Lexical Summary raats: To crush, to break, to shatter Original Word: רָעַץ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dash in pieces, vex A primitive root; to break in pieces; figuratively, harass -- dash in pieces, vex. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to shatter NASB Translation afflicted (1), shatters (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [רָעַץ] verb shatter (Aramaic רְעַץ smite, shatter; compare perhaps Tel Amarna ra—âƒu, WklTelAm. 128. 3l; 137,32); — Imperfect3feminine singular תִּרְעַץ אוֺיֵב ׳יְמִינְךָ י Exodus 15:6; 3masculine plural וַיִּרְעֲצוּ Judges 10:8, accusative of person (of men; "" וַיְרֹצְצוּ). Topical Lexicon Semantic and Symbolic Texture The verb רָעַץ evokes the violent shattering of an object into irrecoverable fragments. In Scripture it becomes a metaphor for decisive divine intervention—whether in salvation or in judgment—portraying power so absolute that resistance is pulverized. The imagery conveys more than physical destruction; it also suggests the breaking of pride, oppressive systems, and hardened hearts (Psalm 2:9; Isaiah 42:3). Canonical Occurrences 1. Exodus 15:6 celebrates the LORD’s triumph at the Red Sea: “Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.” The word underscores the finality of Pharaoh’s defeat. Israel does not merely escape; her foe is crushed beyond recovery, confirming that redemption is not partial but complete. Historical Setting Exodus 15 resounds in the earliest national memory: the Exodus defines Israel’s identity, and רָעַץ becomes a watchword for victory wrought by divine hand alone. In Judges, the socio-political fragmentation of the tribal period shows a people who have forgotten that history, inviting the same crushing force—now through foreign powers—to bring them to repentance (Judges 10:10-16). Theological Trajectory The verb looks both backward and forward. The Song of Moses links it to the promise that Egypt “will never rise again” (Exodus 14:13). Prophets later employ parallel language to predict the Messiah’s rule: “You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery” (Psalm 2:9). Revelation echoes the motif (Revelation 2:27; 19:15), showing that the final victory recapitulates the Exodus pattern on a cosmic scale. Ministry Significance • Assurance of Deliverance: Believers draw confidence from a God who does not merely repel evil but obliterates it. Spiritual bondage, sin, and death meet the same crushing power displayed at the sea. Related Themes and Cross-References • Divine Warrior motif: Joshua 10:10-11; Habakkuk 3:13-14 Summary רָעַץ frames both sides of covenant reality—deliverance for the faithful and devastation for the unrepentant. Its two Old Testament occurrences form a literary inclusio around Israel’s spiritual journey, reminding every generation that the hand which shatters enemies also sets captives free, and that ultimate, unbreakable security lies in surrender to that sovereign hand. Forms and Transliterations וַֽיִּרְעֲצ֤וּ וירעצו תִּרְעַ֥ץ תרעץ tir‘aṣ tir·‘aṣ tirAtz vaiyiraTzu way·yir·‘ă·ṣū wayyir‘ăṣūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 15:6 HEB: יְמִֽינְךָ֥ יְהוָ֖ה תִּרְעַ֥ץ אוֹיֵֽב׃ NAS: O LORD, shatters the enemy. KJV: O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. INT: hand LORD shatters the enemy Judges 10:8 2 Occurrences |
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