Lexical Summary shasas: plundered, plunder Original Word: שָׁסַס Strong's Exhaustive Concordance rifle, spoil A primitive root; to plunder -- rifle, spoil. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to spoil, plunder NASB Translation plunder (2), plundered (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs [שָׁסַס] verb id. ("" from of שׁסה); — Qal Perfect3plural שַׁסֻּ֫הוּ Psalm 89:42 they have plundered him; Imperfect3masculine plural וַיָּשֹׁ֫סּוּ Judges 2:14 (accusative of person); 1 Samuel 17:53 (accusative of location); participle suffix שֹׁאֲסַיִךְ Jeremiah 30:16 Kt (Qr see שׁסה), Aramaic form, Ges§ 67s. Niph`al be plundered, rifled, of houses: Perfect3plural consecutive וְנָשַׁ֫סּוּ Zechariah 14:2; Imperfect3masculine plural יִשַּׁ֫סּוּ Isaiah 13:16. Topical Lexicon Root Concept in Biblical Narrative Strong’s 8155 conveys the violent stripping of goods and dignity that accompanies military conquest or divine chastisement. Each appearance of the verb depicts a people so overpowered that their possessions are freely carried off by the victor, underscoring the tangible cost of covenant unfaithfulness or, conversely, the spoils granted to faith-filled warriors. Canonical Distribution • Judges 2:14 introduces the theme at the dawn of Israel’s life in the land: “So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He handed them over to raiders who plundered them.” The verb describes an ongoing cycle of loss whenever Israel deserts the LORD. Theological Themes Judgment and Mercy: The verb’s dual usage (Israel plundered vs. Israel plundering) illustrates Deuteronomy’s blessings-and-curses paradigm. Obedience invites victory and spoil; disobedience invites violation and loss. Divine Sovereignty in Warfare: Whether employed by enemies or by Israel, the action is never isolated from the LORD’s decree. He “handed them over” (Judges 2:14) or “gathers the nations” (Zechariah 14:2), showing that the ultimate mover behind the spoiling is God Himself. Vindication of Covenant Promises: Psalm 89 elevates the vocabulary of plundering to a crisis of faith—how can David’s throne be pillaged when God swore its perpetuity? The psalm awaits the Messianic resolution where the apparent seizure of the kingdom is overturned in Jesus Christ. Historical and Cultural Background Ancient Near Eastern warfare routinely culminated in the gathering of spoil. Armies expected compensation through movable wealth—animals, precious metals, and captives. Biblical law moderated such practices (Deuteronomy 20:10–15), reflecting God’s concern for humane limits even amid conflict. The verb’s appearance in prophetic oracles would therefore strike every Israelite hearer with immediate clarity: plundering signaled complete defeat, civic shame, and often exile. Prophetic and Eschatological Outlook Isaiah’s oracle against Babylon and Zechariah’s vision of Jerusalem’s final siege both employ Strong’s 8155 to frame world-shaking events. Yet Zechariah immediately pivots to the LORD’s dramatic intervention (Zechariah 14:3–4), implying that the ultimate “plundering” of God’s city leads to its final purification and the recognition of the LORD as King over all the earth (14:9). The temporary permission of plunder catalyzes the consummation of redemptive history. Ministry Applications • Spiritual Vigilance: Judges 2 warns that covenant neglect invites spiritual and material loss. Believers are called to continual renewal in the Word to avoid the modern equivalents of being plundered—doctrinal error, moral compromise, and fractured community. Intertextual Connections New Testament writers echo the motif of plundering in spiritual warfare. Jesus portrays Himself as the stronger man who “plunders” Satan’s house (Matthew 12:29). Paul depicts Christ’s triumphal procession, having “disarmed the powers and authorities” (Colossians 2:15). These texts transform the Old Testament verb into a metaphor of gospel conquest: the ultimate plundering is the liberation of souls from darkness into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. Forms and Transliterations וְנָשַׁ֙סּוּ֙ וַיָּשֹׁ֖סּוּ וישסו ונשסו יִשַּׁ֙סּוּ֙ ישסו סהו שַׁ֭סֻּהוּ su·hū suhu suhū vaiyaShossu venaShassu way·yā·šōs·sū wayyāšōssū wə·nā·šas·sū wənāšassū yiš·šas·sū yishShassu yiššassūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 2:14 HEB: בְּיַד־ שֹׁסִ֔ים וַיָּשֹׁ֖סּוּ אוֹתָ֑ם וַֽיִּמְכְּרֵ֞ם NAS: of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold KJV: of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold INT: the hands of plunderers plundered sold the hands 1 Samuel 17:53 Psalm 89:41 Isaiah 13:16 Zechariah 14:2 5 Occurrences |
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