Original Word: בּוּס
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: buwc
Pronunciation: boos
Phonetic Spelling: (boos)
KJV: loath, tread (down, under (foot)), be polluted
NASB: squirming, tread down, loathes, trample, trample down, trampled, trampled down
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to trample (literally or figuratively)

loath, tread down, under foot, be polluted

A primitive root; to trample (literally or figuratively) -- loath, tread (down, under (foot)), be polluted.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to tread down, trample
NASB Translation
loathes (1), squirming (2), trample (1), trample down (1), trampled (1), trampled down (1), tread down (2), treading down (1), trod down (1), trodden it down (1).

[בּוּס] verb tread down, trample —

Qal Imperfect יָבוּס Psalm 60:14 = Psalm 108:14; 3feminine singular תָּבוּס Proverbs 27:7, אָבוּס Isaiah 63:6; suffix3singular אֲבוּסֶנּוּ Isaiah 14:25; 1plural נָבוּס Psalm 44:6; — tread down, trample (of warriors), no object expressed Zechariah 10:5; id., figurative with accusative (subject ׳י, as warrior) Isaiah 14:25 compare Psalm 60:14 = Psalm 108:14; Isaiah 63:6; (subject men, with God's help) Psalm 44:6; figurative = reject, loathe Proverbs 27:7.

Pol. Perfect בּוֺסְסוּ Isaiah 63:18; בֹּסְסוּ Jeremiah 12:10 — tread down in bad sense, subject enemies of ׳י, object accusative Jeremiah 12:10 (in metaphor); = desecrate (object מקדשׁ) Isaiah 63:18.

Hithpolel Participle feminine מִתְבּוֺסֶסֶת Ezekiel 16:6,22 — of the blind movements of infant's limbs, kick out (this way and that), figurative of Jerusalem.

Hoph`al Participle מוּבָ֑ס Isaiah 14:19 — passive trodden down Isaiah 14:19, of corpse, simile of king of Babylon.

Root Idea: Trampling and Contempt

Strong’s Hebrew 947 (bûs) consistently links the physical act of treading underfoot with an attitude of disdain. Whether armies stomp their foes (Psalm 44:5) or a satiated soul “loathes the honeycomb” (Proverbs 27:7), the verb carries both motion and emotion: active domination plus inward contempt.

Military Victory under Yahweh’s Banner

• Psalm 44:5 – “Through You we repel our foes; through Your name we trample our enemies.”
• Psalm 108:13 – “With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.”

Israel never credits military success to superior tactics; triumph comes as the covenant God places enemies beneath His people’s feet. The word therefore underscores theocentric warfare: Yahweh fights, Israel treads.

Divine Judgment on World Powers

• Isaiah 14:25 – “I will break Assyria in My land; on My mountains I will trample him.”
• Isaiah 63:6 – “I trampled the nations in My anger; in My wrath I made them drunk and poured out their blood on the ground.”

Assyria, Babylon, and every arrogant empire meet the same end—God personally “tramples” them. The imagery prefigures final eschatological judgment (Revelation 19:15), anchoring confidence that no oppressor ultimately escapes the Lord’s footfall.

Desecration of the Holy and Covenant Lament

• Isaiah 63:18 – “For a short time Your people possessed Your holy place, but now our enemies have trampled Your sanctuary.”
• Jeremiah 12:10 – “Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My land.”

When the sanctuary and land are trodden down, the verb becomes a lament over covenant breach. The people grieve not merely lost territory but the dishonor done to God’s name. This fuels prophetic calls to repentance and restoration.

Personal Contempt and Moral Blindness

Proverbs 27:7 uses בּוּס for an individual who “loathes” sweetness once his appetite is sated. Material fullness can breed spiritual contempt; satisfaction without gratitude dulls sensitivity to blessing, a timeless pastoral warning.

From Abandonment to Mercy (Ezekiel 16)

Ezekiel twice describes newborn Jerusalem “wallowing” (treaded down) in blood (Ezekiel 16:6, 16:22). The verb paints utter helplessness: the city is figuratively trampled, yet God intervenes and says, “Live!” The same root that denotes contempt highlights grace—He lifts what was once underfoot.

Eschatological Empowerment of the Faithful

Zechariah 10:5 envisions Judah as “mighty men in battle, trampling the mud of the streets; they will fight because the LORD is with them.” The remnant, once downtrodden, becomes the trampling force—a reversal fulfilled ultimately in Messiah’s kingdom where the meek inherit the earth.

Theological Themes

1. Sovereignty: Every occurrence exalts divine control over nations and circumstances.
2. Reversal: God overturns contempt by exalting the despised and subduing the proud.
3. Holiness: Trampling the sanctuary or covenant land is never merely political; it is a spiritual affront requiring redemptive response.
4. Personal Application: Hearts full of self-sufficiency quickly “trample” what is sweet; humility preserves reverence.

Ministry Implications

• Preaching: Use בּוּס texts to contrast human pride with God’s ultimate triumph, calling hearers to submit before they are subdued.
• Pastoral Care: Proverbs 27:7 warns against spiritual complacency; cultivate gratitude to prevent contempt for grace.
• Missions and Justice: Isaiah 63 motivates advocacy for the oppressed by assuring the faithful that God rights wrongs, even when injustice seems entrenched.

Summary

בּוּס gathers Israel’s battlefield songs, prophetic oracles, wisdom sayings, and covenant laments into one thread: what humans place under foot, God sees; what God places under foot stays there. Those who align with Him walk in victory and humility, never in contemptuous pride.

אֲבוּסֶ֑נּוּ אבוסנו בֹּסְס֖וּ בּוֹסְס֖וּ בּוֹסִ֨ים בוסים בוססו בססו וְאָב֤וּס ואבוס יָב֥וּס יבוס מִתְבּוֹסֶ֖סֶת מִתְבּוֹסֶ֥סֶת מוּבָֽס׃ מובס׃ מתבוססת נָב֥וּס נבוס תָּב֣וּס תבוס ’ă·ḇū·sen·nū ’ăḇūsennū avuSennu bō·sə·sū bō·w·sîm bō·ws·sū boseSu bōsəsū boSim bosSu bōwsîm bōwssū miṯ·bō·w·se·seṯ mitboSeset miṯbōwseseṯ mū·ḇās mūḇās muVas nā·ḇūs nāḇūs naVus tā·ḇūs tāḇūs taVus veaVus wə’āḇūs wə·’ā·ḇūs yā·ḇūs yāḇūs yaVusInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts