English · KJV
H5502

סָחַף

çâchaph /saw-khaf'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto scrape off
KJV usagesweep (away).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çâchaph — 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 çâchaph, represented by H5502, is a primitive root meaning to scrape off; sweep (away). It is a rare term, appearing only 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. Its usage consistently conveys a sense of complete and forceful removal, either through divine action or as a powerful natural metaphor for destruction.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H5502 is used to illustrate an overwhelming and irresistible force. In the book of Jeremiah, the word describes the fate of valiant men who are swept away because they could not stand when the LORD drove them Jeremiah 46:15. In Proverbs, it is used metaphorically to compare a poor man who oppresses other poor people to a sweeping rain that washes away all food, resulting in total devastation Proverbs 28:3.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words are used in direct context with H5502, helping to clarify its meaning:

  • H1920 hâdaph (to push away or down; cast away (out), drive, expel, thrust (away)): This is the direct action that leads to the result of H5502 in Jeremiah 46:15, where the LORD's "driving" of the valiant men causes them to be "swept away."
  • H6231 ʻâshaq (to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflow): This is the human action in Proverbs 28:3 that is likened to a "sweeping" force, connecting social injustice to complete ruin.
  • H4306 mâṭar (rain): This word provides the imagery in Proverbs 28:3, where the destructive power of a sweeping H5502 rain H4306 is used to describe the effect of oppression.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H5502 lies in its depiction of absolute power and consequence.

  • Divine Judgment: The word is used to show the result of God's active judgment. The valiant men in Jeremiah 46:15 are not merely defeated; they are swept away as a direct consequence of the LORD driving them, highlighting His sovereign power over human strength.
  • Destructive Force: The metaphor in Proverbs 28:3 frames oppression as a catastrophic event akin to a natural disaster. A sweeping rain that "leaveth no food" illustrates that such injustice is not just harmful but utterly ruinous, wiping out the very means of survival.

Summary

In summary, H5502 çâchaph, though rare, provides a potent image of total removal. It is used to describe both the effect of God's direct judgment against the mighty Jeremiah 46:15 and the ruinous consequences of human oppression, which is likened to a devastating natural force Proverbs 28:3. The word powerfully conveys an irresistible action that leaves nothing behind.

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.

  • נִסְחַף
  • סֹחֵף

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.

H1920 הָדַף a primitive root; to push away or down; cast away (out), drive, expel, thrust (away). H6231 עָשַׁק a primitive root (compare עָשַׂק); to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflow; get deceitfully, deceive, de H4306 מָטַר from מָטַר; rain; rain.

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 Proverbs and Jeremiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Proverbs
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.