Hebrew word · H8444
תּוֹצָאָה
totze'otav
outgoing
"Goings-out" from yatsa, "go out". It means the endpoints or outlets of a boundary line, where a border "goes out" at the sea (Num 34:4–5; very often in Josh 15–19). It also means exits or gates of a city (Ezek 48:30) and ways of escape (Ps 68:20, "to the Lord belong escapes from death").
Appears 23 times in 23 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·
What it means
1) outgoing, border, a going out, extremity, end, source, escape
1a) outgoing, extremity (of border)
1b) source (of life)
1c) escape (from death)
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 Proverbs 4:23
- Range of meaning
"Goings-out" from yatsa, "go out". It means the endpoints or outlets of a boundary line, where a border "goes out" at the sea (Num 34:4–5; very often in Josh 15–19). It also means exits or gates of a city (Ezek 48:30) and ways of escape (Ps 68:20, "to the Lord belong escapes from death").
- Against the English
KJV "issues" originally meant outflows and outcomes (as in "an issue of blood"), but today it sounds like "problems". BSB/ESV/NASB "springs" and WEB "wellspring" add a water picture the Hebrew word does not contain. NIV "everything you do flows from it" and NLT "determines the course of your life" turn the image into an explanation.
- How it drifted
"Issue" moved in English from "outflow, result" to "problem, matter of concern". The "springs" renderings are older interpretive choices that pictured the heart as a fountain.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Used about two dozen times, mostly for boundary lines in Numbers and Joshua. Prov 4:23 is its only figurative use for the inner life. The Septuagint renders it exodoi zōēs, "exits / goings-out of life". The Vulgate paraphrases: ex ipso vita procedit, "from it life proceeds".
- Range of meaning
From y-ts-' ('to go out'). Its senses are (1) the end-point or outlet of a boundary, where a border 'goes out' (Num 34; Josh 15–19, many times), (2) a source or outlet, as in Prov 4:23 'from it [the heart] are the totsa'ot of life', the springs or wellheads of life, and (3) an exit or way out.
- Against the English
KJV has 'the issues from death', where 'issues' is old English for 'ways out'. BSB has 'rescuer from death', NASB 'escapes', WEB 'escape', YLT 'outgoings'. BSB turns the noun into a person ('rescuer'), which reads smoothly but loses the picture of exits or gates.
- How it drifted
'Issues' (KJV) used to mean 'outflows, exits'. Today it means 'problems', so 'the issues from death' now misleads.
- Used elsewhere in the period
The noun appears about 23 times, mostly in Joshua's boundary lists. Prov 4:23 is the closest match: 'totsa'ot of life' there, 'to death, totsa'ot' here. The Septuagint has 'hai diexodoi tou thanatou', 'the passages/outlets of death'. The Vulgate has 'exitus mortis', 'the exits of death'.
From the study of Joshua 15:11
- Range of meaning
'A going out', so an exit, an outlet, the end point of a line, or the source or issue of something (Prov 4:23, 'the springs of life').
- Against the English
KJV/WEB 'the goings out of the border'; YLT 'outgoings'; BSB 'ended at'. Older English keeps the wordplay with yatsa, 'go out'. Modern English gives the plain meaning, 'ended'.
- How it drifted
Older English 'goings out' sounds odd to modern readers but does not mislead. It is simply the end of the line.
- Used elsewhere in the period
A set formula in boundary lists: 'and its goings out were at…' (Num 34:4–5, 8–9, 12; Josh 15:4, 7; 16:3, 8; 18:12, 14, 19).
Where it appears
Numbers · 5
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Numbers 34:4 תּֽוֹצְאֹתָ֔יו extremities its
cross south of the Ascent of Akrabbim, continue to Zin, and go south of Kadesh-barnea. Then it will go on to Hazar-addar and proceed to Azmon,
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Numbers 34:5 תוֹצְאֹתָ֖יו extremities its
where it will turn from Azmon, join the Brook of Egypt, and end at the Sea.
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Numbers 34:8 תּוֹצְאֹ֥ת [the] extremities of
and from Mount Hor to Lebo-hamath, then extend to Zedad,
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Numbers 34:9 תוֹצְאֹתָ֖יו extremities its
continue to Ziphron, and end at Hazar-enan. This will be your boundary on the north.
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Numbers 34:12 תוֹצְאֹתָ֖יו extremities its
Then the border will go down along the Jordan and end at the Salt Sea. This will be your land, defined by its borders on all sides.”
Joshua · 14
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Joshua 15:4 תֹּצְא֥וֹת [the] extremities of
It proceeded to Azmon, joined the Brook of Egypt, and ended at the Sea. This was their southern border.
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Joshua 15:7 תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו extremities its
Then the border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north to Gilgal, which faces the Ascent of Adummim south of the ravine. It continued along the waters of En-shemesh and came out at En-rogel.
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Joshua 15:11 תֹּצְא֥וֹת [the] extremities of
Then it went out to the northern slope of Ekron, curved toward Shikkeron, proceeded to Mount Baalah, went on to Jabneel, and ended at the Sea.
Here: A noun formed from the root of yatsa, 'go out'. It names the point where the boundary 'goes out', meaning where it stops. This is the 'goings out' of the KJV.
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Joshua 16:3 תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו extremities its
Then it descended westward to the border of the Japhletites as far as the border of Lower Beth-horon and on to Gezer, and it ended at the Sea.
Here: Literally 'its goings-out': the place where the boundary 'goes out' and runs out. Joshua's boundary lists use it as the usual term for where a border ends.
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Joshua 16:8 תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו extremities its
From Tappuah the border went westward to the Brook of Kanah and ended at the Sea. This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Ephraim,
Here: From the verb 'to go out': the point where the border 'goes out', meaning its far end. KJV's 'goings out' is literal; BSB's 'ended' gives the sense.
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Joshua 17:9 תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו extremities its
From there the border continued southward to the Brook of Kanah. There were cities belonging to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh, but the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook and ended at the Sea.
Here: Technical term in boundary lists for the point where a border line "goes out," i.e. ends. KJV keeps it as "outgoings."
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Joshua 17:18 תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֑יו extremities its
because the hill country will be yours as well. It is a forest; clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours. Although the Canaanites have iron chariots and although they are strong, you can drive them out.”
Here: A surveyor's term from Joshua's boundary lists: the points where a border line 'goes out' and ends. 'Its outgoings will be yours' means the land to its farthest edges, all of it.
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Joshua 18:12 תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֔יו extremities its
On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
Here: 'Its outgoings', a technical survey term for where a boundary line 'comes out', meaning its endpoint or terminus on this stretch.
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Joshua 18:14 תֹֽצְאֹתָ֗יו extremities its
On the west side the border curved southward from the hill facing Beth-horon on the south and came out at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of the sons of Judah. This was the western side.
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Joshua 18:19 תֹּצְא֣וֹת [the] extremities of
The border continued to the northern slope of Beth-hoglah and came out at the northern bay of the Salt Sea, at the mouth of the Jordan. This was the southern border.
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Joshua 19:14 תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֔יו extremities its
Then the border circled around the north side of Neah to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah-el.
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Joshua 19:22 תֹּצְא֥וֹת [the] extremities of
The border reached Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen cities, along with their villages.
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Joshua 19:29 תֹצְאֹתָ֛יו extremities its
The border then turned back toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah, and came out at the Sea in the region of Achzib,
Here: 'Its goings-out': the point where the boundary line runs out and stops. It is a standard term in Joshua's boundary lists, rendered 'outgoings' in the KJV.
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Joshua 19:33 תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו extremities its
Their border started at Heleph and the great tree of Zaanannim, passing Adami-nekeb and Jabneel as far as Lakkum and ending at the Jordan.
Here: "Its goings-out," the point where the line "exits" or comes to an end. This is a fixed technical term in Joshua's boundary lists. The KJV renders it "outgoings."
1 Chronicles · 1
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1 Chronicles 5:16 תּוֹצְאוֹתָֽם׃ extremities their
They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its towns, and throughout the pasturelands of Sharon.
Psalms · 1
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Psalm 68:20 תּוֹצָאֽוֹת׃ escapes
Our God is a God of deliverance; the Lord GOD is our rescuer from death.
Here: Literally 'places or means of going out'. It is used for where a border runs out to and for the springs life flows from. Here it means the exits connected with death, and they belong to Yahweh: he controls the way out.
Proverbs · 1
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Proverbs 4:23 תּוֹצְא֥וֹת [the] sources of
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
Here: From yatsa, "to go out". Elsewhere it means the points where a boundary line runs out, the exits of a city, or ways of escape. Here it pictures life going out from the heart, as its outlets and the courses it takes. Whether it means the "source" or the "outcome" is discussed under debates.
Ezekiel · 1
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Ezekiel 48:30 תּוֹצְאֹ֣ת [will be] [the] exits of
“These will be the exits of the city: Beginning on the north side, which will be 4,500 cubits long,
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.