Word Study for H3683 (כָּסַח)

kâçach /kaw-sakh'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto cut off

KJV usagecut down (up).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of kâçach — 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 kâçach, represented by H3683, is a primitive root meaning to cut off or cut down (up). It is a rare term, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses, but it conveys a powerful image of complete and final destruction.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical appearances, H3683 is consistently associated with judgment and eradication. In Psalms, it describes something that is not only burned with fire but also cut down, leading to the subjects perishing at God's rebuke Psalms 80:16. Isaiah uses the word in a vivid simile of judgment, where people will be like thorns that are cut up to be burned in the fire, signifying their complete and swift destruction Isaiah 33:12.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of destruction surrounding H3683:

H784 'êsh (fire): This word for fire appears in both verses alongside H3683, highlighting that being "cut down" is a prelude to total consumption by burning (Psalms 80:16, Isaiah 33:12).
H6975 qôwts (thorn): In Isaiah's prophecy, people under judgment are compared to thorns that are "cut up." This object illustrates worthlessness and something fit only for removal and destruction Isaiah 33:12.
H1606 gᵉʻârâh (rebuke): This term points to the cause of the destruction. In Psalms, it is the rebuke of God's countenance that causes those who are "cut down" to perish, linking the physical act to divine judgment Psalms 80:16.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3683 is concentrated in its imagery of divine judgment.

Final Eradication: The act of being "cut down" or "cut up" is not for pruning or correction, but for complete removal. When paired with fire, it symbolizes an irreversible and total end Isaiah 33:12.
Consequence of Divine Rebuke: The word is used to describe the tangible result of God's disfavor. To be "cut down" is to experience the active consequence of God's powerful rebuke Psalms 80:16.
Symbol of Worthlessness: By comparing the judged to thorns that are cut up for burning, the scripture conveys an image of something that has become fruitless, obstructive, and ultimately deserving of being cleared away Isaiah 33:12.

Summary

In summary, H3683 kâçach is a concise and potent term for destructive action. Though used only twice, it powerfully illustrates the concept of being cut off as an act of final judgment. Its association with fire, thorns, and divine rebuke establishes it as a word signifying not just defeat, but utter and final eradication from a state of worthlessness.

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 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

כְּסוּחִים
כְּסוּחָה

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Psalms

Isaiah

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.