English · KJV
H8156

שָׁסַע

shâçaʻ /shaw-sah'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto split or tear; figuratively, to upbraid
KJV usagecleave, (be) cloven (footed), rend, stay.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shâçaʻ — 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 shâçaʻ, represented by H8156, is a primitive root meaning to split or tear. It appears 9 times across 8 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning ranges from the literal cleaving of an animal's hoof or a sacrificial bird to the figurative act of restraining or upbraiding someone.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical law and narrative, H8156 is used in several distinct contexts. Its most frequent application is in the dietary laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, where being "clovenfooted" H8156 is a key characteristic of animals considered clean to eat Leviticus 11:3. The word also describes a specific action in sacrificial ritual, where a priest is instructed to cleave H8156 a bird offering without completely dividing it Leviticus 1:17. In a demonstration of supernatural power, Samson rent H8156 a lion Judges 14:6, while in a figurative sense, David stayed H8156 his servants with words, tearing them away from their intent to harm Saul 1 Samuel 24:7.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of splitting and dividing:

  • H8157 sheçaʻ (a fissure; cleft, clovenfooted): This noun is derived from H8156 and is often used alongside it to describe the "cleft" or state of being clovenfooted that marks a clean animal Deuteronomy 14:6.
  • H6536 pâraç (to break in pieces... split, distribute): Used in the dietary laws to describe an animal that "divideth" the hoof, this action is a prerequisite for being "clovenfooted" H8156 Leviticus 11:7.
  • H6541 parṣâh (a claw or split hoof): This noun is the object being acted upon by H8156, identifying the "hoof" that must be split for an animal to be ritually clean Deuteronomy 14:7.
  • H914 bâdal (to divide... separate): This word provides a crucial contrast in the sacrificial law, where a bird is to be cleaved H8156 but explicitly not "divided asunder" H914, indicating a partial split rather than a full separation Leviticus 1:17.

Theological Significance

The theological and figurative weight of H8156 is significant.

  • Ritual Distinction: The act of being "clovenfooted" H8156 serves as a physical marker ordained by God to distinguish the clean from the unclean, embedding a principle of separation and holiness into the daily life of Israel Leviticus 11:3.
  • Controlled Worship: The command to cleave H8156 a sacrifice without fully dividing it underscores the precision and obedience required in acts of worship, where following God's exact instruction is paramount Leviticus 1:17.
  • Decisive Strength: The word conveys immense power, whether it is the physical strength granted by God to Samson to rend a lion Judges 14:6 or the moral strength of David to stay his men from sin 1 Samuel 24:7.

Summary

In summary, H8156 is a powerful verb that moves beyond a simple definition of splitting. It is fundamental to the biblical laws of kashrut, provides specific instructions for sacrifice, and vividly illustrates acts of both physical and moral force. The usage of shâçaʻ demonstrates how a single, concrete action can carry profound legal, spiritual, and ethical significance within the biblical text.

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 and a noun across 10 occurrences, inflected in 8 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.

  • יְשַׁסְּעֵ
  • שֹׁסַעַת
  • שִׁסַּע
  • שַׁסַּע
  • שְּׁסוּעָה
  • שֹׁסַעַת
  • שֹׁסַע
  • שֶׁסַע

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.

H8157 שֶׁסַע from שָׁסַע; a fissure; cleft, clovenfooted. H6536 פָּרַס a primitive root; to break in pieces, i.e. (usually without violence) to split, distribute; deal, divide, have hoofs, pa H6541 פַּרְסָה feminine of פֶּרֶס; a claw or split hoof; claw, (cloven-) footed, hoof. H914 בָּדַל a primitive root; to divide (in variation senses literally or figuratively, separate, distinguish, differ, select, etc.)

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 8 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Leviticus (4 verses); never once in the other 35.

4
Leviticus
2
Deuteronomy
1
Judges
1
1 Samuel

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.