### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew root `{{H5500}}` (çâchâh) is a primitive verb whose core meaning centers on the action of forceful removal, clearing, or scraping. It conveys the sense of sweeping something away thoroughly, often to the extent of leaving a surface bare or empty. Its semantic range includes "to sweep away," "to scrape," "to wipe clean," and "to denude." The implication is one of complete and decisive action, leaving nothing behind.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The verb `{{H5500}}` (çâchâh) appears only once in the Masoretic Text, in the Niphal participle, within a powerful prophetic declaration of divine judgment.
* **[[2 Kings 21:13]]**: "And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down."
In this singular occurrence, the Niphal participle of `{{H5500}}` is used metaphorically to describe God's impending judgment upon Jerusalem due to the egregious idolatry of King Manasseh. The phrase "wiping it and turning it upside down" (מָחִיתִי וְהָפַכְתִּי עַל־פָּנֶיהָ) employs the verb `{{H5500}}` (מָחָה - *maḥah*, the Niphal form) to create a vivid image. Just as a dish is thoroughly cleaned and then inverted to ensure it is completely empty and dry, so too would Jerusalem be emptied of its inhabitants and its former glory, left desolate and overturned. The repetition of the verb emphasizes the finality and totality of this divine act of removal, signifying not a partial cleansing but a complete emptying and reversal of its state.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **`{{H4229}}` (maḥah)**: This root, frequently translated as "to blot out," "to wipe away," or "to destroy," is semantically very close to `{{H5500}}` and appears in direct parallel with it in [[2 Kings 21:13]]. While `{{H4229}}` often implies erasure or obliteration (e.g., blotting out a name or sin), `{{H5500}}` specifically evokes the physical action of scraping or sweeping clean, leaving a bare surface. The deliberate pairing of these two verbs in the verse intensifies the image of complete and utter removal.
* **Judgment and Desolation**: The concept of divine judgment in the Old Testament frequently involves a "sweeping away" or "cleansing" of wickedness, leading to desolation. `{{H5500}}` perfectly encapsulates this aspect of divine justice, where the removal of the offending element is absolute.
* **Figurative Language of Emptiness**: Other biblical passages use various metaphors to describe the complete emptying or desolation of a land or city, such as "making it a waste" or "leaving it without inhabitant," all conveying a similar sense of thorough removal.
### Theological Significance
The singular, yet profoundly impactful, use of `{{H5500}}` in [[2 Kings 21:13]] carries significant theological weight. It underscores the severity and totality of God's judgment against persistent sin and idolatry. The metaphor of "wiping a dish" portrays divine action not merely as punitive, but as a necessary and thorough cleansing process. Jerusalem, once a sacred vessel chosen by God, had become so defiled by Manasseh's abominations that it required complete emptying and overturning. This signifies a radical reversal of its status and the removal of its contents—its people, its institutions, and its perceived security. The word highlights the absolute purity and holiness of God, who cannot indefinitely tolerate unfaithfulness within His covenant people. When the "dish" of Jerusalem became irredeemably defiled, God's response was a decisive and complete "wiping clean," even if that meant its utter desolation. It serves as a stark warning regarding the consequences of covenant breaking and the unyielding nature of divine justice.
### Summary
The Hebrew verb `{{H5500}}` (çâchâh), meaning "to sweep away" or "to scrape," is a rare but profoundly significant word in the Old Testament. Its sole occurrence in [[2 Kings 21:13]] powerfully describes God's complete and devastating judgment upon Jerusalem, likening it to the thorough wiping and inverting of a dirty dish. This vivid metaphor, used in conjunction with `{{H4229}}` ("to blot out"), emphasizes the absolute finality and totality of divine removal in response to deep-seated idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. The word powerfully conveys the severity of God's justice and His unwavering commitment to purity, even when it necessitates the complete desolation of what was once His cherished vessel.
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