כָּסַח
𐤊𐤎𐤇
kâçach
H3683 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To cut off, to strip away, or to clear out, especially in the sense of removing branches, foliage, or obstacles by means of cutting. The verb generally denotes forceful and decisive removal, either for purposes of clearing land, pruning, or retaliatory action.
Semantic Range
to cut off branches, to prune, to clear land, to remove obstacles by cutting, to strip away foliage, to destroy by cutting, to annihilate (metaphorically)
Root / Etymology
Root: כסח (k-s-ḥ). The root conveys the sense of cutting, severing, or making bare. 'כָּסַח' is a verbal form meaning 'to cut off,' particularly branches, growths, or other protrusions. The term is not widely attested outside of Biblical Hebrew and may be a denominative from a noun or derived from an onomatopoeic or descriptive origin, but the precise development of the root is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
'כָּסַח' appears sparingly in the Hebrew Bible and is typically associated with imagery of thorough removal, whether of vegetation (such as branches or thickets) or metaphorically, representing the uprooting or destruction of entities (e.g., peoples or obstacles). In prophetic and poetic contexts, it conveys the decisiveness of the action. In post-biblical Hebrew, the meaning retains the sense of cutting back or clearing, often in agricultural contexts. It is less common than related verbs such as כרת (karat, 'to cut off/covenant') or גזר (gazar, 'to cut, decree'), and carries a more forceful or thorough nuance. Modern translations often capture only one aspect (e.g., 'cut off') and may not reflect the agricultural and metaphorical richness of the term in its contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to cut off; cut down (up).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כסח (k-s-ḥ) — to cut off, to strip away, to clear out
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3683-02 |
כְּסוּחִ֖ים | kesuchim | HVqsmpa |
cut up | cut-off ones | 1 | |
H3683-01 |
כְּסוּחָ֑ה | kesuchah | HVqsfsa |
as cut down | cut-off one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3683-02 |
Isaiah 33:12 | כְּסוּחִ֖ים | kesuchim | HVqsmpa |
cut up | cut-off ones | |
H3683-01 |
Psalms 80:17 | כְּסוּחָ֑ה | kesuchah | HVqsfsa |
as cut down | cut-off one |