What does בֶּצַע (beṣaʿ) mean in the Bible?
בֶּצַע (beṣaʿ): Gain acquired through violence or exploitation; carries moral condemnation when used of human profit-seeking behavior.
Hebrew · H1215
בֶּצַע
Plunder ; by extension, gain (usually unjust)
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בֶּצַעH1215
Pronunciationbeṣaʿ
What does בֶּצַע (beṣaʿ) mean in the Bible?
בֶּצַע (beṣaʿ): Gain acquired through violence or exploitation; carries moral condemnation when used of human profit-seeking behavior.
Full entry for בֶּצַע (H1215) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1215?
The BSB source-word alignment has 23 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include dishonest gain (2), for gain (2), gain (2), . . . (1), covetous gain (1).
Where does בֶּצַע (beṣaʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 37:26. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (4), Ezekiel (3), Isaiah (3), Proverbs (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itdishonest gain2×1 Samuel 8:3, Ezekiel 33:31
for gain2×Jeremiah 6:13, Jeremiah 8:10
gain2×Isaiah 33:15, Habakkuk 2:9
. . .1×Ezekiel 22:27
covetous gain1×Psalms 119:36
dishonest profit1×Proverbs 28:16
Does He profit1×Job 22:3
for unjust gain1×Proverbs 15:27
gain [is there]1×Psalms 30:9
greed1×Isaiah 57:17
have we gained1×Malachi 3:14
is cut1×Jeremiah 51:13
plunder1×Judges 5:19
profit will we gain1×Genesis 37:26
seeking his own gain1×Isaiah 56:11
their gain1×Micah 4:13
to dishonest gain1×Exodus 18:21
whose unjust gain1×Proverbs 1:19
your own dishonest gain1×Jeremiah 22:17
your unjust gain1×Ezekiel 22:13
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 37:26בֶּ֗צַעtoprofit will we gainNoun - masculine singularExodus 18:21בָ֑צַעtoto dishonest gainNoun - masculine singularJudges 5:19בֶּ֥צַעtoplunderNoun - masculine singular construct1 Samuel 8:3הַבָּ֑צַעtodishonest gainArticle | Noun - masculine singularJob 22:3בֶּ֝֗צַעtoDoes He profitNoun - masculine singularPsalms 30:9בֶּ֥צַעtogain [is there]Noun - masculine singularPsalms 119:36בָּֽצַע׃tocovetous gainNoun - masculine singularProverbs 1:19בָּ֑צַעtowhose unjust gainNoun - masculine singularProverbs 15:27בָּ֑צַעtofor unjust gainNoun - masculine singularProverbs 28:16בֶ֝֗צַעtodishonest profitNoun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 37:26
Aligned rows23
Books represented13
Genesis1Exodus1Judges11 Samuel1Job1Psalms2Proverbs3Isaiah3Jeremiah4Ezekiel3Micah1Habakkuk1Malachi1
Source forms
בָּ֑צַע4xbā·ṣa‘Proverbs 1:19, Proverbs 15:27, Jeremiah 6:13, Jeremiah 8:10
בֶּ֥צַע3xbe·ṣa‘Judges 5:19, Psalms 30:9, Habakkuk 2:9
בֶּ֗צַע2xbe·ṣa‘Genesis 37:26, Malachi 3:14
בָּֽצַע׃2xbā·ṣa‘Psalms 119:36, Ezekiel 22:27
בְּבֶ֣צַע1xbə·ḇe·ṣa‘Isaiah 33:15
בֶ֝֗צַע1xḇe·ṣa‘Proverbs 28:16
בֶּ֝֗צַע1xbe·ṣa‘Job 22:3
בָ֑צַע1xḇā·ṣa‘Exodus 18:21
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular13xGenesis 37:26, Exodus 18:21, Job 22:3, Psalms 30:9
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular2xJeremiah 51:13, Ezekiel 22:13
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural2xEzekiel 33:31, Micah 4:13
Article | Noun - masculine singular1x1 Samuel 8:3
Noun - masculine singular construct1xJudges 5:19
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular1xJeremiah 22:17
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular1xIsaiah 57:17
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct1xIsaiah 33:15
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Gain acquired through violence or exploitation; carries moral condemnation when used of human profit-seeking behavior.
Source Gloss
plunder ; by extension, gain (usually unjust)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Gain acquired through violence or exploitation; carries moral condemnation when used of human profit-seeking behavior.
plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust) BDB: gain made by violence Usage: covetousness, (dishonest) gain, lucre, profit.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Unjust profit from violent crime, specifically bloodshed and robbery
Dishonest profit pursued by prophets and priests with greed and deceit
Covetous pursuit of unjust profit that troubles one's household
Greedy acquisition of dishonest profit by corrupt leaders and watchmen
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 23 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
בֶּצַע is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.