חָצָץ
𐤇𐤑𐤑
châtsâts
H2687 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A small, hard stone fragment; gravel or coarse sand. The term primarily denotes bits of broken stone or grit, typically found on roads or riverbeds. In poetic or metaphorical usage, it may allude to objects with similar sharp, cutting qualities, such as an arrowhead.
Semantic Range
gravel, coarse sand, small sharp stone, grit, (by extension) sharp projectile, possible metaphor for sharpness or discomfort
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root חצץ, which conveys the notion of splitting, dividing, or cutting sharply. The noun חָצָץ represents that which is split or fragmented, i.e., gravel or crushed stone. The similarity to forms like חֵץ (arrow) reflects a shared semantic link with sharpness and cutting, but the primary referent of חָצָץ is to small stones rather than projectiles.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חָצָץ is attested in both literal and figurative contexts in the Hebrew Bible. Literally, it describes loose, jagged stones underfoot (Isaiah 5:28, "their wheels like the whirlwind; their horses' hoofs will be counted like flint, and their wheels like the châtsâts"). It may also be used metaphorically to evoke ideas of discomfort or vulnerability (Job 41:28, 'it regards iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood; the son of a bow cannot make it flee; slingstones become châtsâts before it'). In some contexts, a semantic overlap with projectiles—specifically stones used in slings—is possible, but the general sense is always of hard, cutting fragments. Later Hebrew and translation into Greek (LXX) often preferred terms associated with sharpness or hardness, rather than focusing on the 'arrow' meaning. Standard English translations usually render the word as 'gravel,' but nuance may be lost as other terms for stones (e.g., אֶבֶן) refer to larger, round stones, whereas חָצָץ implies sharp, potentially painful debris.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָצָץ; also like חֵץ; properly, something cutting; hence, gravel (as grit); an arrow; arrow, gravel (stone).
Bantu Hebrew
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חצץ (ḥ-ṣ-ṣ) — split, divide, cut sharply
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2687-02 |
חָצָֽץ | chatsats | HNcmsa |
with gravel | sharp gravel | 1 |
H2687-03 |
חֲ֝צָצֶ֗י/ךָ | chatsatseykha | HNcmpc/Sp2ms |
your arrows | your gravel-stones | 1 |
H2687-01 |
בֶּֽ/חָצָץ֙ | bechatsats | HRd/Ncmsa |
with gravel | sharp gravel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2687-03 |
Psalms 77:18 | חֲ֝צָצֶ֗י/ךָ | chatsatseykha | HNcmpc/Sp2ms |
your arrows | your gravel-stones |
H2687-02 |
Proverbs 20:17 | חָצָֽץ | chatsats | HNcmsa |
with gravel | sharp gravel |
H2687-01 |
Lamentations 3:16 | בֶּֽ/חָצָץ֙ | bechatsats | HRd/Ncmsa |
with gravel | sharp gravel |