### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **kâthath**, represented by `{{H3807}}`, is a primitive root that signifies a violent or destructive impact. It appears **17 times** across **17 unique verses** in the Bible. Its core meaning is to bruise or violently strike, with applications that include to **beat** (down, to pieces), **break in pieces**, **crushed**, **destroy**, **discomfit**, **smite**, and **stamp**.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{H3807}}` is frequently used to describe acts of complete destruction, particularly in the context of divine judgment or purification. It depicts the physical annihilation of idols, such as when King Hezekiah **brake in pieces** the bronze serpent [[2 Kings 18:4]] or when the graven images of Samaria were to be **beaten to pieces** [[Micah 1:7]]. The word also portrays military defeat and ruin, as when the Amorites **destroyed** Israel in Seir [[Deuteronomy 1:44]] or when the LORD's enemies are **beaten down** [[Jeremiah 46:5]]. Conversely, in a powerful prophetic image of future peace, Isaiah and Micah describe a time when nations will **beat** their swords into plowshares ([[Isaiah 2:4]]; [[Micah 4:3]]). This is inverted in Joel, where a call to war commands the people to **Beat** your plowshares into swords [[Joel 3:10]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words further illustrate the concept of breaking, striking, and destroying:
* `{{H5422}}` **nâthats** (to tear down): This word often appears alongside `{{H3807}}`, emphasizing the demolition of idolatrous structures. In [[2 Chronicles 34:7]], King Josiah had **broken down** the altars before he had **beaten** the graven images into powder.
* `{{H2912}}` **ṭâchan** (to grind meal): This term highlights the process of reducing something to dust. It is used in parallel with `{{H3807}}` when Moses took the golden calf, **stamped** it, and **ground** it until it was as small as dust [[Deuteronomy 9:21]].
* `{{H7665}}` **shâbar** (to burst, break in pieces): This word often describes the shattering of objects or power. The dossier notes its use to describe how the arms of the wicked shall be **broken** [[Psalms 37:17]].
* `{{H5221}}` **nâkâh** (to strike, smite): A broader term for striking, it is used in the context of divine judgment, as when God promises to **smite** the earth with a curse [[Malachi 4:6]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H3807}}` is demonstrated in several key themes:
* **Purification through Destruction:** The act of beating idols into powder or dust is not merely destruction but a radical form of purification, removing the object of false worship from the land ([[2 Chronicles 34:7]], [[Deuteronomy 9:21]]).
* **Consequence of Sin:** The word is used to depict the consequences of disobedience, both for Israel when they are **discomfited** by their enemies [[Numbers 14:45]] and for enemy nations facing divine judgment [[Jeremiah 46:5]].
* **Eschatological Reversal:** `{{H3807}}` is central to the prophetic vision of God’s ultimate reign. The act of "beating" is transformed from an instrument of war into an act of peace, turning swords into farming tools [[Isaiah 2:4]]. This highlights a future where God’s judgment brings about a complete reversal of the world's violent order.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3807}}` **kâthath** is a powerful word that conveys violent, shattering force. It is used literally to describe the pulverizing of idols and the defeat of armies, and prophetically to illustrate the final transformation of a world at war into a kingdom of peace. The word demonstrates how a single act of "beating" can represent both the severity of divine judgment against sin and the hope of ultimate redemption.
TRV