### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **baz**, represented by `{{H957}}`, describes **plunder**, **booty**, or **prey**. It is derived from the root verb `{{H962}}` **bâzaz**, which means to plunder. Occurring 25 times in 25 unique verses, this term signifies goods or people taken in conflict, often as a result of divine judgment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical contexts, `{{H957}}` is frequently used to describe the consequences of sin and the execution of God's judgment. God warns that He will forsake the remnant of His inheritance, causing them to become a **prey** and a spoil to their enemies [[2 Kings 21:14]]. This theme is echoed when Israel is described as a people robbed and spoiled, made a **prey** with none to deliver them [[Isaiah 42:22]]. The term is not limited to Israel; foreign nations are also designated as **prey**. For example, the Lord GOD gives the land of Egypt to Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon to take as **prey** for his army [[Ezekiel 29:19]]. Conversely, the word is used by the Israelites to express their fear of becoming plunder, such as when they worried their children would become a **prey** in the wilderness [[Numbers 14:3]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify and expand upon the concept of plunder and being spoiled:
* `{{H962}}` **bâzaz** (to plunder): As the primitive root of `{{H957}}`, this verb denotes the direct action of plundering or taking prey. It is the act that results in something becoming **baz**. It is used to describe those who **prey** upon God's people [[Jeremiah 30:16]].
* `{{H7998}}` **shâlâl** (booty, prey, spoil): This noun is a close synonym and is often used in parallel with `{{H957}}`. God gives a charge to take the **spoil** (shâlâl) and to take the **prey** (baz) [[Isaiah 10:6]].
* `{{H4933}}` **mᵉshiççâh** (plunder, booty, spoil): Another term for spoil, this word is used alongside `{{H957}}` to emphasize the totality of the plundering. Israel is described as being for a **prey** (baz) and for a **spoil** (mᵉshiççâh) [[Isaiah 42:22]].
* `{{H897}}` **bag** (food, spoil): This Persian word is used in the margin for `{{H957}}` in [[Ezekiel 25:7]], where God delivers a nation for a **spoil** to the heathen, linking the idea of plunder to sustenance for the conquerors.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H957}}` is demonstrated through its use as a metaphor for divine justice and sovereignty.
* **A Consequence of Judgment:** Becoming **prey** is a direct result of disobedience and wickedness. God gives His people over to their enemies [[2 Kings 21:14]] and delivers the wicked of the earth into the hands of strangers for a **prey** [[Ezekiel 7:21]]. The Lord also gives lands as a **prey** because of the `despiteful minds` of those who take them [[Ezekiel 36:5]].
* **An Instrument of Divine Will:** The Lord uses nations to carry out His judgment, allowing them to take others as **prey**. This is seen when He gives a charge against a `hypocritical nation` to take the **prey** [[Isaiah 10:6]] and when the plunder of Egypt serves as `wages` for Nebuchadrezzar's army [[Ezekiel 29:19]].
* **A Promise of Restoration and Protection:** God promises to reverse the fortunes of His people, declaring that those who prey upon them will themselves become a **prey** [[Jeremiah 30:16]]. He also pledges to rescue His flock, ensuring they will no more be a **prey** to the heathen or beasts of the field ([[Ezekiel 34:22]], [[Ezekiel 34:28]]).
### Summary
In summary, `{{H957}}` moves beyond a simple definition of battlefield plunder. It functions as a powerful theological symbol illustrating the tangible consequences of sin, the execution of God's sovereign judgment upon nations, and His ultimate promise of deliverance and restoration for His people. The word demonstrates how physical defeat and being made a **prey** can be both a tool of divine discipline and a state from which God will ultimately save His flock.
TRV