Original Word: עָסַס
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `acac
Pronunciation: ah-sahs
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-sas')
KJV: tread down
NASB: tread down
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to squeeze out juice
2. (figuratively) to trample

tread down

A primitive root; to squeeze out juice; figuratively, to trample -- tread down.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to press, crush, tread down
NASB Translation
tread down (1).

[עָסַס] verb press, crush, by treading, tread down (Late Hebrew עֲסִיסִיה crushed wheat; compare Arabic go the rounds, [tramp], prowl; Syriac explore, see Brock); —

Qal Perfect2masculine plural figurative הָֽרְשָׁעִים וְעַסּוֺתֶם Malachi 3:21 (consecutive).

Scriptural Context

Malachi 4:3 is the sole biblical occurrence of עָסַס. The prophet promises, “You will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,” says the LORD of Hosts. Spoken to a post-exilic community struggling with spiritual apathy, the word paints a vivid, active picture of the final triumph of the righteous in the coming “day of the LORD.”

Semantic Picture

עָסַס evokes vigorous, decisive stamping. It is not casual walking but deliberate crushing—an image that turns judgment into an enacted certainty. The verb’s rarity intensifies its weight: once uttered, the listener cannot miss the finality of divine victory.

Theological Themes

1. Final Judgment. The wicked become “ashes,” echoing the furnace imagery in Malachi 4:1 and aligning with New Testament visions of cosmic purging (2 Peter 3:10-13).
2. Vindication of the Righteous. The triumph is corporately shared; faithful Israel will participate in Yahweh’s victory rather than merely observe it (cf. Revelation 20:4).
3. Reversal of Oppression. Those once marginalized now “trample,” reflecting prophetic patterns where the last are elevated and evil is reversed (Isaiah 60:14; Luke 1:52-53).
4. Covenant Faithfulness. The promise assumes perseverance in covenant loyalty (Malachi 3:16-18), reinforcing that judgment and blessing are inseparable aspects of the same day.

Historical and Cultural Background

Malachi’s audience lived under Persian rule with no Davidic throne in sight. Societal injustices (Malachi 3:5) and half-hearted worship (Malachi 1:6-8) bred cynicism: “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17). By employing עָסַס, the prophet shifts focus from present weakness to an eschatological horizon where God’s justice is publicly displayed and felt—underfoot.

Connections in the Canon

• Psalm 91:13 portrays the faithful treading on lions and serpents, an anticipatory type fulfilled eschatologically in Malachi’s prophecy.
• Isaiah 63:3 pictures the LORD Himself treading the winepress of wrath, then shares that privilege with His people (Romans 16:20; Revelation 19:14-15).
• The ashes motif links to ritual purification (Numbers 19:17) and mourning turned to victory (Isaiah 61:3), signaling complete removal of evil’s stain.

Ministerial Application

• Hope in Persecution: Believers facing opposition can anchor hope in the coming day when righteousness will dominate every realm, even the soles of their feet (Matthew 5:10-12).
• Call to Holiness: Since participation in the triumph is covenantal, Malachi’s summons to remember the Law of Moses (Malachi 4:4) remains urgent for the church’s pursuit of practical holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16).
• Evangelistic Urgency: The stark outcome for the wicked compels proclamation of the gospel “while it is still called Today” (Hebrews 3:13).
• Worship Renewal: The image of ashes underfoot moves worship beyond sentiment to reverent awe of God’s coming reign, fueling authentic praise and righteous living.

Illustrative Insights

Imagine post-exilic farmers who once sifted ash from ruined fields hearing that the very substance of defeat will become a pavement of victory. The same God who turns fields to fertile soil (Haggai 2:19) will turn ash to a platform of triumph. Such prophetic imagery fosters resilient faith and active obedience until the day the promise is visibly fulfilled.

וְעַסּוֹתֶ֣ם ועסותם veassoTem wə‘assōwṯem wə·‘as·sō·w·ṯemInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts