7329. razah
Lexical Summary
razah: To be lean, to grow thin

Original Word: רָזָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: razah
Pronunciation: rah-ZAH
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-zaw')
KJV: famish, wax lean
NASB: become lean, starve
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to emaciate, i.e. make (become) thin (literally or figuratively)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
famish, wax lean

A primitive root; to emaciate, i.e. Make (become) thin (literally or figuratively) -- famish, wax lean.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be or grow lean
NASB Translation
become lean (1), starve (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
רָזָה verb be or grow lean (Arabic grow thin and weak); —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular רָזָה Zephaniah 2:11 object false gods, apparently make lean (ᵑ9 attenuavit; ᵐ5 is ἐξολεθρύσει), but sense strange, < רִזָּה (see Arabic above), yet even this very doubtful.

Niph`al be made lean, Imperfect3masculine singular מִשְׁמַן בְּשָׂרוֺ יֵרָזֶה Isaiah 17:4.

Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Imagery

A verb of wasting, thinning, or starving that portrays a progressive dwindling of substance and strength. In Scripture it functions as a graphic emblem of divine judgment that strips false glory until only gaunt emptiness remains.

Occurrences in Scripture

Isaiah 17:4 – “In that day the splendor of Jacob will fade, and the fat of his body will waste away.” The word paints Northern Israel’s coming reduction from prosperous plenty to skeletal weakness because of covenant infidelity.
Zephaniah 2:11 – “The LORD will be awesome against them, for He will starve all the gods of the earth.” Here the term pictures the Lord depriving pagan deities of the “nourishment” of offerings, exposing them as powerless non-entities.

Historical Setting

Isaiah 17 speaks to the Syro-Ephraimite crisis (eighth century BC) when Israel leaned on Damascus rather than on Yahweh; Zephaniah addresses the international idolatries of the late seventh century BC. In both periods God answers misplaced trust by reducing supposed sources of security to skin and bones.

Theological Themes

1. Judgment on Human and Idolatrous Pride – Rāzâ shows that strength rooted in anything but the Lord inevitably withers (compare Jeremiah 17:5).
2. Vindication of Divine Glory – By starving idols, God magnifies His own unfading splendor (Isaiah 42:8).
3. Universal Worship – The draining of false worship in Zephaniah anticipates worldwide homage to the true God (Revelation 11:15).

Ministry Implications

• Prophetic warning: modern idols—materialism, nationalism, self-reliance—will be rendered lean.
• Pastoral counsel: seasons of “leanness” can discipline believers away from misplaced confidence and back to wholehearted dependence (Hebrews 12:10-11).
• Missional encouragement: God Himself empties rival gods; evangelism enters a field already being cleared by divine action.

Christological Perspective

Rāzâ inversely points to Jesus Christ, who voluntarily “emptied Himself” (Philippians 2:7) so that His people may share in everlasting fullness. At the cross worldly power is shown emaciated while divine power triumphs.

Related Concepts

Leanness as chastisement — Psalm 106:15

Withering grass and fading flower — Isaiah 40:7-8

Famine of bread or word — Amos 8:11

In every context רָזָה underlines the Lord’s sovereign ability to drain counterfeit splendor and to redirect all glory and trust to Himself alone.

Forms and Transliterations
יֵרָזֶֽה׃ ירזה׃ רָזָ֔ה רזה rā·zāh raZah rāzāh yê·rā·zeh yeraZeh yêrāzeh
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Isaiah 17:4
HEB: וּמִשְׁמַ֥ן בְּשָׂר֖וֹ יֵרָזֶֽה׃
NAS: of his flesh will become lean.
KJV: of his flesh shall wax lean.
INT: and the fatness of his flesh will become

Zephaniah 2:11
HEB: עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כִּ֣י רָזָ֔ה אֵ֖ת כָּל־
NAS: will be terrifying to them, for He will starve all
KJV: [will be] terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods
INT: and for will starve all the gods

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7329
2 Occurrences


rā·zāh — 1 Occ.
yê·rā·zeh — 1 Occ.

7328
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