קָצַע
to strip off, i.e. (partially) scrape; by implication, to segregate (as an angle)
Definition
The Hebrew verb קָצַע (qâtsaʻ) primarily means 'to scrape off' or 'to strip away,' often referring to the physical act of removing plaster or coating from a surface. In Leviticus 14:41, it describes the ritual scraping of a house's walls to remove contaminated plaster during purification from mildew. By extension, the verb can denote 'to cut off' or 'to separate,' as seen in Ezekiel 46:22, where it refers to the partitioned, corner courtyards in the temple vision—areas set apart or segregated for specific use. Thus, the word encompasses both a concrete action of scraping and an abstract sense of creating a distinct, angular separation.
Biblical Usage
This verb occurs only twice in the Old Testament, each in a distinct context. In Leviticus 14:41, it is used in a ritual purification law, where a priest commands that the walls of a house be scraped to remove unclean mildew. In Ezekiel 46:22, it appears in a prophetic vision of the future temple, describing the 'separate' or 'corner' courtyards that are partitioned off for the priests. Both uses involve a sense of removal or separation, but one is practical (physical scraping) and the other architectural (creating partitioned spaces).
Etymology
קָצַע is a primitive root, meaning its origin is not derived from another Hebrew word. Cognates in other Semitic languages, such as Arabic and Aramaic, support meanings related to 'cutting' or 'scraping.' The development from the concrete action of scraping to the idea of separation or creating an angle likely stems from the visual of cutting away material to form distinct edges or corners.
Semantic Range
This word highlights themes of purity and sacred space in biblical theology. In Leviticus, the act of scraping walls is part of God's instructions for cleansing impurity, emphasizing holiness in everyday life. In Ezekiel's temple vision, the separated corners reflect divine order and the set-apart nature of worship. Understanding קָצַע enriches reading by connecting ritual obedience with prophetic symbolism, showing how physical actions point to spiritual realities of separation unto God.
In ancient Israelite culture, scraping plaster from walls was a practical response to mildew, which was seen as a sign of impurity requiring ritual intervention. The architectural use in Ezekiel reflects temple design principles where spatial separation denoted functional and holy distinctions, common in ancient Near Eastern sacred structures. Modern readers might overlook how these actions intertwined practical hygiene, religious law, and symbolic architecture.
גָּרַד (gārad, H1629) — to scrape or scratch, often more generally; חָתַךְ (ḥāṯak, H2856) — to cut or decide, implying a decisive separation.
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.
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