What does זָרָה (zārāh) mean in the Bible?
זָרָה (zārāh): Motion of dispersal through force or wind; literal winnowing extends to theological scattering of covenant people.
Hebrew · H2219
זָרָה
To toss about; by implication, to diffuse , winnow
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
זָרָה H2219
Pronunciation zārāh
What does זָרָה (zārāh) mean in the Bible?
זָרָה (zārāh): Motion of dispersal through force or wind; literal winnowing extends to theological scattering of covenant people.
Full entry for זָרָה (H2219) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2219?
The BSB source-word alignment has 39 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and scatter (4), and scatter them (3), I will scatter (3), and disperse (1), and He will scatter them (1).
Where does זָרָה (zārāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 32:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (13), Jeremiah (6), Proverbs (4), Isaiah (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 It and scatter 4× Ezekiel 5:10, Ezekiel 6:5, Ezekiel 12:15, Ezekiel 30:26
and scatter them 3× Psalms 106:27, Ezekiel 29:12, Ezekiel 30:23
I will scatter 3× Leviticus 26:33, Jeremiah 49:32, Ezekiel 5:12
and disperse 1× Ezekiel 20:23
and He will scatter them 1× 1 Kings 14:15
And I will scatter 1× Ezekiel 12:14
and I will scatter them 1× Jeremiah 49:36
and I will spread 1× Malachi 2:3
and scatter you 1× Ezekiel 22:15
and scattered [the powder] 1× Exodus 32:20
and they were scattered 1× Ezekiel 36:19
and you are to scatter 1× Ezekiel 5:2
have scattered 1× Zechariah 1:19
I will scatter them 1× Jeremiah 15:7
is winnowing 1× Ruth 3:2
rains down 1× Job 18:15
scattered 1× Zechariah 1:21
separates out 1× Proverbs 20:26
sifts out 1× Proverbs 20:8
spread 1× Proverbs 15:7
The One who scattered 1× Jeremiah 31:10
to scatter 1× Numbers 16:37
to scatter it 1× Zechariah 1:21
to spread 1× Proverbs 1:17
to winnow 1× Jeremiah 4:11
to winnow her 1× Jeremiah 51:2
when you are scattered 1× Ezekiel 6:8
winnowed 1× Isaiah 30:24
You have scattered us 1× Psalms 44:11
You search out 1× Psalms 139:3
You will throw them away 1× Isaiah 30:22
You will winnow them 1× Isaiah 41:16
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 32:20 וַיִּ֙זֶר֙ to and scattered [the powder] Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 26:33 אֱזָרֶ֣ה to I will scatter Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular Numbers 16:37 זְרֵה־ to to scatter Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Ruth 3:2 זֹרֶ֛ה to is winnowing Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1 Kings 14:15 וְזֵרָ֖ם to and He will scatter them Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural Job 18:15 יְזֹרֶ֖ה to rains down Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Psalms 44:11 זֵרִיתָֽנוּ׃ to You have scattered us Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular | first person common plural Psalms 106:27 וּ֝לְזָרוֹתָ֗ם to and scatter them Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural Psalms 139:3 זֵרִ֑יתָ to You search out Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular Proverbs 1:17 מְזֹרָ֣ה to to spread Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 32:20
Aligned rows 39
Books represented 13
Exodus 1 Leviticus 1 Numbers 1 Ruth 1 1 Kings 1 Job 1 Psalms 3 Proverbs 4 Isaiah 3 Jeremiah 6 Ezekiel 13 Zechariah 3 Malachi 1
Source forms
וְזֵרִיתִ֥י 3x wə·zê·rî·ṯî Ezekiel 5:10, Ezekiel 12:15, Ezekiel 30:26
אֱזָרֶ֣ה 2x ’ĕ·zā·reh Leviticus 26:33, Ezekiel 12:14
תִּזְרֵם֙ 2x tiz·rêm Isaiah 30:22, Isaiah 41:16
אֱזָרֶ֔ה 1x ’ĕ·zā·reh Ezekiel 5:12
בְּהִזָּרֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם 1x bə·hiz·zā·rō·w·ṯê·ḵem Ezekiel 6:8
וָאֶזְרֵ֥ם 1x wā·’ez·rêm Jeremiah 15:7
וְזֵר֔וּהָ 1x wə·zê·rū·hā Jeremiah 51:2
וְזֵרִיתִי֙ 1x wə·zê·rî·ṯî Ezekiel 6:5
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular 5x Ezekiel 5:10, Ezekiel 6:5, Ezekiel 12:15, Ezekiel 30:26
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural 4x Jeremiah 49:32, Jeremiah 49:36, Ezekiel 29:12, Ezekiel 30:23
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular 3x Leviticus 26:33, Ezekiel 5:12, Ezekiel 12:14
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 2x Proverbs 20:8, Proverbs 20:26
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural 2x Zechariah 1:19, Zechariah 1:21
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural 2x Isaiah 30:22, Isaiah 41:16
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 2x Ruth 3:2, Isaiah 30:24
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 1x Ezekiel 36:19
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Motion of dispersal through force or wind; literal winnowing extends to theological scattering of covenant people.
Strong's H2219
Lexical occurrences 39 verses Word forms 3 forms 16 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Jeremiah 15:5-9 Source Gloss
to toss about; by implication, to diffuse , winnow
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Motion of dispersal through force or wind; literal winnowing extends to theological scattering of covenant people.
to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow BDB: scatter Usage: cast away, compass, disperse, fan, scatter (away), spread, strew, winnow.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 3 Aligned forms 16
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 10×
Imperfect Ezek 5:12 · Ezek 12:14 · Lev 26:33 · Prov 15:7 4×
Participle active Jer 31:10 · Prov 20:8 · Prov 20:26 3×
Perfect Zech 2:2 · Zech 2:4 · Ps 139:3 3×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 4×
Participle active Isa 30:24 · Ruth 3:2 2×
Imperfect Ezek 5:2 1×
Sequential imperfect Num 17:2 1×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 2×
Imperfect Job 18:15 1×
Participle passive Prov 1:17 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Dispersion of people as divine judgment, scattering inhabitants abroad
Winnowing or dispersing enemies before judgment, separating chaff from grain
Generous distribution of goods and wealth, spreading abundance to others
Spreading or diffusing knowledge and words, disseminating wisdom broadly
Winnowing or separating the wicked from the righteous through judgment
Showing 5 selected witnesses from 39 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain