בָּזָה (H959) — Hebrew Lexicon

בָּזָה

𐤁𐤆𐤄

bâzâh

H959 verb

SILEX Entry

Root בזה to despise, to scorn, to treat as worthless

Definition

To regard someone or something as insignificant or worthless; to hold in contempt, scorn, or treat with disdain. The verb conveys deeply negative judgment, expressing derision or lack of respect or value. Used both for internal attitudes and outward expressions of rejection, including contempt for persons, sacred things, covenantal relationships, or divine commands.

Semantic Range

to despise, to scorn, to treat with contempt, to hold in low esteem, to disregard as insignificant, to show disdain

Root / Etymology

Root בָּזָה (b-z-h). The root expresses the sense of holding in low estimation or treating something or someone as of no value or as contemptible. The verb בָּזָה is the basic stem (Qal), typically meaning 'to despise' or 'to scorn.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, בָּזָה often signals a moral or social evaluation, characterizing the subject’s attitude toward another person, an institution, or even YHWH. For example, to 'despise' a brother (Gen 25:34, Esau regarding his birthright), the divine name (Mal 1:6), or covenantal obligations (2 Sam 12:9). The term appears in judgment contexts, where contempt for divine commandments results in consequences. Occasionally, it refers to outward social status ('despised and rejected by men,' Isa 53:3), but primarily it is an evaluative term of scorn rather than describing inherent worth. Later translations (e.g., certain English versions) sometimes render it as 'to think lightly' or 'to scorn,' which may dilute the original intensity of disdain. The verb does not carry the nuance of formal cursing or active hostility but rather of a deeply rooted sense of derogation or contempt. In post-biblical and later Hebrew, derivatives and related expressions continue the sense of disdain or low estimation, though developing further nuance in different eras.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to disesteem; despise, disdain, contemn(-ptible), [phrase] think to scorn, vile person.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בזה (b-z-h) — to despise, to scorn, to treat as worthless

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H5240	נְמִבְזֶה	despised one
H939	בּוּזָה	despised thing
H960	בָּזֹה	to a despised one
H963	בִּזָּיוֹן	state of contempt
H964	בִּזְיוֹתְיָה	Despisings-of-Yah

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H959-10`	נִבְזֶה֙	nivezeh	`HVNrmsa`	despised	despised one	7
`H959-01`	בָּזָ֔ה	bazah	`HVqp3ms`	She despises	he despised	5
`H959-22`	בָזָ֨ה	vazah	`HVqp3ms`	despised	he despised	3
`H959-12`	תִבְזֶֽה	tivezeh	`HVqi2ms`	despise	you despise	2
`H959-06`	בּוֹזֶ֥ה	bozeh	`HVqrmsa`	despises	one who despises	2
`H959-17`	וַ/תִּ֥בֶז	vativez	`HC/Vqw3fs`	and she despised	and she despised	2
`H959-18`	וַ/יִּ֥בֶז	vayivez	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he disdained	and he despised	2
`H959-04`	בָּז֖וּי	bazuy	`HVqsmsa`	despised	despised one	2
`H959-02`	בָּזִ֥ית	bazit	`HVqp2fs`	have-despised	you despised	2
`H959-15`	וּ/בֹזַ֥/י	uvozay	`HC/Vqrmpc/Sp1cs`	and those who despise Me	and my despisers	1
`H959-07`	בּוֹזֵֽ/הוּ	bozehu	`HVqrmsc/Sp3ms`	despises Him	the one despising him	1
`H959-08`	בּוֹזֵ֣י	bozey	`HVqrmpc`	despisers-of	despisers of	1
`H959-03`	בָּזִ֣יתָ	bazita	`HVqp2ms`	have you despised	you despised	1
`H959-09`	לְ/הַבְז֥וֹת	lehavezot	`HR/Vhc`	to despise	to treat with contempt	1
`H959-23`	בָזִ֖ינוּ	vazinu	`HVqp1cp`	we-despised	we treated as worthless	1
`H959-21`	וַ/יִּבְזֻ֕/הוּ	vayivezuhu	`HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms`	they despised him	they despised him	1
`H959-19`	וַ/יִּבְזֵ֑/הוּ	vayivezehu	`HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms`	and disdained him	and he despised him	1
`H959-13`	וּ/בָזָ֥ה	uvazah	`HC/Vqp3ms`	and he despised	and he despised	1
`H959-20`	וַ/יִּבְז֖וּ	vayivezu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they despised	and they despised	1
`H959-25`	בְזִתָ֔/נִי	vezitani	`HVqp2ms/Sp1cs`	you have despised me	you despised me	1
`H959-24`	וְ/נִבְזֶ֑ה	venivezeh	`HC/VNrmsa`	and-despised	and being despised	1
`H959-16`	וּ/בוֹזִ֣ים	uvozim	`HC/Vqrmpa`	and despising	and those who despise	1
`H959-14`	וּ/בְז֥וּי	uvezuy	`HC/Vqsmsc`	and despised	and despised one	1
`H959-11`	נִבְזִ֥ים	nivezim	`HVNsmpa`	despised	despised ones	1
`H959-05`	בְּזוּיָ֔ה	bezuyah	`HVqsfsa`	is despised	despised woman	1

Occurrences in Scripture

43 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H959-18`	Genesis 25:34	וַ/יִּ֥בֶז	vayivez	`HC/Vqw3ms`	despised	and he despised
`H959-01`	Numbers 15:31	בָּזָ֔ה	bazah	`HVqp3ms`	he has despised	he despised
`H959-15`	1 Samuel 2:30	וּ/בֹזַ֥/י	uvozay	`HC/Vqrmpc/Sp1cs`	and those who despise Me	and my despisers
`H959-21`	1 Samuel 10:27	וַ/יִּבְזֻ֕/הוּ	vayivezuhu	`HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms`	they despised him	they despised him
`H959-19`	1 Samuel 17:42	וַ/יִּבְזֵ֑/הוּ	vayivezehu	`HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms`	and disdained him	and he despised him
`H959-17`	2 Samuel 6:16	וַ/תִּ֥בֶז	vativez	`HC/Vqw3fs`	and she despised	and she despised
`H959-03`	2 Samuel 12:9	בָּזִ֣יתָ	bazita	`HVqp2ms`	have you despised	you despised
`H959-25`	2 Samuel 12:10	בְזִתָ֔/נִי	vezitani	`HVqp2ms/Sp1cs`	you have despised me	you despised me
`H959-01`	2 Kings 19:21	בָּזָ֨ה	bazah	`HVqp3fs`	She despises	he despised
`H959-01`	Isaiah 37:22	בָּזָ֨ה	bazah	`HVqp3fs`	has despised	he despised
`H959-10`	Isaiah 53:3	נִבְזֶה֙	nivezeh	`HVNrmsa`	despised	despised one
`H959-10`	Isaiah 53:3	נִבְזֶ֖ה	nivezeh-2	`HVNrmsa`	despised	despised one
`H959-10`	Jeremiah 22:28	נִבְזֶ֜ה	nivezeh	`HVNrmsa`	despised	despised one
`H959-04`	Jeremiah 49:15	בָּז֖וּי	bazuy	`HVqsmsa`	despised	despised one
`H959-02`	Ezekiel 16:59	בָּזִ֥ית	bazit	`HVqp2fs`	have-despised	you despised
`H959-01`	Ezekiel 17:16	בָּזָה֙	bazah	`HVqp3ms`	despised	he despised
`H959-13`	Ezekiel 17:18	וּ/בָזָ֥ה	uvazah	`HC/Vqp3ms`	and he despised	and he despised
`H959-01`	Ezekiel 17:19	בָּזָ֔ה	bazah	`HVqp3ms`	he despised	he despised
`H959-02`	Ezekiel 22:8	בָּזִ֑ית	bazit	`HVqp2fs`	you have despised	you despised
`H959-04`	Obadiah 1:2	בָּז֥וּי	bazuy	`HVqsmsa`	despised	despised one
`H959-08`	Malachi 1:6	בּוֹזֵ֣י	bozey	`HVqrmpc`	despisers-of	despisers of
`H959-23`	Malachi 1:6	בָזִ֖ינוּ	vazinu	`HVqp1cp`	we-despised	we treated as worthless
`H959-10`	Malachi 1:7	נִבְזֶ֥ה	nivezeh	`HVNrmsa`	is despised	despised one
`H959-10`	Malachi 1:12	נִבְזֶ֥ה	nivezeh	`HVNrmsa`	despised	despised one
`H959-11`	Malachi 2:9	נִבְזִ֥ים	nivezim	`HVNsmpa`	despised	despised ones
`H959-10`	Psalms 15:4	נִבְזֶ֤ה	nivezeh	`HVNrmsa`	despised	despised one
`H959-14`	Psalms 22:7	וּ/בְז֥וּי	uvezuy	`HC/Vqsmsc`	and despised	and despised one
`H959-22`	Psalms 22:25	בָזָ֨ה	vazah	`HVqp3ms`	despised	he despised
`H959-12`	Psalms 51:19	תִבְזֶֽה	tivezeh	`HVqi2ms`	despise	you despise
`H959-22`	Psalms 69:34	בָזָֽה	vazah	`HVqp3ms`	despised	he despised
`H959-12`	Psalms 73:20	תִּבְזֶֽה	tivezeh	`HVqi2ms`	you will despise	you despise
`H959-22`	Psalms 102:18	בָ֝זָ֗ה	vazah	`HVqp3ms`	despised	he despised
`H959-24`	Psalms 119:141	וְ/נִבְזֶ֑ה	venivezeh	`HC/VNrmsa`	and-despised	and being despised
`H959-07`	Proverbs 14:2	בּוֹזֵֽ/הוּ	bozehu	`HVqrmsc/Sp3ms`	despises Him	the one despising him
`H959-06`	Proverbs 15:20	בּוֹזֶ֥ה	bozeh	`HVqrmsa`	despises	one who despises
`H959-06`	Proverbs 19:16	בּוֹזֵ֖ה	bozeh	`HVqrmsc`	he who despises	one who despises
`H959-05`	Ecclesiastes 9:16	בְּזוּיָ֔ה	bezuyah	`HVqsfsa`	is despised	despised woman
`H959-09`	Esther 1:17	לְ/הַבְז֥וֹת	lehavezot	`HR/Vhc`	to despise	to treat with contempt
`H959-18`	Esther 3:6	וַ/יִּ֣בֶז	vayivez	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he disdained	and he despised
`H959-10`	Daniel 11:21	נִבְזֶ֔ה	nivezeh	`HVNrmsa`	despised	despised one
`H959-20`	Nehemiah 2:19	וַ/יִּבְז֖וּ	vayivezu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they despised	and they despised
`H959-17`	1 Chronicles 15:29	וַ/תִּ֥בֶז	vativez	`HC/Vqw3fs`	and she despised	and she despised
`H959-16`	2 Chronicles 36:16	וּ/בוֹזִ֣ים	uvozim	`HC/Vqrmpa`	and despising	and those who despise

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