קָסַס
to lop off
Definition
The Hebrew verb קָסַס (qâçaç) means 'to lop off' or 'to cut off,' specifically referring to the pruning or severing of branches from a tree or plant. In its sole biblical occurrence in Ezekiel 17:9, it describes the action of cutting off a vine's shoots, leading to its withering. This imagery is used metaphorically to depict judgment and the removal of fruitfulness. The word conveys a deliberate, destructive cutting, distinct from a simple harvest or trimming.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Ezekiel 17:9. It is used in a prophetic allegory where a great eagle (representing Babylon) plants a vine (representing Judah's king), but the vine is ultimately judged. The context is agricultural metaphor applied to national judgment: 'Will it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither on the bed where it grew.' The usage is poetic and symbolic, emphasizing complete destruction and removal of vitality.
Etymology
קָסַס is a primitive root in Hebrew, meaning its origin is not derived from another Hebrew word. It is a rare verb with limited usage. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Akkadian, suggest a similar meaning related to cutting or dividing. The word's development appears narrowly focused on the act of cutting off plant growth, without broadening into other metaphorical domains in biblical Hebrew.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, קָסַס carries theological weight in Ezekiel's prophecy. It illustrates God's judgment on Judah's leadership for breaking covenant, using vivid agricultural imagery familiar to an agrarian society. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by highlighting the intentionality and finality of divine judgment—like a vine's branches being lopped off, the nation's hope is severed. It connects to broader biblical themes of covenant faithfulness, the consequences of rebellion, and God's use of natural metaphors to convey spiritual truths.
In ancient Israelite culture, viticulture (vine-growing) was common, so the imagery of lopping off a vine would be immediately understood as an act that destroys productivity and ensures the plant's death. Unlike modern pruning for health, this action signifies total loss. The 'east wind' mentioned in Ezekiel 17:10 is a hot, destructive wind from the desert, compounding the cultural understanding of inevitable withering.
כָּרַת (kârath, H3772) — to cut off or cut down, often used for covenants or people; more general. גָּזַז (gâzaz, H1494) — to shear or cut off, typically for wool or hair; less destructive. קָצַץ (qâtsats, H7112) — to cut off or chop in pieces; can be used for wood or body parts.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →