בֵּיצָה

בֵּיצָה

an egg (from its whiteness)

Definition

The Hebrew word בֵּיצָה (bêytsâh) refers specifically to an egg, likely deriving its meaning from the concept of whiteness. In its four biblical occurrences, it consistently denotes a literal egg, whether from a bird (Deuteronomy 22:6, Job 39:14) or used metaphorically to represent something fragile or collected (Isaiah 10:14, Isaiah 59:5). The term does not carry extended metaphorical meanings in the biblical text; its usage is concrete and descriptive.

Biblical Usage

This word appears only four times in the Old Testament, always as a common noun. It is used in legal instruction regarding a bird's nest (Deuteronomy 22:6), in a description of the ostrich's neglect of its eggs (Job 39:14), in a boastful metaphor of gathering wealth as easily as gathering eggs (Isaiah 10:14), and in an image of hatching evil from an egg (Isaiah 59:5). The contexts are varied—law, nature poetry, and prophetic metaphor—but the referent remains a literal egg.

Etymology

בֵּיצָה (bêytsâh) is derived from the root בוץ (bûts, H948), which means 'to be white' or 'bleached linen.' The connection highlights the egg's most prominent visual characteristic—its white shell—as the basis for the noun's formation. This is a straightforward example of a noun formed from a quality (color) associated with an object.

Semantic Range

In the ancient Near East, eggs were a recognized source of food and a symbol of potential life. The biblical references assume this common understanding. The law in Deuteronomy 22:6-7 reflects a principle of conservation and compassion, forbidding the taking of a mother bird along with her eggs or chicks. The imagery in Isaiah uses the egg as a universally understood object of fragility (Isaiah 59:5) and as a commonplace item collected (Isaiah 10:14). There are no direct synonyms for 'egg' in Biblical Hebrew. The word stands alone for this specific object.

Word Details