תָּזַז
𐤕𐤆𐤆
tâzaz
H8456 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To cut off or cut down, typically referring to the removal of branches or limbs from a tree or plant, but can extend to more general senses of severing or reducing, especially in the context of destruction or removal within poetic or prophetic passages. The term connotes a decisive act of removal, often with the imagery of diminishing strength or influence.
Semantic Range
to cut off (branches, sprigs), to lop off, to sever, to remove forcefully
Root / Etymology
Root is תזז, which is rare and possibly onomatopoeic, relating to the act of cutting or snapping. The lexical form תָּזַז is a verb of the root תזז, meaning 'to cut off, cut down.' Cognates are rare or absent, and it is not a widely attested root in Semitic languages. Thus, the root likely derives directly from an imitative or descriptive origin related to strong cutting action.
Historical & Contextual Notes
This verb occurs very rarely in the Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 18:5), where the context is agricultural: the 'lopping off of sprigs'—cutting branches or shoots. The word is used in poetic prophecy to convey imminent judgment, with the pruning or cutting down functioning as a metaphor for the reduction or removal of a nation’s strength or influence. While the KJV and later translations often render this as 'cut off' or 'prune,' the imagery is horticultural and signals a forceful removal rather than a gentle trimming. The term is distinct from other Hebrew words for 'cut' (e.g., כרת 'to cut off, make a covenant') or 'prune' (זמר), though the overlap in imagery is notable. As a hapax legomenon, its semantic boundaries are set primarily by its context in Isaiah 18:5. Later Hebrew and Jewish tradition do not show significant extension or transformation of this term. English translations tend to narrow the dynamic sense to 'cut off' or 'prune,' potentially missing the violent or catastrophic undertone of the Hebrew usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to lop off; cut down.
Bantu Hebrew
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תזז (t-z-z) — to cut off, to sever, to lop off
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8456-01 |
הֵתַֽז | hetaz | HVhp3ms |
he will cut off | he caused to be cut off | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8456-01 |
Isaiah 18:5 | הֵתַֽז | hetaz | HVhp3ms |
he will cut off | he caused to be cut off |