What does שָׁחַת · אֶרֶץ mean in the Bible?
שָׁחַת · אֶרֶץ is a Hebrew phrase meaning "waste on the ground, destroy on the earth".
Hebrew · H7843, H776
שִׁחֵת אַרְצָה
To decay , i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively) · the earth (at large, or partitively a land )
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.
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
שָׁחַתH7843to decay , i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively)
Pronunciationshachat
Destruction through decay or corruption; often describes moral/spiritual ruin, not merely physical damage.
Open lexicon entry →אֶרֶץH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land )
Pronunciationerets
Physical ground and soil extend metaphorically to inhabited territory, nation, and cosmic order under divine rule.
Open lexicon entry →What does שִׁחֵת אַרְצָה (shichet artsah) mean in the Bible?
שָׁחַת · אֶרֶץ is a Hebrew phrase meaning "waste on the ground, destroy on the earth".
Full entry for שִׁחֵת אַרְצָה (H7843, H776) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for H7843, H776?
H7843, H776 is connected to 2,652 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew phrase. waste on the ground, destroy on the earth
Source Gloss
waste on the ground, destroy on the earth
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 groups4Aligned forms62
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action42×
Imperfect2Sam 20:20 · Gen 18:28 · Gen 18:31 · Gen 18:32 · Jer 13:9 · Ruth 4:6 · Dan 8:24 · Dan 8:25 · Dan 9:26 · Mal 3:11 · Prov 11:9 · Ps 78:38 · Deut 20:19 · Deut 20:20 · Lev 19:27 · Isa 11:917×
Participle active1Chr 21:12 · 2Chr 27:2 · 2Sam 20:15 · Gen 19:13 · Gen 19:14 · Isa 1:4 · Isa 54:16 · Jer 2:30 · Jer 6:28 · Jer 22:7 · Jer 51:1 · Judg 20:42 · Prov 6:32 · Prov 28:2414×
Perfect2Chr 34:11 · Isa 37:12 · Jer 49:9 · Ps 14:1 · Ps 53:2 · Zeph 3:7 · Gen 6:127×
JussiveDeut 9:261×
Infinitive absoluteDeut 31:291×
Infinitive constructIsa 65:81×
CohortativeJer 11:191×
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action14×
PerfectDeut 9:12 · Deut 32:5 · Exod 32:7 · Jer 48:18 · Lam 2:5 · Lam 2:6 · 2Kgs 19:12 · Hos 9:9 · Jer 12:10 · Nah 2:3 · Ezek 28:17 · Isa 14:20 · Mal 2:813×
Infinitive constructGen 13:101×
Hophalcausative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action2×
Participle passiveMal 1:14 · Prov 25:262×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action3×
PerfectGen 6:12 · Jer 13:72×
ImperfectExod 8:201×
Word Origins
שִׁחֵת אַרְצָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.