What does מָחַץ (’emḥāṣēm) mean in the Bible?
מָחַץ (’emḥāṣēm): Violent penetrating force: piercing through a physical barrier, extended to vanquishing enemies or subduing opposition decisively.
Hebrew · H4272
מָחַץ
To dash asunder; by implication, to crush , smash or violently plunge ; figuratively, to subdue or destroy
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מָחַץ H4272
Pronunciation ’emḥāṣēm
What does מָחַץ (’emḥāṣēm) mean in the Bible?
מָחַץ (’emḥāṣēm): Violent penetrating force: piercing through a physical barrier, extended to vanquishing enemies or subduing opposition decisively.
Full entry for מָחַץ (H4272) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4272?
The BSB source-word alignment has 14 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include He will crush (3), and crushed them (1), He shattered (1), He strikes (1), I crushed them (1).
Where does מָחַץ (’emḥāṣēm) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Numbers 24:8. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (5), Deuteronomy (2), Job (2), Numbers (2).
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 He will crush 3× Numbers 24:17, Psalms 110:5, Psalms 110:6
and crushed them 1× 2 Samuel 22:39
He shattered 1× Job 26:12
He strikes 1× Job 5:18
I crushed them 1× Psalms 18:38
I wound 1× Deuteronomy 32:39
may be dipped 1× Psalms 68:23
she shattered 1× Judges 5:26
Smash 1× Deuteronomy 33:11
to pierce them 1× Numbers 24:8
will crush 1× Psalms 68:21
You crushed 1× Habakkuk 3:13
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 24:8 יִמְחָֽץ׃ to to pierce them Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Numbers 24:17 וּמָחַץ֙ to He will crush Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 32:39 מָחַ֙צְתִּי֙ to I wound Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Deuteronomy 33:11 מְחַ֨ץ to Smash Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Judges 5:26 וּמָחֲצָ֥ה to she shattered Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular 2 Samuel 22:39 וָאֶמְחָצֵ֖ם to and crushed them Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural Job 5:18 יִ֝מְחַ֗ץ to He strikes Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Job 26:12 מָ֣חַץ to He shattered Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Psalms 18:38 אֶ֭מְחָצֵם to I crushed them Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural Psalms 68:21 יִמְחַץ֮ to will crush Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Numbers 24:8
Aligned rows 14
Books represented 7
Numbers 2 Deuteronomy 2 Judges 1 2 Samuel 1 Job 2 Psalms 5 Habakkuk 1
Source forms
אֶ֭מְחָצֵם 1x ’em·ḥā·ṣêm Psalms 18:38
וָאֶמְחָצֵ֖ם 1x wā·’em·ḥā·ṣêm 2 Samuel 22:39
וּמָחַץ֙ 1x ū·mā·ḥaṣ Numbers 24:17
וּמָחֲצָ֥ה 1x ū·mā·ḥă·ṣāh Judges 5:26
יִ֝מְחַ֗ץ 1x yim·ḥaṣ Job 5:18
יִמְחַץ֮ 1x yim·ḥaṣ Psalms 68:21
יִמְחָֽץ׃ 1x yim·ḥāṣ Numbers 24:8
מְחַ֨ץ 1x mə·ḥaṣ Deuteronomy 33:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 3x Numbers 24:8, Job 5:18, Psalms 68:21
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 3x Job 26:12, Psalms 110:5, Psalms 110:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular 1x Judges 5:26
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 1x Numbers 24:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural 1x 2 Samuel 22:39
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular 1x Deuteronomy 33:11
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural 1x Psalms 18:38
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular 1x Psalms 68:23
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Violent penetrating force: piercing through a physical barrier, extended to vanquishing enemies or subduing opposition decisively.
Strong's H4272
Lexical occurrences 14 verses Word forms 1 form 10 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Psalms 18:37–42 Source Gloss
to dash asunder; by implication, to crush , smash or violently plunge ; figuratively, to subdue or destroy
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Violent penetrating force: piercing through a physical barrier, extended to vanquishing enemies or subduing opposition decisively.
to dash asunder; by implication, to crush, smash or violently plunge; figuratively, to subdue or destroy BDB: smite through Usage: dip, pierce (through), smite (through), strike through, wound.
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 1 Aligned forms 10
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 10×
Perfect Job 26:12 · Ps 110:5 · Ps 110:6 · Deut 32:39 · Hab 3:13 5×
Imperfect Job 5:18 · Num 24:8 · Ps 68:22 · Ps 68:24 4×
Sequential imperfect Deut 33:11 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
I crush; I shatter; I strike through; indicates a lethal and final blow
Showing 1 selected witness from 14 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מָחַץ is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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