יָגָה
to push away
Definition
The Hebrew verb יָגָה (yâgâh) means 'to push away' or 'to remove.' It conveys the action of forcibly displacing something or someone from a position or location. In its sole biblical occurrence in 2 Samuel 20:13, it describes the physical removal of a corpse from the road. While its core meaning is physical displacement, the context suggests a sense of clearing or making way, implying a restoration of order by removing an obstacle. As a primitive root, it shares a conceptual connection with dissatisfaction or grief, hinting that the act of pushing away may stem from a desire to be rid of a troubling presence.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the historical narrative of 2 Samuel 20:13. The context is the aftermath of Joab's murder of Amasa during Sheba's rebellion. When Amasa's body lay bleeding on the road, causing all the people to stop, a man 'removed' (יָגָה) the corpse into a field and covered it with a garment so the procession could continue. Its usage is strictly in a concrete, physical sense within a narrative of political turmoil and military urgency.
Etymology
יָגָה (yâgâh) is a primitive root verb. Scholars often connect it to the identically spelled root יָגָה (H3013), which means 'to grieve' or 'to afflict,' suggesting a common underlying idea of causing distress or dissatisfaction—either emotional (H3013) or physical through displacement (H3014). This etymological link implies that the act of 'pushing away' can be motivated by a desire to alleviate a troubling or grievous situation.
Semantic Range
While used only once, this word contributes to the biblical theme of dealing with defilement and obstruction. The removal of Amasa's body (2 Samuel 20:13) was a practical act to allow David's troops to pursue a rebel, but it also subtly reflects a cultural and ritual need to clear a contaminating presence (bloodshed) from a public space. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading by highlighting the urgency and solemnity in the narrative, showing how even in chaos, there is an impulse to restore order and remove what hinders communal purpose.
In ancient Israelite culture, a corpse, especially one left bleeding on a public thoroughfare, was a source of severe ritual impurity (Numbers 19:11). Its presence would halt not just travel but also the ritual purity of passersby. The act of 'pushing it away' into a field and covering it was a swift, practical solution to mitigate this impurity and allow the army, who were on a urgent mission from the king, to proceed without further delay or defilement. This reflects a cultural understanding where physical obstacles also carried spiritual significance.
סָלַק (sâlaq, H5559) — to go up, ascend; implies upward removal or lifting, unlike the lateral 'pushing away' of יָגָה. הֵסִיר (hêsîyr, H5493) — to turn aside, remove, take away; a more general and common term for removal, not specifying the force implied in יָגָה.
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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