2219-05 מְזָרֵ֤ה mezareh HVprmsc winnows winnowing-scatterer of 3
H2219-02 אֱזָרֶ֣ה ezareh HVpi1cs I will scatter I will scatter thoroughly 3
H2219-24 זֵר֣וּ zeru HVpp3cp have scattered they have scattered widely 2
H2219-25 זֹרֶ֥ה zoreh HVqrmsa winnowing the one who winnows 2
H2219-08 תִּזְרֵ/ם֙ tizerem HVqi2ms/Sp3mp you will throw them away you will scatter them 2
H2219-19 יְזָ֣רוּ yezaru HVpi3mp spread they will scatter widely 1
H2219-14 וְ/זֵרָ֖/ם vezeram HC/Vpp3ms/Sp3mp and-will-scatter-them and he scattered them 1
H2219-23 זֵרִיתָֽ/נוּ zeritanu HVpp2ms/Sp1cp you have scattered us you thoroughly scattered us 1

Occurrences in Scripture

39 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2219-13 Exodus 32:20 וַ/יִּ֨זֶר֙ vayizer HC/Vqw3ms and scattered and he scattered
H2219-02 Leviticus 26:33 אֱזָרֶ֣ה ezareh HVpi1cs I-will-scatter I will scatter thoroughly
H2219-21 Numbers 17:2 זְרֵה zereh HVqv2ms scatter Scatter!
H2219-14 1 Kings 14:15 וְ/זֵרָ֖/ם vezeram HC/Vpp3ms/Sp3mp and-will-scatter-them and he scattered them
H2219-08 Isaiah 30:22 תִּזְרֵ/ם֙ tizerem HVqi2ms/Sp3mp you will throw them away you will scatter them
H2219-25 Isaiah 30:24 זֹרֶ֥ה zoreh HVqrmsa winnowing the one who winnows
H2219-08 Isaiah 41:16 תִּזְרֵ/ם֙ tizerem HVqi2ms/Sp3mp you will winnow them you will scatter them
H2219-04 Jeremiah 4:11 לִ/זְר֖וֹת lizerot HR/Vqc for-winnowing to winnow
H2219-11 Jeremiah 15:7 וָ/אֶזְרֵ֥/ם vaezerem HC/Vqw1cs/Sp3mp and I winnowed them and I scattered them
H2219-05 Jeremiah 31:10 מְזָרֵ֤ה mezareh HVprmsc who-scattered winnowing-scatterer of
← H2218 Hebrew Lexicon H2220 →