בּוֹצֵץ
𐤁𐤅𐤑𐤑
Botsets
H949 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun designating a prominent rocky crag or cliff near Michmash, north of Geba, mentioned as a topographical feature in the narrative of 1 Samuel 14. The name likely refers to the appearance or characteristic of the rock, suggesting something 'shining' or 'gleaming,' though the precise nuance is debated. The word functions exclusively as a place name in the biblical record.
Semantic Range
place name (rocky crag, cliff); possibly descriptive of shining, gleaming, or white appearance; functions only as a geographical designation in the biblical text
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root בוץ (b-w-ts), meaning 'to be white' or 'to shine,' possibly referencing an aspect of the rock’s visible appearance. This noun is a proper name formed from the root, functioning as a toponym rather than retaining a descriptive or adjectival force in standard usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Bozez appears only in 1 Samuel 14:4, where it is one of two notable rocky outcrops flanking the pass between Michmash and Geba, critical to the narrative of Jonathan's attack on the Philistines. The descriptive force of the root, 'shining' or 'gleaming (white),' may indicate the rock’s color or the way it reflected sunlight, especially in contrast with its counterpart Seneh. The term is used as a proper noun exclusively; English translations preserve it as 'Bozez' or render it phonetically. The broader root בוץ sometimes refers to 'fine linen' or 'whiteness' elsewhere, but these associations are not operative in this toponymic usage. The word has no later religious or ethnic connotations and does not appear outside of this geographic context in the Hebrew Bible.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as בּוּץ; shining; Botsets, a rock near Michmash; Bozez.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בוצ (b-w-ts) — to be white, to shine, to glow
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H949-01 |
בּוֹצֵ֔ץ | botsets | HNp |
Bozez | Shining Crag | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H949-01 |
1 Samuel 14:4 | בּוֹצֵ֔ץ | botsets | HNp |
Bozez | Shining Crag |