שָׁסַס (sha.sas)
sha.sas
to plunder
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb shasas means to plunder or strip an enemy of their goods. It describes the violent act of taking what belongs to another, often in the context of war or raiding. The sources note five occurrences in the Old Testament, with significant appearances in Judges, Jeremiah, and Zechariah.
It appears in both active and passive forms. In the Qal stem, it means to plunder actively, while the Niphal indicates that someone has been rifled or stripped bare. This distinction allows translators to capture whether the subject is the aggressor or the victim of the theft. For instance, Jeremiah uses this language to describe the devastation of Jerusalem, where the city itself becomes the object of plunder.
The word carries a heavy theological weight in prophetic literature. It often signals divine judgment, where God allows nations to be stripped of their wealth as a consequence of their actions. In Zechariah, it points to future restoration, contrasting the current state of being plundered with a coming time of security. The term is concrete and harsh, leaving no ambiguity about the loss involved.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for 'plunder' in Hebrew paints a stark picture of loss. It describes the violent stripping away of what belongs to another, often leaving the victim bare and helpless. In the Old Testament, this is not just theft; it is total devastation. When prophets used this term, they were describing the collapse of security and the shattering of trust. It reminds us that human strength is fragile when we turn away from God.
Yet, the biblical narrative does not end in ruin. The same God who allows judgment also promises restoration. In Zechariah, the hope is that one day the people will no longer be prey. Instead, they will dwell securely. This word teaches us to place our ultimate security not in wealth or walls, but in the Lord. He is the only fortress that cannot be raided.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they plundered2×
- they will be plundered1×
- and/ they will be plundered1×
- [those who] plunder/ you1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יָּשֹׁ֖סּוּ2×
- שֹׁאסַ֙יִ/ךְ֙1×
- יִשַּׁ֙סּוּ֙1×
- וְ/נָשַׁ֙סּוּ֙1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 2:14
Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
This verse shows the consequence of Israel's disobedience, where God hands them over to raiders who plunder them as a direct result of their covenant failure.
-
Jeremiah 30:16
Therefore all those who devour you will be devoured. All your adversaries, everyone of them, will go into captivity. Those who plunder you will be plunder. I will make all who prey on you become prey.
Here the word is used in a promise of reversal, assuring that those who currently plunder Israel will themselves become prey to divine justice.
-
Zechariah 14:2
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city will be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go out into captivity, and the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.
This passage describes the future siege of Jerusalem where houses are rifled, setting the stage for God's ultimate intervention and restoration of His people.