English · KJV
H213

אוּץ

ʼûwts /oots/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto press; (by implication) to be close, hurry, withdraw
KJV usage(make) haste(-n, -y), labor, be narrow.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼûwts — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʼûwts, represented by H213, is a primitive root meaning to press. By implication, its meaning extends to concepts like being close, to hurry, or withdraw, and can be translated as to make haste, labor, or be narrow. It appears 10 times in 10 unique verses, often carrying a sense of urgency, pressure, or rashness.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H213 appears in several distinct contexts. It can describe a necessary and urgent command, as when the angels hastened Lot to flee the city of Sodom before its destruction Genesis 19:15. It is also used to depict oppression, where Egyptian taskmasters hasted the Israelites to fulfill their work Exodus 5:13. In the Wisdom literature, it frequently serves as a warning against rash behavior, noting that he who hasteth with his feet sinneth Proverbs 19:2. The word can also carry a physical meaning of constraint, as when Mount Ephraim was described as being too narrow for the people Joshua 17:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help illuminate the concept of haste and its consequences:

  • H2742 chărûwts (diligent): This word, meaning determined or eager, is used in direct contrast to haste. The thoughts of the diligent lead to plenteousness, while those of the hasty lead to want Proverbs 21:5.
  • H2398 châṭâʼ (to sin): Defined as to miss the mark, this word is directly linked to the negative outcome of rushing. Scripture warns that one who hasteth with his feet is one who sinneth Proverbs 19:2.
  • H4270 machçôwr (want): Meaning deficiency, poverty, or lack, this term describes the end result of misguided haste. The one who is hasty is warned that his path leads only to want Proverbs 21:5.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H213 is primarily cautionary. It underscores a biblical ethic that values diligence and deliberation over rashness.

  • Haste and Sin: The connection between acting in haste and sinning is a recurring theme. A person who is hasty in his words is considered to have less hope than a fool Proverbs 29:20, and haste with one's feet leads to sin Proverbs 19:2.
  • Haste and Poverty: The pursuit of wealth with haste is condemned. The man who maketh haste to be rich will not be innocent Proverbs 28:20, and the actions of the hasty ultimately lead to poverty and want Proverbs 21:5.
  • Righteous Deliberation: The word is used to show proper conduct in serving God. Jeremiah declares that he has not hastened from being a pastor who follows God, indicating that a measured, faithful pace is superior to anxious rushing Jeremiah 17:16.

Summary

In summary, H213 is a dynamic word that encompasses both literal pressure and the moral consequences of haste. While it can describe righteous urgency, as with the angels rescuing Lot, its most prominent use is as a warning. It contrasts the destructive outcomes of being hasty in speech, action, and ambition with the rewards of diligence and faithfulness, illustrating a key principle of biblical wisdom: that thoughtful, deliberate living is preferable to a life of rash impulse.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 10 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • אָץ
  • אָץ
  • יָּאִיצוּ
  • תָּאִיצוּ
  • אָצִים
  • אַצְתִּי

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H2742 חֲרוּץ or חָרֻץ; passive participle of חָרַץ; properly, incised or (active) incisive; hence (as noun masculine or feminine) a t H2398 חָטָא a primitive root; properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, H4270 מַחְסוֹר or מַחְסֹר; from חָסֵר; deficiency; hence, impoverishment; lack, need, penury, poor, poverty, want.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 10 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs (4 verses); never once in the other 33.

1
Genesis
1
Exodus
2
Joshua
4
Proverbs
1
Isaiah
1
Jeremiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.