English · KJV
H7376

רָטָשׁ

râṭâsh /raw-tash'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto dash down
KJV usagedash (in pieces).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of râṭâsh — 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 râṭâsh, represented by H7376, is a primitive root meaning to dash down or dash in pieces. It appears 7 times across 6 unique verses, and its usage is exclusively linked to acts of extreme violence, particularly in the context of war and divine judgment.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H7376 consistently depicts one of the most brutal outcomes of military conquest. It is used in prophecies of judgment to describe the fate of the most vulnerable. For example, as a consequence of Samaria's rebellion, the prophet declares, "their infants shall be dashed in pieces" Hosea 13:16. Similarly, the prophet Elisha weeps because he knows that Hazael will "dash their children" during his brutal campaign against Israel 2 Kings 8:12. The word is also used to describe the fall of a city where "her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets" Nahum 3:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words appear alongside H7376, underscoring the severity of the destruction being described:

  • H1234 bâqaʻ (rip up): This verb, meaning to "rend, break, rip or open," is often paired directly with râṭâsh. In prophecies against both Israel and Samaria, the text states that children will be dashed to pieces and pregnant women will be "ripped up" (2 Kings 8:12, Hosea 13:16).
  • H2026 hârag (slay): This root means "to smite with deadly intent" or to kill and murder. It appears in the same prophecy where Hazael is foretold to dash Israel's children and also "slay their young men with the sword" 2 Kings 8:12.
  • H7703 shâdad (spoil, destroy): Meaning to ravage or lay waste, this word appears in Hosea 10:14, where fortresses are "spoiled" in the same context that a "mother was dashed in pieces upon her children."

Theological Significance

The theological and literary weight of H7376 is found in its specific and horrifying imagery:

  • Symbol of Total Destruction: The act of dashing children to pieces represents the complete annihilation of an enemy. It is a judgment that extinguishes future generations, as seen in the prophecy against Babylon, where invaders "shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb" Isaiah 13:18.
  • The Consequence of Rebellion: The use of the word is explicitly tied to divine retribution. The judgment on Samaria, including dashing its infants, is delivered "for she hath rebelled against her God" Hosea 13:16.
  • The Brutality of Conquest: The word portrays the unsparing reality of ancient warfare. In addition to children being dashed to pieces, the surrounding text describes houses being spoiled and wives being ravished, painting a picture of complete and violent subjugation Isaiah 13:16.

Summary

In summary, H7376 is a powerful and specific term used to convey utter devastation. While used sparingly, its meaning "to dash in pieces" is consistently applied to the most shocking acts of violence in war. It serves as a stark depiction of the terrible consequences of military defeat and a graphic symbol of total divine judgment that cuts off a people's lineage and future.

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 6 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Pual Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 3×
  • Piel Imperfect 2nd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Piel Imperfect 3rd Plural Feminine 1×
  • Pual Perfect 3rd Singular Feminine 1×
Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine
Feminine grammatical gender.
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.
Piel
The intensive stem — strengthened or emphatic action.
Pual
The passive of the intensive (Piel) stem.

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.

H1234 בָּקַע a primitive root; to cleave; generally, to rend, break, rip or open; make a breach, break forth (into, out, in pieces, t H2026 הָרַג a primitive root; to smite with deadly intent; destroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter) H7703 שָׁדַד a primitive root; properly, to be burly, i.e. (figuratively) powerful (passively, impregnable); by implication, to ravag

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 6 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah and Hosea (2 verses each); never once in the other 35.

1
2 Kings
2
Isaiah
2
Hosea
1
Nahum

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.