Lexical Summary sachah: To swim Original Word: סָחָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance scrape A primitive root; to sweep away -- scrape. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to scrape NASB Translation scrape (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs סוח (√ of following; = סחה q. v.). [סָחָה] verb scrape (Arabic Pi`el scrape clean, scour, Perfect1singular consecutive וְסִחֵתִ֫י עֲפָרָהּ מֶּנָּהָ Ezekiel 26:4 and I will scrape clean her dust from her. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence The verb סָחָה appears once, in Ezekiel 26:4. The prophet relays the divine declaration against the proud maritime city of Tyre: “They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers; and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock”. Semantic Range and Imagery The verb pictures a vigorous action—scraping, scouring, or raking off material until nothing remains but the underlying bedrock. Rather than the more common ideas of “sweeping” or “wiping,” the imagery here stresses abrasive removal. What is targeted is reduced to its most basic form, stripped of every adornment and protective layer. The picture is simultaneously violent and purifying; what endures is what cannot be removed. Context within Ezekiel Ezekiel 26 opens a trilogy of chapters pronouncing judgment on Tyre (Ezekiel 26–28). Tyre’s commercial might and self-exalting pride had made her a symbol of human achievement divorced from reverence for the Lord. The verb סָחָה anchors the first oracle. Its force accents three themes: 1. Totality of judgment—walls, towers, and even the soil are taken. Historical Background: Siege and Aftermath Nebuchadnezzar II’s prolonged siege (circa 586–573 BC) reduced mainland Tyre. Centuries later, Alexander the Great famously built a causeway from this debris to storm the island stronghold (332 BC). The literal scraping of soil, stone, and timber into the sea to create that mole supplies an extraordinary historical echo of Ezekiel’s wording. The verb’s single use, therefore, bears outsized evidential weight for the accuracy of prophecy. Theological Significance 1. Divine sovereignty—The Lord not only predicts but orchestrates international events to accomplish His purposes (Isaiah 46:10). Related Scriptural Concepts • “Wiping a dish” in 2 Kings 21:13 conveys a comparable total removal, though using a different Hebrew root. Ministry Application 1. Warning against complacent prosperity—nations, churches, and individuals who trust economic prowess rather than the Lord invite the same stripping. Summary Though it occurs only once, סָחָה powerfully portrays the exhaustive reach of God’s judgment, validated in history and meant to provoke sober reflection and wholehearted devotion in every generation. Forms and Transliterations וְסִֽחֵיתִ֥י וסחיתי vesicheiTi wə·si·ḥê·ṯî wəsiḥêṯîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 26:4 HEB: וְהָֽרְסוּ֙ מִגְדָּלֶ֔יהָ וְסִֽחֵיתִ֥י עֲפָרָ֖הּ מִמֶּ֑נָּה NAS: her towers; and I will scrape her debris KJV: her towers: I will also scrape her dust INT: and break her towers will scrape her debris from 1 Occurrence |
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Lane1322) scrape off, clear away; compare Talmud סְחוּתָא, סְחִיתָא refuse, ᵑ7 סְחִיתָא dirt, dung); — only