Lexical Summary baz: Spoil, Plunder, Booty Original Word: בּז Strong's Exhaustive Concordance booty, prey, spoiled From bazaz; plunder -- booty, prey, spoil(-ed). see HEBREW bazaz NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bazaz Definition spoiling, robbery, spoil, booty NASB Translation booty (2), plunder (10), prey (11), spoil (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs בַּז noun [masculine] spoiling, robbery; spoil, booty — ׳בּ absolute Numbers 14:3 +; so also Ezekiel 25:7 Qr (Kt בג meaningless); בַּ֑ז Jeremiah 2:14 +; but הַבָּ֔ז Numbers 31:32 see d. H; suffix בִּזָּהּ Exodus 29:19; — 1 spoiling, robbery, ׳לְב i.e. to be plundered, despoiled Ezekiel 7:21 (of temple "" שָׁלָל) Ezekiel 23:46. 2 spoil, booty, plunder Isaiah 10:6; Isaiah 33:23; Ezekiel 29:19; Ezekiel 38:12,13 (all accusative of congnate meaning with verb "" שָׁלָל); compare Numbers 31:32; Jeremiah 15:13; Jeremiah 17:3; in phrase הָיָה לָבַז Jeremiah 49:32 (of camels) Ezekiel 36:4 compare Ezekiel 36:5; also of human beings Numbers 14:3,31; Deuteronomy 1:39; Jeremiah 2:14 (all ׳היה לב) + 2 Kings 21:14 ("" מְשִׁסָּה) Isaiah 42:22 ("" id.) Jeremiah 2:14, compare Jeremiah 30:16 ("" מְשִׁסָּה); also Ezekiel 25:7 Qr, Ezekiel 26:5 (׳היה לב; both in personified); figurative of Israel as sheep Ezekiel 34:8,22 (both ׳היה לב) Ezekiel 34:28 היה בז (no לְ). On Isaiah 8:1,3מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז see מהר. Topical Lexicon Overview The noun בָּז depicts the gain or the loss of “spoil,” “plunder,” or “prey.” Its twenty–four appearances trace a moral principle that what is seized outside the will of God is ultimately surrendered, whereas what God grants in faithfulness can never be stolen. Thus plunder becomes a barometer of covenant loyalty, national security, prophetic judgment, and future hope. Military and Economic Dimensions 1. Spoil as War Revenue. After the Midianite campaign, “the remaining plunder the army had taken totaled 675,000 sheep” (Numbers 31:32). The distribution of these goods under Moses and Eleazar illustrates that victory spoils belong first to the LORD and then to His people in measured equity. Human Lives as Prey In Israel’s unbelief the people feared that their children would be the enemy’s prey: “Our children will become plunder!” (Numbers 14:3). Ironically, the same generation’s children later inherit the land (Numbers 14:31; Deuteronomy 1:39). Human beings, not merely goods, can be reduced to “prey” when a society rejects the LORD’s protection (Isaiah 42:22; Jeremiah 2:14). Spoil as Covenant Curse and Blessing • Covenant Curse. Under Manasseh’s apostasy the LORD promised, “I will give them into the hands of their enemies, and they will become plunder and spoil to all their foes” (2 Kings 21:14). This fulfills warnings in Leviticus and Deuteronomy that disobedience converts the covenant people into spoil. Prophetic Imagery of Plunder Isaiah calls Assyria “the rod of My anger” sent “to seize spoil and carry off plunder” (Isaiah 10:6). Later, the prophet taunts the arrogant oppressor: “Your tackle hangs slack…then an abundance of spoil will be divided” (Isaiah 33:23). Jeremiah announces that Judah’s own treasures will be “given as plunder—free of charge—because of all your sins” (Jeremiah 15:13; 17:3). Ezekiel foresees Tyre scraped like bare rock “a place for the spreading of nets…a spoil for the nations” (Ezekiel 26:5). Eschatological Reversal Gog invades Israel “to seize spoil and carry off plunder” (Ezekiel 38:12; 38:13). Yet the book concludes with divine deliverance, turning the invader’s ambition into his ruin. The final word on בָּז is therefore not loss but vindication; the LORD Himself guards His flock and settles accounts with all plunderers. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Stewardship. Material gain outside God’s purposes is fleeting. Ministries must pursue resources by righteousness, not manipulation. Forms and Transliterations בִּזָּ֔הּ בַּ֑ז בַּ֔ז בַּ֖ז בַּז֙ בַֽז׃ בז בז׃ בזה הַבָּ֔ז הבז וְלָבַֽז׃ ולבז׃ לְבַ֖ז לְבַ֛ז לְבַז֙ לָבַ֑ז לָבַ֔ז לָבַ֗ז לָבַ֡ז לָבַ֣ז לָבַ֥ז לָבַֽז׃ לָבַז֙ לבז לבז׃ baz ḇaz biz·zāh bizZah bizzāh hab·bāz habBaz habbāz lā·ḇaz lāḇaz laVaz lə·ḇaz ləḇaz leVaz Vaz velaVaz wə·lā·ḇaz wəlāḇazLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 14:3 HEB: וְטַפֵּ֖נוּ יִהְי֣וּ לָבַ֑ז הֲל֧וֹא ט֦וֹב NAS: will become plunder; would it not be better KJV: and our children should be a prey? were it not better INT: and our little will become plunder not not be better Numbers 14:31 Numbers 31:32 Deuteronomy 1:39 2 Kings 21:14 Isaiah 10:6 Isaiah 33:23 Isaiah 42:22 Jeremiah 2:14 Jeremiah 15:13 Jeremiah 17:3 Jeremiah 30:16 Jeremiah 49:32 Ezekiel 7:21 Ezekiel 23:46 Ezekiel 26:5 Ezekiel 29:19 Ezekiel 34:8 Ezekiel 34:22 Ezekiel 34:28 Ezekiel 36:4 Ezekiel 36:5 Ezekiel 38:12 Ezekiel 38:13 24 Occurrences |
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