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זָרַק

𐤆𐤓𐤒

zâraq

H2236 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To throw or cast, especially with the sense of dispersing or scattering; commonly, to sprinkle (liquid, such as blood or water, or particles such as dust) by casting or throwing in a dispersed manner. In ritual contexts, chiefly refers to the act of sprinkling sacrificial blood or purifying water. Extended uses include scattering objects more generally (grain, ashes, etc.), or figuratively, to disperse people or things widely.

Semantic Range

to sprinkle (blood, water, ashes, dust), to scatter objects, to cast or hurl, to disperse (people or items), to strew

Root / Etymology

Root ז-ר-ק, meaning 'to throw, hurl, scatter.' The verb derives directly from the root and retains its core sense of forcible projection or dispersal, whether with liquids or solids.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Priestly writings, particularly in Leviticus and Numbers, זָרַק denotes the ritual act of sprinkling blood as part of sacrificial procedures, with strong cultic connotations. The act typically involves the priest forcefully casting blood towards the altar. The same root is used in more general or metaphorical senses—scattering dust on the earth, dispersing stones, or scattering a group of people, as in narrative or poetic texts. Other common Hebrew terms with similar but distinct nuances include נָפַץ (to scatter by smashing), פָּרַר (to break or scatter), and נָתַן (to give, used idiomatically for scattering in some cases). English translations often render זָרַק as 'sprinkle' in cultic contexts, but the underlying imagery is one of energy and dispersal, not gentle application; it may convey a more forceful action than the English 'sprinkle' suggests. Over time, the ritual usage narrowed in Second Temple and later Jewish tradition to become highly standardized. In non-ritual uses, the meaning encompasses broader ideas of throwing or dispersal without cultic overtones.

Translation Consistency

primary "sprinkle" 30 occurrences

Most occurrences and the SILEX sense center on throwing small particles or liquid in a dispersed way (ritual sprinkling of blood or water). "Sprinkle" is the most natural, precise, and commonly used English verb for that range; broader senses like "scatter" or "cast" are rarer and can be handled contextually.

Alternatives (5 occurrences):
"scatter" (3x) "threw" (1x) "those who scatter" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to sprinkle (fluid or solid particles); be here and there, scatter, sprinkle, strew.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

זרק (zâraq) — to throw, to scatter, to hurl

Root זרק to throw, to scatter, to hurl
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4219 מִזְרָק in sprinkling-basins of

Word Forms

17 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2236-07 וַ/יִּזְרֹק֙ vayizeroq HC/Vqw3ms and sprinkled and he scattered and he sprinkled 6
H2236-06 וַֽ/יִּזְרְק֖וּ vayizerequ HC/Vqw3mp and they sprinkled and they hurled and they sprinkled 5
H2236-12 וְ/זָרְק֨וּ vezarequ HC/Vqq3cp and shall throw and they hurled and they sprinkled 5
H2236-02 תִּזְרֹ֑ק tizeroq HVqi2ms you shall sprinkle you will scatter you will scatter 2
H2236-05 וַ/יִּזְרְקֵ֥/הוּ vayizereqehu HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms and he sprinkled it and he hurled him and he sprinkled it 2
H2236-10 וְ/זָרַקְתָּ֥ vezaraqeta HC/Vqq2ms and you shall sprinkle and you shall scatter and you shall sprinkle 2
H2236-13 יִזְרֹ֑ק yizeroq HVqi3ms he shall sprinkle he will hurl he will sprinkle 2
H2236-16 זֹרַ֤ק zoraq HVQp3ms been thrown he was hurled was sprinkled 2
H2236-01 הַ/זֹּרֵ֛ק hazoreq HTd/Vqrmsa who sprinkles the one who scatters the one who sprinkles 1
H2236-03 וּ/זְרָק֥/וֹ uzeraqo HC/Vqp3ms/Sp3ms and let Moses throw it and he hurled him and he threw it 1

Occurrences in Scripture

35 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2236-03 Exodus 9:8 וּ/זְרָק֥/וֹ uzeraqo HC/Vqp3ms/Sp3ms and let Moses throw it and he hurled him and he threw it
H2236-07 Exodus 9:10 וַ/יִּזְרֹ֥ק vayizeroq HC/Vqw3ms and Moses threw and he scattered and he sprinkled
H2236-14 Exodus 24:6 זָרַ֖ק zaraq HVqp3ms he sprinkled he scattered he sprinkled
H2236-07 Exodus 24:8 וַ/יִּזְרֹ֖ק vayizeroq HC/Vqw3ms and sprinkled and he scattered and he sprinkled
H2236-10 Exodus 29:16 וְ/זָרַקְתָּ֥ vezaraqeta HC/Vqq2ms and you shall sprinkle and you shall scatter and you shall sprinkle
H2236-10 Exodus 29:20 וְ/זָרַקְתָּ֧ vezaraqeta HC/Vqq2ms and you shall sprinkle and you shall scatter and you shall sprinkle
H2236-12 Leviticus 1:5 וְ/זָרְק֨וּ vezarequ HC/Vqq3cp and they shall splash and they hurled and they sprinkled
H2236-12 Leviticus 1:11 וְ/זָרְק֡וּ vezarequ HC/Vqq3cp and they shall throw and they hurled and they sprinkled
H2236-12 Leviticus 3:2 וְ/זָרְק֡וּ vezarequ HC/Vqq3cp and they shall sprinkle and they hurled and they sprinkled
H2236-12 Leviticus 3:8 וְ֠/זָרְקוּ vezarequ HC/Vqq3cp and shall throw and they hurled and they sprinkled
H2236-12 Leviticus 3:13 וְ֠/זָרְקוּ vezarequ HC/Vqq3cp and shall throw and they hurled and they sprinkled
H2236-13 Leviticus 7:2 יִזְרֹ֥ק yizeroq HVqi3ms he shall sprinkle he will hurl he will sprinkle
H2236-01 Leviticus 7:14 הַ/זֹּרֵ֛ק hazoreq HTd/Vqrmsa who sprinkles the one who scatters the one who sprinkles
H2236-07 Leviticus 8:19 וַ/יִּזְרֹ֨ק vayizeroq HC/Vqw3ms and sprinkled and he scattered and he sprinkled
H2236-07 Leviticus 8:24 וַ/יִּזְרֹ֨ק vayizeroq HC/Vqw3ms and he sprinkled and he scattered and he sprinkled
H2236-05 Leviticus 9:12 וַ/יִּזְרְקֵ֥/הוּ vayizereqehu HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms and he sprinkled it and he hurled him and he sprinkled it
H2236-05 Leviticus 9:18 וַ/יִּזְרְקֵ֥/הוּ vayizereqehu HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms and he sprinkled it and he hurled him and he sprinkled it
H2236-09 Leviticus 17:6 וְ/זָרַ֨ק vezaraq HC/Vqq3ms and he shall sprinkle and he scattered and he shall sprinkle
H2236-02 Numbers 18:17 תִּזְרֹ֤ק tizeroq HVqi2ms you shall sprinkle you will scatter you will scatter
H2236-16 Numbers 19:13 זֹרַ֤ק zoraq HVQp3ms thrown he was hurled was sprinkled
H2236-16 Numbers 19:20 זֹרַ֥ק zoraq HVQp3ms been thrown he was hurled was sprinkled
H2236-07 2 Kings 16:13 וַ/יִּזְרֹ֛ק vayizeroq HC/Vqw3ms and he sprinkled/threw and he scattered and he sprinkled
H2236-02 2 Kings 16:15 תִּזְרֹ֑ק tizeroq HVqi2ms you shall sprinkle you will scatter you will scatter
H2236-13 Isaiah 28:25 יִזְרֹ֑ק yizeroq HVqi3ms he sows he will hurl he will sprinkle
H2236-04 Ezekiel 10:2 וּ/זְרֹ֖ק uzeroq HC/Vqv2ms and scatter and scatter! and scatter
H2236-11 Ezekiel 36:25 וְ/זָרַקְתִּ֧י vezaraqeti HC/Vqq1cs and-I-will-sprinkle and I will scatter and I will sprinkle
H2236-08 Ezekiel 43:18 וְ/לִ/זְרֹ֥ק velizeroq HC/R/Vqc and to sprinkle and to scatter and to sprinkle
H2236-15 Hosea 7:9 זָ֣רְקָה zareqah HVqp3fs are sprinkled she threw was sprinkled
H2236-06 Job 2:12 וַ/יִּזְרְק֥וּ vayizerequ HC/Vqw3mp and they threw and they hurled and they sprinkled
H2236-06 2 Chronicles 29:22 וַֽ/יִּזְרְק֖וּ vayizerequ HC/Vqw3mp and they sprinkled and they hurled and they sprinkled
H2236-06 2 Chronicles 29:22 וַ/יִּזְרְק֤וּ vayizerequ-2 HC/Vqw3mp and they sprinkled and they hurled and they sprinkled
H2236-06 2 Chronicles 29:22 וַ/יִּזְרְק֥וּ vayizerequ-3 HC/Vqw3mp and they sprinkled and they hurled and they sprinkled
H2236-17 2 Chronicles 30:16 זֹרְקִ֣ים zoreqim HVqrmpa sprinkling those who scatter those who scatter
H2236-07 2 Chronicles 34:4 וַ/יִּזְרֹק֙ vayizeroq HC/Vqw3ms and scattered and he scattered and he sprinkled
H2236-06 2 Chronicles 35:11 וַ/יִּזְרְק֤וּ vayizerequ HC/Vqw3mp and they sprinkled and they hurled and they sprinkled
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