עָצַב (a.tsav)
a.tsav
to hurt; to shape
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 15 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb atsav carries two distinct meanings that seem unrelated in English but share a concept of pressure or force. In its most common sense, it means to hurt, pain, or grieve. This usage appears frequently in Genesis and Isaiah, describing physical injury or deep emotional distress. For instance, the text notes when a father has not pained his son, or when people vex God’s spirit through their actions.
The second meaning is to shape, fashion, or form. This sense is prominent in creation narratives where hands are described as shaping clay or forming life. The connection lies in the idea of working something into a specific state, whether that involves molding material or inflicting pain upon it. Translators must carefully choose between "hurt" and "form" based on the context of each verse.
This duality highlights how ancient Hebrew thought linked creation with impact. To shape something requires force, just as causing pain leaves a mark. The word appears in key passages like Genesis 2:7, where God forms man from the dust, and Isaiah 43:1, where He calls each by name. Recognizing both senses helps readers see the full weight of the text without assuming a single narrow definition.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word atsav captures a profound duality in Scripture: it describes both the pain of being hurt and the careful work of being shaped. When Genesis tells us God formed man from the dust, it uses this verb to show that creation is an intentional act of molding. Yet the same word appears when hearts are broken by grief or when actions cause sorrow. This connection reminds us that the same God who shapes us also understands our pain intimately.
In your own life, this means you are not just a passive recipient of circumstances. You are being formed with purpose, even when the process feels difficult. The Bible encourages you to find strength in joy rather than despair, as seen in Nehemiah’s call to the people. Your value comes from the One who made you, and your struggles do not erase that design.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 15 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you be grieved3×
- to/ form image/ her1×
- to hurt/ me1×
- they grieved/ him1×
- they formed/ me1×
- he will be hurt1×
- he was grieved1×
- he should be grieved1×
- he had rebuked/ him1×
- and/ they were indignant1×
- and/ they grieved1×
- and/ he was pained1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תֵּעָצֵֽבוּ\׃1×
- תֵּעָ֣צְב֗וּ1×
- תֵּ֣עָצֵ֔בוּ1×
- עָצְבִּ֑/י1×
- עִ֭צְּבוּ/נִי1×
- עֲצָב֨/וֹ1×
- נֶעְצַב֙1×
- לְ/הַ֣עֲצִבָ֔/ה1×
- יַ֝עֲצִיב֗וּ/הוּ1×
- יֵעָצֵ֖ב1×
- יֵֽעָצֵ֑ב1×
- וַ/עֲצ֥וּבַת1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 6:6
Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
This verse shows God’s deep emotional response to human sin, using atsav to describe divine grief rather than just physical pain.
-
Job 10:8
“‘Your hands have framed me and fashioned me altogether, yet you destroy me.
Here the word highlights the tension between God’s creative power in forming Job and the suffering he currently endures.
-
Nehemiah 8:10
Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.”
This occurrence provides a key theological insight, linking joy directly to strength and contrasting it with the weakness of grief.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word atsav mean?
Why does the same word mean both pain and creation?
How is atsav different from other words for grief?
Every Occurrence (15 verses across 10 books)
Genesis 3 verses
Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
Genesis 34:7The sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. The men were grieved, and they were very angry, because he…
Genesis 45:5Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.