H6340

פָּזַר

pâzar /paw-zar'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto scatter, whether in enmity or bounty
KJV usagedisperse, scatter (abroad).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of pâzar — 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 pâzar, represented by H6340, is a primitive root meaning to scatter, whether in enmity or bounty. It appears 10 times across 10 unique verses in the Bible, signifying actions of dispersion that can result in either blessing, judgment, or a description of a people's state.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H6340 carries a distinct dual meaning. In a negative context, it depicts judgment and exile. Jeremiah describes Israel as a "scattered sheep" Jeremiah 50:17, and God promises to plead with the nations who have "scattered" His people Joel 3:2. Haman uses this term to describe the Jewish people as "scattered abroad" Esther 3:8. Conversely, the word can signify righteous generosity. Proverbs states there is one who "scattereth, and yet increaseth" Proverbs 11:24, and the righteous man is praised because he has "dispersed, he hath given to the poor" Psalms 112:9. The term also illustrates God's power over nature, as he "scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes" Psalms 147:16.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of scattering by providing synonyms and antonyms:

  • H6504 pârad (to break through, i.e. spread or separate (oneself)): This synonym is used with pâzar to emphasize the state of being separated. Haman describes the people of Israel as "scattered abroad and dispersed" throughout the kingdom Esther 3:8.
  • H2820 châsak (to restrain or (reflex.) refrain; by implication, to refuse, spare, preserve): This word functions as an opposite. It is contrasted with pâzar in Proverbs, which notes that one who "scattereth" increases, while one who "withholdeth" what is meet tends to poverty Proverbs 11:24.
  • H6908 qâbats (to grasp, i.e. collect): As a direct antonym, this word describes the divine reversal of scattering. In the same passage where God condemns nations for having "scattered" Israel, He promises to "gather all nations" for judgment Joel 3:2.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6340 is seen in several recurring themes:

  • Generosity and Blessing: The act of scattering is tied to righteous charity. The man who has "dispersed" to the poor has a righteousness that "endureth for ever" Psalms 112:9. This principle of productive generosity is also seen where one who "scattereth" is the one who "increaseth" Proverbs 11:24.
  • Divine Judgment: God's power is often displayed through the scattering of His enemies. He "scattered" them with His strong arm Psalms 89:10 and "scattered the bones" of those who encamped against His people Psalms 53:5.
  • National Dispersion: The word is a key descriptor for the state of Israel in exile. The nation is depicted as a "scattered sheep" Jeremiah 50:17, and their unfaithfulness is described as having "scattered thy ways to the strangers" Jeremiah 3:13.

Summary

In summary, H6340 is a versatile term that conveys the dynamic act of dispersion. It carries a significant duality, representing both the generous scattering of bounty and the forceful scattering of judgment and exile. The term is applied to God's power over his enemies, the righteous actions of individuals, and the tragic condition of a nation dispersed from its land. Thus, pâzar illustrates how a single action can encompass profound truths about divine justice, human righteousness, and national destiny.

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 9 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Piel Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Niphal Perfect 3rd Plural common gender 1×
  • Piel Consecutive Imperfect 2nd Singular Feminine 1×
  • Piel Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Piel Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 1×
  • Piel Perfect 2nd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Piel Perfect 3rd Plural common gender 1×
  • Pual Participle Passive Singular Masculine Absolute 1×
  • Qal Participle Passive Singular Feminine Absolute 1×
Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine
Feminine grammatical gender.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
2nd
Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Passive
The subject is acted upon.
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Qal
The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Niphal
Simple passive or reflexive of the Qal.
Piel
The intensive stem — strengthened or emphatic action.
Pual
The passive of the intensive (Piel) stem.
Consecutive Imperfect
Imperfect with vav — carries narrative forward ("and he…").
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).

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.

H6504 פָּרַד a primitive root; to break through, i.e. spread or separate (oneself); disperse, divide, be out of joint, part, scatter H2820 חָשַׂךְ a primitive root; also interchangeable with חָשַׁךְ; to restrain or (reflex.) refrain; by implication, to refuse, spare H6908 קָבַץ a primitive root; to grasp, i.e. collect; assemble (selves), gather (bring) (together, selves together, up), heap, resor

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 5 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (5 verses); never once in the other 34.

1
Esther
5
Psalms
1
Proverbs
2
Jeremiah
1
Joel

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, 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.