שָׁסַס
𐤔𐤎𐤎
shâçaç
H8155 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To plunder, loot, or pillage; to seize valuable goods or spoils, typically by force, especially in the context of military action. The verb denotes the act of taking property, usually by a victorious army or raiding party, and often implies violence or destruction. In some contexts, the term emphasizes violent stripping or sweeping away of possessions.
Semantic Range
to plunder, to pillage, to loot, to strip of possessions, to seize as spoil
Root / Etymology
Root: שׁסס. Derived directly from the root שָׁסַס, which carries the sense of stripping, plundering, or violently seizing. It is commonly considered a denominative or intensive form based on the concept of rendering someone or something bare by taking away possessions. The root is rare and does not generate a broad family of derivatives in Biblical Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׁסַס occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, and its usage is limited to texts describing acts of plunder or pillaging, typically in a military context. It is a more forceful synonym of other terms for taking spoil, such as בָּזַז (to plunder, seize as spoil), but occasionally emphasizes the violence or abruptness of the seizure. The term does not carry a legal or ritual sense, but denotes hostile or adversarial removal of property. In later Hebrew or post-biblical usage, alternative roots became more common for expressing similar actions. Standard English translations typically use 'plunder,' 'spoil,' or 'pillage,' but may not fully capture the violent nuance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to plunder; rifle, spoil.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁסס (š-s-s) — to plunder, to strip, to seize violently
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8155-02 |
וַ/יָּשֹׁ֖סּוּ | vayashosu | HC/Vqw3mp |
and they plundered | and they plundered | 2 |
H8155-01 |
שַׁ֭סֻּ/הוּ | shasuhu | HVqp3cp/Sp3ms |
have plundered him | they plundered him | 1 |
H8155-04 |
יִשַּׁ֨סּוּ֙ | yishasu | HVNi3mp |
will be plundered | they will be plundered | 1 |
H8155-03 |
וְ/נָשַׁ֨סּוּ֙ | venashasu | HC/VNq3cp |
and-they-will-plunder | and they will be plundered | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8155-02 |
Judges 2:14 | וַ/יָּשֹׁ֖סּוּ | vayashosu | HC/Vqw3mp |
who plundered | and they plundered |
H8155-02 |
1 Samuel 17:53 | וַ/יָּשֹׁ֖סּוּ | vayashosu | HC/Vqw3mp |
and they plundered | and they plundered |
H8155-04 |
Isaiah 13:16 | יִשַּׁ֨סּוּ֙ | yishasu | HVNi3mp |
will be plundered | they will be plundered |
H8155-03 |
Zechariah 14:2 | וְ/נָשַׁ֨סּוּ֙ | venashasu | HC/VNq3cp |
and-they-will-plunder | and they will be plundered |
H8155-01 |
Psalms 89:42 | שַׁ֭סֻּ/הוּ | shasuhu | HVqp3cp/Sp3ms |
have plundered him | they plundered him |