בָּזָא
𐤁𐤆𐤀
bâzâʼ
H958 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To plunder or take as spoil; to seize or appropriate goods or possessions taken from another, especially in the context of military action or after a conquest. Carried the sense of forcibly taking valuables or property from an enemy.
Semantic Range
to plunder, to strip (of possessions), to seize as spoil or booty, to despoil
Root / Etymology
Root likely בָּזָא (b-z-ʼ), possibly derived from the broader Semitic root related to the idea of dividing or taking spoils. The connection to the act of seizing or obtaining goods forcibly fits the semantic field of plundering or spoiling. Etymology uncertain due to the word's rare and debated appearance in the Hebrew Bible.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Occurs only in Job 12:17, where it is usually interpreted in the context of plundering or stripping others of their possessions or authority. The form בָּזָא is extremely rare, which makes its lexical range difficult to assess with certainty; most other words for 'spoil' or 'plunder' in Biblical Hebrew stem from the root בזז (b-z-z). The translation as 'to spoil' in older English Bibles may fail to communicate the active, often violent connotation of seizing or stripping, especially in a context of social or political upheaval, such as the reversal of fortunes among the wise or powerful. The Septuagint and ancient versions differ in how they render this verb, reflecting some uncertainty even in antiquity. In later Hebrew literature, this root is not employed, making its meaning largely a matter of contextual inference and comparative Semitic linguistics.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; probably to cleave; spoil.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בזא (b-z-ʾ) — to spoil, plunder, seize as booty
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H958-01 |
בָּזְא֥וּ | bazeu | HVqp3cp |
have spoiled | they plundered | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H958-01 |
Isaiah 18:2 | בָּזְא֥וּ | bazeu | HVqp3cp |
the rivers divide | they plundered |
H958-01 |
Isaiah 18:7 | בָּזְא֤וּ | bazeu | HVqp3cp |
have spoiled | they plundered |