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קָצַב

𐤒𐤑𐤁

qâtsab

H7094 verb

SILEX Entry

Root קצב to cut, to chop, to sever, to apportion

Definition

To cut, chop, or sever with a decisive or sharp action; most often used for dividing or apportioning by cutting, whether literally (as in shaping wood or dividing meat) or metaphorically (as in assigning or determining a portion). The primary meaning centers on the physical act of cutting or clipping, but the term can extend to contexts involving appointment or allocation that derive from the concept of dividing by cutting.

Semantic Range

to cut, to chop, to sever, to clip, to apportion, to divide by cutting, to assign a portion, to allot

Root / Etymology

Root קצב (qṣb) carries the sense of cutting or severing. The verb qâtsab derives directly from this root and, in its most basic stem, refers to a forceful, often clean division or separation by physical means (cutting, chopping, clipping).

Historical & Contextual Notes

Across biblical usage, קָצַב appears in relatively few passages and is most commonly found in contexts where an object is divided or apportioned by an act of cutting, such as allotting portions (e.g., meat cut and given to individuals), or shaping materials by chopping. It is distinct from verbs like גָּזַז (gazaz, 'to shear or cut hair/wool'), which emphasize shearing rather than the blunt or forceful separation implied by קָצַב. In post-biblical Hebrew and cognate Semitic languages, the root retains association with determined cutting or precise apportionment. Standard English translations such as "cut" or "chop" generally capture the literal action, but may miss nuances of precise apportionment or appointment. The word does not carry direct ritual or sacrificial significance, but can be associated with apportioned shares at feasts or distributions in narrative contexts. There is no evidence of significant semantic shift between pre-exilic and post-exilic use; occurrences remain sparse but consistent in meaning across biblical periods.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to clip, or (generally) chop; cut down, shorn.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קצב (q-ṣ-b) — to cut, to chop, to sever, to apportion

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7095 קֶצֶב to the cut-portions of

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7094-02 וַ/יִּקְצָב vayiqetsav HC/Vqw3ms and he cut and he cut and he cut 1
H7094-01 הַ/קְּצוּב֔וֹת haqetsuvot HTd/Vqsfpa [that are] shorn the cut-off ones the shorn ones 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7094-02 2 Kings 6:6 וַ/יִּקְצָב vayiqetsav HC/Vqw3ms and he cut and he cut and he cut
H7094-01 Song of Songs 4:2 הַ/קְּצוּב֔וֹת haqetsuvot HTd/Vqsfpa [that are] shorn the cut-off ones the shorn ones
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