חָצָה (cha.tsah)
cha.tsah
to divide
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb chātsâh carries the basic meaning of dividing or cutting something in two. It appears ten times in the Old Testament, with significant occurrences in Numbers, Judges, and II Kings. The word describes a physical separation, often implying a decisive act of splitting an object or person into distinct parts.
A notable usage occurs when describing the division of life itself. In Psalm 39:5, the psalmist reflects on human mortality by stating that God has made his days "a handful" and that his lifetime is as nothing before God, using a form related to this root to suggest a shortness or cutting off of time. This highlights the word’s capacity to describe not just physical objects but the finite nature of existence.
The term can also refer to cutting something short or halving it. In Judges 19:29, a Levite dismembers his concubine by dividing her body into twelve pieces, an act meant to send a shocking message throughout Israel. This grim example illustrates the word’s potential for violent division, though its primary sense remains simply the act of splitting or separating.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chatsah describes a decisive act of dividing or splitting something into parts. It appears in moments where order is established from chaos, such as when Elijah and Elisha part the waters of the Jordan. These accounts remind us that God has the power to create clear paths through impossible obstacles. When life feels overwhelming, this imagery offers hope that barriers can be removed.
Yet the word also appears in darker contexts, describing how bodies or kingdoms are split apart. In Judges, it marks a time of deep social fracture and violence. This reminds us that division is not always a blessing; sometimes it reflects human brokenness. We see here that while God can divide waters for good, He also allows consequences when people tear communities apart.
Ultimately, this word invites reflection on how we handle separation in our own lives. Do we seek to unite or to split? The biblical narrative shows that true peace comes not from forcing unity, but from trusting God’s guidance through whatever divides us. His presence remains constant, even when circumstances are fragmented.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they were divided2×
- and/ he divided2×
- they will divide/ !1×
- it reaches1×
- he had divided1×
- and/ you will divide1×
- and/ they will divide1×
- and/ it will be divided1×
- and/ he divided/ them1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יֶֽחֱצֽוּ/ן\׃1×
- יֶֽחֱצֶ֔ה1×
- חָצָ֣ה1×
- וַֽ/יֶּחֱצֵ/ם֙1×
- וַ/יַּ֣חַץ1×
- וַ/יַּ֛חַץ1×
- וַ/יֵּחָצ֖וּ1×
- וַ/יֵּֽחָצוּ֙1×
- וְ/תֵחָ֕ץ1×
- וְ/חָצִ֙יתָ֙1×
- וְ/חָצ֣וּ1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 2:8
Elijah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the waters; and they were divided here and there, so that they both went over on dry ground.
This verse shows the word used positively as Elijah parts the Jordan River, demonstrating God's power to create a dry path through water.
-
Genesis 33:1
Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two servants.
Jacob divides his family into groups to approach Esau, showing the word applied to strategic human organization rather than physical destruction.
-
Numbers 31:27
and divide the plunder into two parts: between the men skilled in war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation.
The plunder is divided between warriors and the congregation, highlighting the word’s role in establishing justice and fair distribution after battle.