The Hebrew word bag, represented by H897, is a Persian word defined as food or spoil. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verses in the Bible. Its definition is noted as being from the margin for a related word, baz H957, directly linking it to the concept of plunder, prey, and booty.
The singular appearance of H897 is in Ezekiel 25:7, within a powerful declaration of divine judgment. In this verse, the LORD proclaims He will stretch out H5186 His hand H3027 and deliver H5414 a people "for a spoil to the heathen" Ezekiel 25:7. The word is used in conjunction with H957 baz, reinforcing its meaning as plunder seized in an act of conquest. The context is one of complete destruction, where the people will be cut off H3772, perish H6, and be destroyed H8045, so that they will know H3045 that He is the LORD H3068.
Several related words from its context clarify the meaning of being made into spoil:
- H957 baz (plunder; booty, prey, spoil(-ed)): This word is explicitly linked to H897 and reinforces its meaning. God uses the concept of plunder to describe judgment, warning that those who prey upon others will themselves be given for a prey Jeremiah 30:16.
- H5414 nâthan (to give, used with greatest latitude of application): This verb describes the action that results in a people becoming spoil. As an act of judgment, God can deliver His people into the hand of their enemies, where they become a prey and a spoil 2 Kings 21:14.
- H6 ʼâbad (properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)): This word describes the ultimate fate of those given as spoil. To be made into plunder is to be set on a path to perish from the land Deuteronomy 4:26.
The theological weight of H897 is centered on the theme of divine judgment.
- Divine Sovereignty: The use of bag in Ezekiel 25:7 emphasizes God's absolute authority over nations. He is the one who actively delivers a people to be plundered, an action intended to make His power known Ezekiel 25:7.
- Consequence of Judgment: To become spoil is not a random event but a direct consequence of God's wrath. The surrounding terms of being cut off H3772, perishing H6, and being destroyed H8045 frame it as a severe and final punishment.
- The Instrumentality of Nations: God delivers the condemned people "to the heathen" H1471, highlighting a recurring biblical theme where He uses one nation to carry out judgment on another Ezekiel 25:7. God can give a charge to one nation to take the spoil and prey from another Isaiah 10:6.
In summary, H897, bag, is a rare but potent term for spoil. Its single occurrence within a prophecy of judgment in Ezekiel 25:7 defines its role as a descriptor of divine punishment. It illustrates the biblical concept of a nation being delivered by God into the hands of its enemies as a consequence of disobedience. Ultimately, bag encapsulates the totality of a nation's defeat and loss when subjected to the sovereign judgment of the LORD.
TRV