סוּחָה (su.chah)
su.chah
offal
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun suḥah refers to offal, specifically the entrails or internal organs of an animal that have been removed during butchering. It denotes the waste products of slaughter rather than meat intended for consumption. This term appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Isaiah 5:25.
In this single occurrence, the word is used as part of a vivid metaphor describing divine judgment. The prophet depicts God’s anger burning against his people like fire that consumes dry stubble, with their roots turning to rot and their branches becoming like smoke. The text states that their remains are scattered like offal, emphasizing total destruction and worthlessness.
The choice of this specific term highlights the completeness of the devastation. Just as offal is discarded after an animal is killed, the people’s fate is portrayed as something cast aside and decayed. This concrete imagery reinforces the severity of the warning in Isaiah, where the covenant relationship has broken down so thoroughly that the people are reduced to refuse.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word suḥah describes the discarded entrails left after an animal is slaughtered. It represents what is considered waste, something cast aside and without value to those who eat from the sacrifice. In Isaiah 5:25, this term paints a stark picture of judgment. The prophet uses this image to show how completely God’s anger has broken down the people’s standing. Their fate is not just defeat, but total disregard, like refuse left in the street.
While this imagery is heavy, it highlights the seriousness of breaking covenant with God. It reminds us that our relationship with Him is precious and should not be treated lightly. The depth of the warning underscores how much God values faithfulness. We are called to live in a way that honors that bond, knowing that He desires connection rather than distance.
This word invites reflection on how we value what God has given us. It challenges us to consider if we treat our spiritual life as something cherished or something neglected. The hope lies in returning to Him, restoring the relationship that keeps us close to His heart and purpose for our lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- like <the>/ offal1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כַּ/סּוּחָ֖ה1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 5:25
Therefore Yahweh’s anger burns against his people, and he has stretched out his hand against them and has struck them. The mountains tremble, and their dead bodies are as refuse in the middle of the streets. For all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is still stretched out.
This verse uses the term to depict the scattered remains of the people as worthless refuse, emphasizing the totality of divine judgment.