Original Word: סוּחָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: cuwchah
Pronunciation: soo-KAH
Phonetic Spelling: (soo-khaw')
KJV: torn
NASB: refuse
Word Origin: [from the same as H5477 (סוַּח - Suah)]

1. something swept away, i.e. filth

torn

From the same as Cuwach; something swept away, i.e. Filth -- torn.

see HEBREW Cuwach

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
offal
NASB Translation
refuse (1).

כַּסּוּחָה Isaiah 5:25 see סוּחָה.

כָּסוּי, כְּסוּת see below I. כסה. above

סוּחָה noun feminine offal; — absolute in simile נִבְלָתָם כַּסּוּחָה בְּקֶרֶבּ חוּצוֺת Isaiah 5:25.

Entry Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 5478 (סוּחָה) denotes the sweepings, refuse, or street-litter that remains after violent judgment. It appears a single time in the Old Testament and functions as a vivid prophetic image of divine retribution.

Biblical Occurrence

Isaiah 5:25: “Therefore the anger of the LORD burns against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them and struck them. The mountains quake, and their corpses are like refuse in the streets. For all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.”

Historical Setting

Isaiah ministered in Judah during the latter half of the eighth century BC, addressing a nation enjoying outward prosperity yet rotting inwardly through injustice, idolatry, and complacency. Chapter 5 catalogs six “woes” (Isaiah 5:8, 11, 18, 20, 21, 22) aimed at specific sins; verse 25 concludes the section with a declaration of judgment. The picture of corpses strewn “like refuse” reflects siege warfare common to the Assyrian threat looming over Judah. In the ancient Near East, conquered cities often lay littered with the dead, left unburied and exposed to scavengers—an ultimate disgrace.

Prophetic Imagery and Meaning

1. Totality of Judgment: Refuse is what remains after cleansing or sweeping; in Isaiah the wicked are portrayed as the detritus removed by Yahweh’s purifying action (compare Isaiah 1:25).
2. Public Shame: Being flung into the streets equates with covenant curse (Deuteronomy 28:25–26). What is normally hidden becomes public spectacle, underlining the nation’s disgrace.
3. Loss of Value: Refuse has no intrinsic worth; likewise, those who abandon covenant loyalty forfeit the dignity of being God’s treasured possession (Exodus 19:5).

Theological Significance

God’s holiness demands that sin be exposed and expelled. The solitary use of סוּחָה intensifies the point: even a unique word is summoned to portray an unparalleled judgment. The verse balances severity (“His hand is still upraised”) with mercy—God disciplines to bring about repentance (Isaiah 1:18–19).

Canonical Parallels

• Jeremiah 8:2 speaks of bones laid “like dung” on the ground.
• Ezekiel 24:11–13 depicts scum (different Hebrew term) burned off a cauldron.
• Philippians 3:8 employs the Greek σκύβαλον (“rubbish”) for worldly gains, showing that the refuse metaphor spans both Testaments to highlight the worthlessness of sin and self-righteousness compared with knowing Christ.

Practical and Ministry Applications

1. Preaching: Isaiah 5:25 warns congregations against presuming upon divine patience. It illustrates Romans 2:4–5, where spurned kindness yields wrath.
2. Discipleship: Believers are called to “cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles” (2 Corinthians 7:1). The contrast between holiness and filth encourages ongoing confession and sanctification.
3. Pastoral Care: Those broken by sin may feel like refuse; yet Scripture shows God redeems even what seems worthless (Isaiah 61:3).
4. Cultural Engagement: The image challenges modern societies to confront moral decay rather than sweeping it aside. It affirms the church’s prophetic role in addressing injustice, greed, and moral relativism.

Summary

סוּחָה serves as a rare but weighty term that crystallizes Isaiah’s message: unchecked sin reduces a people to discarded refuse under God’s judgment. While stark, the metaphor ultimately points to the necessity—and hope—of divine cleansing accomplished fully in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

כַּסּוּחָ֖ה כסוחה kas·sū·ḥāh kassuChah kassūḥāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts