Lexical Summary qatsab: To cut, to hew, to shape Original Word: קָצַב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cut down, shorn A primitive root; to clip, or (generally) chop -- cut down, shorn. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to cut off, shear NASB Translation cut off (1), shorn (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [קָצַב] verb cut off, shear (?) (Late Hebrew קָצַב decide, determine, Pi`el chop meat; Palmyrene קצבא butcher, so Syriac Qal Imperfect3masculine singular וַיִקְצָכעֵץֿ 2 Kings 6:6 he cut off a stick; Passive participle feminine plural עֵדֶר הַקְּצוּבוֺת Songs 4:2 a flock of (sheep) that are shorn (?). Topical Lexicon Overview The verb קָצַב appears only twice in the Old Testament, yet its settings—one historical and one poetic—invite reflection on divine intervention, pastoral care, and the refining work of God among His people. Contexts of Usage 1. 2 Kings 6:6 – A Prophet, a Stick, and the Floating Iron When the borrowed axe head sinks in the Jordan, Elisha “cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float” (2 Kings 6:6). The act of cutting the wood is narrated in the same breath as the ensuing miracle, linking a very ordinary motion with an extraordinary result. The scene highlights: 2. Song of Solomon 4:2 – The Groom’s Praise of a Shepherded Bride “Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing, each bearing twins, and none has lost her young” (Song of Solomon 4:2). The sheep are newly shorn—properly tended and free from the burden of excess wool. The cut fleece becomes an image of: Historical and Cultural Background Cutting wood for tools or fuel and shearing sheep for wool were staples of ancient Israel’s agrarian life. The axe head lost in the Jordan stresses the rarity and value of iron implements in the ninth century BC, while shorn sheep depict a routine yet significant moment in the pastoral calendar. Both scenes showcase daily labors through which God communicates spiritual truth. Symbolic Dimensions • Removal for restoration: whether trimming fleece or separating a branch, the action represents lifting hindrances so life and usefulness can emerge. Theological Insights • God works through ordinary obedience. Elisha’s servant only reported a loss; the prophet’s small gesture became the conduit of deliverance. Ministry Application • Encourage believers to offer simple, practical acts—cutting a “stick”—as openings for God’s power. Canonical Harmony The wood that raises the iron recalls Moses’ tree that sweetened bitter waters (Exodus 15:25) and points forward to the cross that conquers death. The shorn flock anticipates the Church presented “holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:27). Thus, though קָצַב appears only twice, its tapestry threads through Scripture, attesting to a God who cuts away bondage to unveil freedom, purity, and restored purpose. Forms and Transliterations הַקְּצוּב֔וֹת הקצובות וַיִּקְצָב־ ויקצב־ hakketzuVot haq·qə·ṣū·ḇō·wṯ haqqəṣūḇōwṯ vaiyiktzov way·yiq·ṣāḇ- wayyiqṣāḇ-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 6:6 HEB: אֶת־ הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיִּקְצָב־ עֵץ֙ וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־ NAS: him the place, he cut off a stick KJV: him the place. And he cut down a stick, INT: shewed the place cut A stick and threw Songs 4:2 2 Occurrences |
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, Jewish-Aramaic קַצָּכָא, and Arabic 
as loan-word Frä258; Arabic 
also is cut off a branch); —