Lexical Summary batsa: To cut off, break off, gain by violence, get unjust gain, covet Original Word: בָּצַע Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be covetous, cut off, finish, fulfill, gain greedily, be given to covetousness, greedy, A primitive root to break off, i.e. (usually) plunder; figuratively, to finish, or (intransitively) stop -- (be) covet(- ous), cut (off), finish, fulfill, gain (greedily), get, be given to (covetousness), greedy, perform, be wounded. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to cut off, break off, gain by violence NASB Translation accomplished (1), break (1), break ranks (1), completed (1), cut me off (1), cut off (1), cuts me off (1), finish (1), gains by violence (1), get dishonest (1), gets (1), greedy (2), greedy man (1), injured your for gain (1), profits (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [בָּצַע] verb cut off, break off, gain by violence (so Late Hebrew, Arabic  , Ethiopic  Aramaic בְּצַע) — Qal Imperfect יִבְצָ֑ע Job 27:8, יִבְצָ֑עוּ Joel 2:8; Imperative suffix בְּצָ֫עַם בְּרֹאשׁ Amos 9:1; Infinitive בְּצֹעַ Ezekiel 22:27; Participle בּוֺצֵעַ Proverbs 15:27; Jeremiah 6:13, בֹּצֵעַ Psalm 10:3 3t.; — cut off, break off (with accusative capitals of pillars) Amos 9:1 (but LagProv. see vi בְּצַעַם = בְּזַעַם Habakkuk 3:12 in wrath); so figurative Job 27:8 when Eloah cutteth off, draweth out, his soul; object omitted their course, i.e. stop Joel 2:8 (compare Hi-St); usually gain by violence or in General wrongfully Ezekiel 22:27; Participle absolute Psalm 10:3 = greedy getter, robber; and with accusative of congnate meaning with verb בֶּ֫צַע Proverbs 1:19; Proverbs 15:27; Jeremiah 6:13; Jeremiah 8:10; Habakkuk 2:9. Pi`el Perfect בִּצַּע Lamentations 2:17; Imperfect יְבַצַּע Isaiah 10:12; suffix יְבַצְּעֵנִי Isaiah 38:12; Job 6:9; 2feminine singular וַתְּבַצְּעִי Ezekiel 22:12; 3feminine plural תְּבַצָּ֑עְנָה Zechariah 4:9; — cut off, (dis) sever (i.e. from life) Job 6:9 compare Isaiah 10:19 (מִדַּלָּה); = finish, complete Isaiah 10:12; Zechariah 4:9; accomplish (= carry out, fulfil) Lamentations 2:17 (object אמרתו); violently make gain of, object person Ezekiel 22:12 (instrumental בּעשׁק). Topical Lexicon Root Sense and Semantic Field The verb בָּצַע (bātsaʿ) carries the concrete image of cutting or breaking something apart in order to seize a portion for oneself. By extension it describes the acts of plundering, gaining through violence, or pursuing dishonest profit. Throughout Scripture the word gathers moral coloring: it is never employed positively, but always depicts greed that disrupts covenantal order and harms neighbor. Occurrences Across Scripture Seventeen appearances span every major division of the Old Testament—Wisdom, Psalms, Prophets, and Lamentations—creating a canonical chorus against covetous gain. The contexts gather naturally into three groupings: 1. Personal lament and reflection: Job 6:9; Job 27:8; Psalm 10:3; Lamentations 2:17; Isaiah 38:12. Wisdom Literature and Ethical Instruction Proverbs distills the moral principle: “Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes the lives of its possessors” (Proverbs 1:19). Greed is self-destructive, a boomerang that ultimately “takes” life rather than securing it. Proverbs 15:27 intensifies the warning: “He who is greedy for unjust gain troubles his household.” Scripture thus links בָּצַע to domestic ruin as well as personal peril. Lament and Personal Perspective Job wrestles with the futility of profit gained outside God’s favor: “For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?” (Job 27:8). Psalm 10:3 describes the wicked who “boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.” Here בָּצַע exposes a heart posture that is openly hostile to God’s sovereignty. Prophetic Denunciations of Unjust Gain The prophets employ בָּצַע to unmask systemic corruption. Isaiah 10:12 pictures Assyria, the rod of God’s anger, being punished “for the fruit of his arrogant heart and the proud look in his eyes,” terms that parallel avarice. Jeremiah laments that “from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain” (Jeremiah 6:13), an indictment of every social stratum. Ezekiel exposes leaders who “take bribes to shed blood, you take interest and profit” (Ezekiel 22:12)—a triad of murder, profiteering, and usury that deforms covenant society. Habakkuk 2:9 pronounces a woe upon the one who “builds his house by unjust gain,” showing greed erecting architectural monuments to sin. Micah 4:13 anticipates eschatological reversal when Zion will “devote their gain to the LORD,” transforming plunder into consecrated offering. Zechariah 4:9 seals the promise that God’s chosen shepherd rebuilds the temple without taint of unjust profit. Covenant and Community Implications בָּצַע fractures communal trust. In the covenant economy land, labor, and wealth belong ultimately to the LORD; exploitation therefore assaults divine ownership. The prophets trace societal collapse—violence in the streets, the desecration of worship, foreign invasion—back to unchecked greed. Conversely, covenant blessing flourishes where justice and generosity replace בָּצַע. Gospel Echoes and New Testament Continuity The New Testament counterpart pleonexia (greed, covetousness) inherits the theological weight of בָּצַע. Jesus warns, “Watch out and guard yourselves from every form of greed” (Luke 12:15), and Paul lists greed among sins that exclude from the kingdom (Ephesians 5:5). Thus the canonical witness remains unified: unjust gain estranges from God and community. Practical Ministry Applications Pastoral care must address hidden and systemic forms of greed—exploitation in employment, consumerist idolatry, manipulative fundraising—calling believers to repentance and economic integrity. Stewardship teaching should emphasize contentment, generosity, and trust in God’s provision as antidotes to בָּצַע. Church discipline may at times be necessary where leaders “shepherd only themselves” (cf. Ezekiel 22:27). Christological and Eschatological Dimensions Jesus Christ, who “though He was rich, yet for your sakes became poor” (2 Corinthians 8:9), embodies the antithesis of בָּצַע. His self-emptying secures eternal gain for the redeemed. At His return, all structures built on unjust profit will be dismantled, and the wealth of the nations will be brought into the New Jerusalem in righteousness (Revelation 21:24). Thus Scripture raises a final hope: what greed has corrupted, grace will restore, and all legitimate gain will be devoted to the glory of God forever. Forms and Transliterations בְּצֹ֥עַ בִּצְעָ֔ם בִּצַּ֤ע בֹּ֣צֵֽעַ בֹּצֵ֛עַ בֹּצֵ֣עַ בּוֹצֵ֣עַ בוצע בצע בצעם וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃ וַתְּבַצְּעִ֤י וּבְצַ֙עַם֙ וּבֹצֵ֥עַ ובצע ובצעם ויבצעני׃ ותבצעי יְבַצְּעֵ֔נִי יְבַצַּ֤ע יִבְצָ֑ע יִבְצָֽעוּ׃ יבצע יבצעו׃ יבצעני תְּבַצַּ֑עְנָה תבצענה bə·ṣō·a‘ bəṣōa‘ beTzoa biṣ‘ām biṣ·‘ām biṣ·ṣa‘ biṣṣa‘ bitzAm bitzTza bō·ṣê·a‘ bō·w·ṣê·a‘ bōṣêa‘ Botzea bōwṣêa‘ tə·ḇaṣ·ṣa‘·nāh təḇaṣṣa‘nāh tevatzTzanah ū·ḇə·ṣa·‘am ū·ḇō·ṣê·a‘ ūḇəṣa‘am ūḇōṣêa‘ uveTzaam uvoTzea vattevatztzeI VivatztzeEni wat·tə·ḇaṣ·ṣə·‘î wattəḇaṣṣə‘î wî·ḇaṣ·ṣə·‘ê·nî wîḇaṣṣə‘ênî yə·ḇaṣ·ṣa‘ yə·ḇaṣ·ṣə·‘ê·nî yəḇaṣṣa‘ yəḇaṣṣə‘ênî yevatzTza yevatztzeEni yiḇ·ṣā‘ yiḇ·ṣā·‘ū yiḇṣā‘ yiḇṣā‘ū yivTza yivTzauLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 6:9 HEB: יַתֵּ֥ר יָ֝ד֗וֹ וִֽיבַצְּעֵֽנִי׃ NAS: His hand and cut me off! KJV: his hand, and cut me off! INT: loose his hand and cut Job 27:8 Psalm 10:3 Proverbs 1:19 Proverbs 15:27 Isaiah 10:12 Isaiah 38:12 Jeremiah 6:13 Jeremiah 8:10 Lamentations 2:17 Ezekiel 22:12 Ezekiel 22:27 Joel 2:8 Amos 9:1 Micah 4:13 Habakkuk 2:9 Zechariah 4:9 17 Occurrences |
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