Original Word: רצץ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: ratsats
Pronunciation: rah-tsats'
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-tsats')
Definition: To crush, to oppress, to break
Meaning: to crack in pieces

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G4937 (συντρίβω, syntribo): To crush, to break in pieces

- G2352 (θλάω, thlao): To crush, to break

Usage: The Hebrew verb "ratsats" primarily conveys the action of crushing or breaking something into pieces. It can also imply oppression or the act of pressing down upon someone or something with force. This term is often used metaphorically to describe the oppression of people or the breaking of physical objects.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israelite society, the concept of crushing or oppression was not only physical but also social and spiritual. The Israelites were familiar with oppression from foreign powers, such as the Egyptians and later the Babylonians. The imagery of crushing was also used in agricultural contexts, such as the crushing of grain or grapes, which was a common practice in daily life. This term would resonate with the audience as it depicted both physical destruction and social injustice.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to crush
NASB Translation
broke (1), bruised (1), crush (1), crushed (9), crushing (1), oppressed (5), struggled (1).

[רָצַץ] verb crush (Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Arabic bruise, bray, crush; Aramaic רְעַ, crush, shatter); —

Qal Perfect2masculine singular suffix רַצּוֺתָנוּ 1 Samuel 12:4; 1singular רַצּוֺתִי 1 Samuel 12:3; Imperfect3masculine singular יָּרוּץ (Ges^{§ 67q}) Isaiah 42:4 (Babylonian Manuscript יֵרוֺץ, Niph`al, so SS here and Ecclesiastes 12:6a), 3feminine singular תָּרוּץ Ecclesiastes 12:6a, 1singular אָרֻץ Psalm 18:30 = אָרוּץ 2 Samuel 22:30 (see below); Participle active feminine plural רֹצְצוֺת Amos 4:1; passive רָצוּץ Isaiah 42:3 +, construct רְצוּץ Hosea 5:11; plural רְצוּצִים Isaiah 58:6; — crush: 1 literal,

a. passive participle in (הַ)קָּנֶה (הָ)רָצוּץ 2 Kings 18:21 = Isaiah 36:6; Isaiah 42:3 (all metaphor of weak person).

b. imperfect intransitive get crushed (read תֵּרוֺץ?), of bowl Ecclesiastes 12:6a (in metaphor).

2 figurative crush, oppress, accusative of person 1 Samuel 12:3,4; Amos 4:1; passive participle Deuteronomy 28:33, as substantive the oppressed Isaiah 58:6; רְצוּץ מִשְׁמָּט Hosea 5:11 (We Now רֹצֵץ, i.e. perverting judgment, but dubious); intransitive get crushed (read יֵרוֺץ?), of servant of ׳י, under figure of wick, Isaiah 42:4 (+ יִכְהֶה) he shall not grow dim or be crushed out.

Niph`al be crushed, broken: Perfect3masculine singular consecutive נְרֹץ (Ges<sup>§ 67t</sup>) Ecclesiastes 12:6b (of wheel at cistern); Imperfect2masculine singular תֵּרוֺץ Ezekiel 29:7 (of Pharaoh as reed, compare Qal 1 a); Job 20:10 read perhaps יֵרֹצּוּ (for יְרַצּוּ, see רצה Pi`el), are crushed (as) poor men, Bu, compare Hoffm SS Gerber. — Isaiah 42:2; Ecclesiastes 12:6 a see

Qal. Pi`el crush in pieces:

1 literal (in metaphor) Perfect2masculine singular רִצַּצְתָּ Psalm 74:14 with accusative of thing.

2 figurative = grievously oppress, 3 masculine singular רִצַּץ Job 20:19; Imperfect3masculine singular וַיְרַצֵּץ מִן הָעָם2Chronicles 16:10.

Po`el Imperfect3masculine plural וַיְרֹצְצוּ Judges 10:8, accusative of person (= Pi`el 2; "" רעץ; רצץ here perhaps doublet, so GFM^Hpt, compare Bu Now).

Hiph`il Imperfect3feminine singular וַתָּ֫רִץ (Kö^{i. 352}; Ba^{ZMG xliii (1889), 181} thinks

Qal) Judges 9:53 she crushed his skull.

Hithpo`el reciprocal, Imperfect3masculine plural וִיִּתְרֹצְצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ Genesis 25:22 (J) the children crushed (thurst, struck) one another within her.

break, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress, struggle together

A primitive root; to crack in pieces, literally or figuratively -- break, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress, struggle together.

הָרָצ֤וּץ הָרֹצְצ֖וֹת הרצוץ הרצצות וְנָרֹ֥ץ וְרָצ֖וּץ וְתָרֻ֖ץ וַיְרַצֵּ֥ץ וַיְרֹֽצְצוּ֙ וַיִּתְרֹֽצֲצ֤וּ וַתָּ֖רִץ וירצץ וירצצו ויתרצצו ונרץ ורצוץ ותרץ יָר֔וּץ ירוץ רְצ֣וּץ רְצוּצִים֙ רִ֭צַּץ רִ֭צַּצְתָּ רַצּ֔וֹתִי רַצּוֹתָ֑נוּ רָצוּץ֙ רצוץ רצוצים רצותי רצותנו רצץ רצצת תֵּר֔וֹץ תרוץ hā·rā·ṣūṣ hā·rō·ṣə·ṣō·wṯ hārāṣūṣ haraTzutz hārōṣəṣōwṯ harotzeTzot rā·ṣūṣ raṣ·ṣō·w·ṯā·nū raṣ·ṣō·w·ṯî raṣṣōwṯānū raṣṣōwṯî rāṣūṣ ratztzoTanu ratzTzoti raTzutz rə·ṣū·ṣîm rə·ṣūṣ rəṣūṣ rəṣūṣîm reTzutz retzuTzim riṣ·ṣaṣ riṣ·ṣaṣ·tā riṣṣaṣ riṣṣaṣtā Ritztzatz Ritztzatzta tê·rō·wṣ teRotz têrōwṣ vaiyitrotzaTzu vatTaritz vayratzTzetz vayrotzeTzu venaRotz veraTzutz vetaRutz wat·tā·riṣ wattāriṣ way·raṣ·ṣêṣ way·rō·ṣə·ṣū way·yiṯ·rō·ṣă·ṣū wayraṣṣêṣ wayrōṣəṣū wayyiṯrōṣăṣū wə·nā·rōṣ wə·rā·ṣūṣ wə·ṯā·ruṣ wənārōṣ wərāṣūṣ wəṯāruṣ yā·rūṣ yārūṣ yaRutzInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts