שָׁסַע
𐤔𐤎𐤏
shâçaʻ
H8156 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To split, cleave, or divide by force; especially refers to a physical tearing or rending apart, as of fabric, flesh, or objects. In some contexts, used specifically to describe the splitting or cleaving of hooves in animals (as a marker of clean or unclean animals in Leviticus and Deuteronomy). Less often, conveys the idea of figurative division, as in severe reproach or indictment.
Semantic Range
to split, to cleave (especially animal hooves), to rend, to tear apart, to divide, be cloven-footed (in zoological or ritual contexts), to upbraid (rare, figurative), to be open or separated
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁ־ס־ע (שָׁסַע), which has the core meaning of splitting or cleaving apart. The verb form commonly denotes the action of making a separation by a forceful tear or cut, emphasizing the act of division rather than gradual separation. The root is distinct from other Hebrew roots for tearing (e.g., קרע, 'to tear'), which focus more on rending by force but are often used with garments; שָׁסַע more often refers to a basic, even structural, division.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שָׁסַע appears most significantly in legal and ritual contexts, especially in the Priestly texts describing clean and unclean animals (Leviticus 11:3, Deuteronomy 14:6), where a 'cloven' or 'split' hoof is an identifying characteristic. The primary focus is on anatomical division, not just surface splitting. The verb may also be used for generic acts of splitting—such as tearing apart an object, flesh, or even metaphorically, relationships or groups. Older English translations occasionally render שָׁסַע as 'upbraid' where the intent is figurative (dividing with words), but this sense is rare and less directly attested than the physical sense. Over time, the term's usage remains stable, serving primarily a descriptive/anatomical function, with metaphorical extensions being minor. It should not be confused with the verb בקע ('to split open' or 'cleave'), which often denotes breaking through or opening something previously whole, especially with reference to rock or earth, nor with קרע, which tends to emphasize tearing by hand or violence, often of clothing in mourning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to split or tear; figuratively, to upbraid; cleave, (be) cloven (footed), rend, stay.
Bantu Hebrew
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שסע (š-s-ʿ) — split, cleave, divide
Word Forms
8 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8156-08 |
וְ/שֹׁסַ֤עַת | veshosaat | HC/Vqrfsa |
and has | and splitting | 2 |
H8156-06 |
וְ/שִׁסַּ֨ע | veshisa | HC/Vpq3ms |
and he shall cleave it | and he intensely split | 1 |
H8156-04 |
וַֽ/יְשַׁסְּעֵ֨/הוּ֙ | vayeshaseehu | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3ms |
and he tore him | and he violently split him | 1 |
H8156-07 |
וְ/שֹׁסַ֥ע | veshosa | HC/Vqrmsa |
and cloven-footed | and one who splits | 1 |
H8156-01 |
הַ/שְּׁסוּעָ֑ה | hashesuah | HTd/Vqsfsa |
cloven | the split one | 1 |
H8156-02 |
כְּ/שַׁסַּ֣ע | keshasa | HR/Vpc |
as he would have torn | as tearing apart | 1 |
H8156-05 |
וְ/שֶׁ֣סַע | veshesa | HC/Ncmsa |
and cleft | cleft | 1 |
H8156-03 |
וַ/יְשַׁסַּ֨ע | vayeshasa | HC/Vpw3ms |
and cut | and he split apart | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8156-06 |
Leviticus 1:17 | וְ/שִׁסַּ֨ע | veshisa | HC/Vpq3ms |
and he shall cleave it | and he intensely split |
H8156-08 |
Leviticus 11:3 | וְ/שֹׁסַ֤עַת | veshosaat | HC/Vqrfsa |
and is cloven-footed | and splitting |
H8156-07 |
Leviticus 11:7 | וְ/שֹׁסַ֥ע | veshosa | HC/Vqrmsa |
and cloven-footed | and one who splits |
H8156-05 |
Leviticus 11:26 | וְ/שֶׁ֣סַע | veshesa | HC/Ncmsa |
and cleft | cleft |
H8156-08 |
Deuteronomy 14:6 | וְ/שֹׁסַ֤עַת | veshosaat | HC/Vqrfsc |
and has | and splitting |
H8156-01 |
Deuteronomy 14:7 | הַ/שְּׁסוּעָ֑ה | hashesuah | HTd/Vqsfsa |
cloven | the split one |
H8156-04 |
Judges 14:6 | וַֽ/יְשַׁסְּעֵ֨/הוּ֙ | vayeshaseehu | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3ms |
and he tore him | and he violently split him |
H8156-02 |
Judges 14:6 | כְּ/שַׁסַּ֣ע | keshasa | HR/Vpc |
as he would have torn | as tearing apart |
H8156-03 |
1 Samuel 24:8 | וַ/יְשַׁסַּ֨ע | vayeshasa | HC/Vpw3ms |
and cut | and he split apart |