בִּזָּה
biz.zah (H0961)
plunder
AI Word Study
# H0961 (בִּזָּה): Plunder The Hebrew word *bizzah* denotes plunder or spoils—material goods taken forcibly from others, typically in contexts of conflict or conquest. Based on its ten biblical occurrences, the term refers to tangible property that becomes the possession of victors or aggressors. The word carries no abstract meaning; it consistently names concrete objects of value seized through military action or violent taking. The relatively limited frequency of *bizzah* (appearing only ten times) suggests it functions as a specialized term within Hebrew's vocabulary for describing warfare and its material consequences. Rather than serving as a general term for theft or wrongdoing, it appears specifically in narratives involving military encounters, raids, or the spoils of war. This semantic specificity indicates that biblical writers distinguished between ordinary theft and the systematic appropriation of goods that occurred during armed conflict. The presence of this dedicated vocabulary item reveals that ancient Hebrew speakers recognized plunder as a distinct social and economic phenomenon worthy of explicit naming. The existence of the term itself—appearing consistently across biblical narratives—demonstrates that the seizure of property through military conquest was a recognized and documented aspect of ancient Near Eastern life that merited specific linguistic expression.
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
They struck all the cities around Gerar; for the fear of Yahweh came on them, and they plundered all the cities; for there was much plunder in them.
But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell on the cities of Judah, from Samaria even to Beth Horon, and struck of them three thousand, and took much plunder.
So the armed men left the captives and the plunder before the princes and all the assembly.
Since the days of our fathers we have been exceedingly guilty to this day; and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests, have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
“Hear, our God; for we are despised. Turn back their reproach on their own head. Give them up for a plunder in a land of captivity.
the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy, but they didn’t lay their hand on the plunder.
The Jews who were in Susa gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and killed three hundred men in Susa; but they didn’t lay their hand on the plunder.
The other Jews who were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together, defended their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; but they didn’t lay their hand on the plunder.
In time of security he will come even on the fattest places of the province. He will do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers. He will scatter among them prey, plunder, and substance. Yes, he will devise his plans against the strongholds, even for a time.
“Those who are wise among the people will instruct many; yet they will fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, many days.