Original Word: יָצַת
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: yatsath
Pronunciation: yah-tsath'
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-tsath')
KJV: burn (up), be desolate, set (on) fire ((fire)), kindle
NASB: set, kindle, burned, burns, kindled, aflame, burn
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to burn or set on fire
2. (figuratively) to desolate

burn up, be desolate, set on fire fire, kindle

A primitive root; to burn or set on fire; figuratively, to desolate -- burn (up), be desolate, set (on) fire ((fire)), kindle.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to kindle, burn
NASB Translation
aflame (1), burn (1), burned (3), burned down (1), burns (2), kindle (4), kindled (2), set (12), set on fire (1), sets (1).

[יָצַת] verb kindle, burn (intransitive) (Late Hebrew id. rare)) —

Qal Imperfect3feminine singular וַתִּצַּת Isaiah 9:17; יִצַּ֑תּוּ Isaiah 33:12; Jeremiah 51:58 (Kö^{i. 431}); 3 feminine plural תִּצַּתְנָה Jeremiah 49:2; — kindle, intransitive, figurative of wickedness, Isaiah 9:17; followed by בָּאֵשׁ be kindled with fire ( = set on fire), of thorns (in simile) Isaiah 33:12, Jeremiah 49:2 (of dependent towns and villages of Rabbah, under figure of daughters), Jeremiah 51:58 (of gates of Babylon).

Niph`al Perfect נִצְּתָה 2 Kings 22:13; Jeremiah 9:11 + Jeremiah 2:15 Kt (Qr נִצְּתוּ); וְנִצְּתָה consecutive 2 Kings 22:17; Jeremiah 46:19; נִצְּתוּ Nehemiah 1:3 2t. + Jeremiah 2:15 Qr (compare above); — be kindled, figurative of wrath of ׳י, 2 Kings 22:13,17; be burned, of gates of Jerusalem, followed by בָּאֵשׁ, Nehemiah 1:3; Nehemiah 2:17; = desolated Jeremiah 2:15 (of cities of Israel), compare Jeremiah 46:19; Jeremiah 9:9 (of mountains and pastures); of land Jeremiah 9:11 ("" אָֽבְדָה).

Hiph`il Perfect הִצִּית Jeremiah 11:16; 1singular וְהִצַּתִּי consecutive Jeremiah 17:27 5t.; והוציתיה 2 Samuel 14:30 Kt; (< Qr וְהַצִּיתוּהָ Imperative, Ges^{§ 71} Kö^{i. 431}); הִצִּיתוּ 2 Samuel 14:31; Jeremiah 51:30; וְהִצִּיתוּ consecutive Jeremiah 32:29; Imperfect וַיַּצֶּתֿ Lamentations 4:11; אֲצִיתֶנָּה Isaiah 27:4 (read אַצִּיתֶנָּה Kö^l.c. Ges^l.c.); וַיַָּצִּיתוּ Joshua 8:19 2t.; תַּצִּיתוּ Joshua 8:8; Imperative 2 Samuel 14:30 Qr, compare above; Participle מַצִּית Ezekiel 21:3; — kindle, set on fire, followed by accusative, עִיר + בָּאֵשׁ Joshua 8:8,19 (JE), Jeremiah 32:29 ( + שׂרף); field of corn, + בָּאֵשׂ 2 Samuel 14:30 (twice in verse); 2 Samuel 14:31; dwellings (no באשׁ) Jeremiah 51:30, compare also Judges 9:49; also followed by accusative אֵשׁ + preposition לְ, Jeremiah 11:16 (of Jerusalem under figure of olive-tree); elsewhere + בְּ, Amos 1:14, ׳והצתי אשׁ ב (hence Jeremiah 17:27; Jeremiah 21:14; Jeremiah 43:12; Jeremiah 49:27; Jeremiah 50:32) Lamentations 4:11; Ezekiel 21:3.

יקב (√ of following; compare Arabic be sunk, depressed; hollow, cavity).

[צוּת] Hiph`il Isaiah 27:4 see יצת.

צַח see צחח. צִחָא see צִיחָא below

צחה (√of following; Arabic () be cloudless, so Ethiopic Aramaic צְחָא, צְחִי be thirsty).

Overview

יָצַת (Strong’s Hebrew 3341) describes the deliberate act of igniting, setting ablaze, or causing something to burn. The verb appears about twenty-nine times and normally stresses the moment of ignition rather than the ongoing state of burning. It is used for ordinary household activity, agricultural practice, military destruction, and, figuratively, for divine judgment.

Distribution and Settings

1. Rural and agricultural settings (Exodus 22:6; Judges 15:5; 2 Samuel 14:30-31).
2. Urban warfare or punitive destruction (Judges 1:8; Judges 9:49-52; Isaiah 1:31).
3. Cultic or communal fires (Leviticus 26:4 implied; Ezekiel 39:9-10).
4. Poetic or prophetic imagery of God’s actions (Psalm 83:14; Isaiah 44:19; Jeremiah 43:12).

Representative Passages

• Exodus 22:6 – “If a fire breaks out and spreads to thornbushes so that stacked grain or standing grain or the whole field is consumed, the one who ignited the fire must make restitution.”

Here יָצַת undergirds Israel’s civil law: the person who starts the blaze bears responsibility for the damage it causes. The principle of personal accountability extends beyond agriculture to every sphere of life before God.

• Judges 15:5 – “Then he lit the torches, released the foxes into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burned up the shocks and standing grain, together with the vineyards and olive groves.”

Samson’s calculated arson is recorded with יָצַת. The term highlights both planning and sudden destruction—an image later prophets draw on when describing divine judgment.

• 2 Samuel 14:30-31 – Absalom orders his servants, “Go and set it on fire.” Their act of arson (twice using יָצַת) forces Joab’s attention, showing how a single spark can alter political trajectories.

• Psalm 83:14 – “As fire consumes a forest, as a flame sets mountains ablaze.”

The psalmist likens God’s judgment on hostile nations to a wildfire kindled (יָצַת) in the highlands—swift, unstoppable, and purifying.

• Isaiah 1:31 – “The strong man will become tinder, and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.”

Here the sinner’s own strength becomes fuel; God needs only to supply the spark. יָצַת conveys the ease and certainty of judgment when holiness confronts rebellion.

Literal Uses

1. Domestic and community life: kindling cooking fires or torches (implied in everyday narrative contexts).
2. Agriculture: burning stubble, clearing land, or—negatively—arson in fields (Exodus 22:6; Judges 15:5).
3. Warfare: cities, towers, and gates ignited to subdue enemies (Judges 1:8; 9:49-52).

Figurative and Theological Uses

1. Divine wrath: God “kindles” judgment as easily as a man strikes a spark (Deuteronomy 32:22 employs a cognate theme).
2. Purification: Fire removes defilement; when God kindles it, the goal is ultimate holiness (Isaiah 4:4, conceptually related).
3. Evangelistic passion: While not explicitly used in the New Testament, the Old Testament image feeds later exhortations to keep spiritual fervor (Romans 12:11) and to “fan into flame” the gift of God (2 Timothy 1:6).

Historical Background

Fire was indispensable in the ancient Near East: light, heat, metallurgy, cooking, and sacrifice all depended on it. Because an unattended spark could devastate entire harvests, Mosaic legislation demanded restitution (Exodus 22:6). Military commanders likewise exploited fire’s terror; siege tactics often involved setting wooden defenses ablaze (Judges 9:49). Prophets tapped these realities to describe God’s swift intervention—imagery easily grasped by an agrarian society.

Ministry Implications

• Personal responsibility: As the one who “kindles” is liable for the damage, so believers must weigh the consequences of careless words or actions that can “set on fire the course of one’s life” (James 3:6).
• Divine initiative: God alone has rightful authority to ignite either judgment or revival. Yielding to His sovereignty means allowing Him to expose and burn away sin.
• Holy zeal: Scripture often moves from the destructive to the constructive—fire that once judged now purifies and empowers (Acts 2:3). The verb יָצַת points to decisive beginnings; ministries today likewise require intentional ignition by the Spirit rather than human manipulation.

Related Hebrew Terms

• בָּעַר (baʿar) – to burn, consume (often the ongoing blaze).
• יָקַד (yāqad) – to burn, be kindled (the state of burning).

יָצַת focuses on the initial spark, distinguishing it from the continuing flame.

Summary

Every appearance of יָצַת underlines how quickly a single act can set far-reaching events in motion—whether fields aflame, cities destroyed, or divine judgment unleashed. The word therefore calls believers to reverent caution in daily conduct and to wholehearted surrender to the God who alone can kindle purifying fire in human hearts.

הִצִּ֥ית הִצִּ֥יתוּ הִצִּ֧יתוּ הצית הציתו וְהִצִּ֜יתוּ וְהִצַּ֣תִּי וְהִצַּ֤תִּי וְהִצַּ֥תִּי וְהִצַּ֧תִּי וְהַצִּית֣וּהָ וְנִצְּתָ֖ה וְנִצְּתָ֧ה וַיַּצִּ֜תוּ וַיַּצִּ֥יתוּ וַיַּצִּ֧יתוּ וַיַּצֶּת־ וַתִּצַּת֙ והציתו והציתוה והצתי ויציתו ויצת־ ויצתו ונצתה ותצת יִצַּ֑תּוּ יִצַּֽתּוּ׃ יצתו יצתו׃ מַֽצִּית־ מצית־ נִצְּת֣וּ נִצְּת֥וּ נִצְּתָ֣ה נִצְּתָ֥ה נִצְּתוּ֙ נִצְּת֖וּ נצתה נצתו תִּצַּ֑תְנָה תַּצִּ֤יתוּ תציתו תצתנה hiṣ·ṣî·ṯū hiṣ·ṣîṯ hiṣṣîṯ hiṣṣîṯū hitzTzit hitzTzitu maṣ·ṣîṯ- maṣṣîṯ- matztzit niṣ·ṣə·ṯāh niṣ·ṣə·ṯū niṣṣəṯāh niṣṣəṯū nitztzeTah nitztzeTu taṣ·ṣî·ṯū taṣṣîṯū tatzTzitu tiṣ·ṣaṯ·nāh tiṣṣaṯnāh titzTzatnah vaiyatztzet vaiyatzTzitu vattitzTzat vehatztziTuha vehitzTzatti vehitzTzitu venitztzeTah wat·tiṣ·ṣaṯ wattiṣṣaṯ way·yaṣ·ṣeṯ- way·yaṣ·ṣi·ṯū way·yaṣ·ṣî·ṯū wayyaṣṣeṯ- wayyaṣṣiṯū wayyaṣṣîṯū wə·haṣ·ṣî·ṯū·hā wə·hiṣ·ṣat·tî wə·hiṣ·ṣî·ṯū wə·niṣ·ṣə·ṯāh wəhaṣṣîṯūhā wəhiṣṣattî wəhiṣṣîṯū wəniṣṣəṯāh yiṣ·ṣat·tū yiṣṣattū yitzTzattuInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts