Hebrew word · H2021

הֹ֫צֶן

hotzen

weapon

A word that occurs only once in the Hebrew Bible, so its meaning cannot be checked against other uses. The lexicons (BDB, HALOT) list it with a question mark, usually as "weapons" or "arms" guessed from context. One proposal links it to an Akkadian word for an axe (ḫaṣṣinnu).

Appears once in the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

armour?, weapons? (meaning uncertain)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ezekiel 23:24

Range of meaning

A word that occurs only once in the Hebrew Bible, so its meaning cannot be checked against other uses. The lexicons (BDB, HALOT) list it with a question mark, usually as "weapons" or "arms" guessed from context. One proposal links it to an Akkadian word for an axe (ḫaṣṣinnu). Others guess something like "throng" or "force". None of these is secure.

Against the English

BSB, WEB, NASB-type versions: "weapons". KJV: "chariots", which pushes the other nouns down to "wagons" and "wheels". YLT: "arms". Versions that follow the Greek have "from the north". The variety shows that translators are guessing.

Used elsewhere in the period

Not found elsewhere in biblical Hebrew. The Septuagint has "from the north" (apo borra) at this point, which matches the "foe from the north" theme in Jeremiah (1:14; 4:6; 6:1) and Ezekiel (26:7; 38:6, 15). Many scholars think the Greek translator either read a different Hebrew word (mitsafon) or was guessing.

Where it appears

Ezekiel · 1

  1. Ezekiel 23:24 הֹ֠צֶן weapon[s]

    They will come against you with a host of peoples, with weapons, chariots, and wagons. They will array themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet. I will delegate judgment to them, and they will punish you according to their own standards.

    Here: A word found only here in the Bible. Its meaning is a guess from context, usually "weapons" or "arms". The Greek translation reads "from the north" instead (see textual notes).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.