Lexical Summary
puwts: scatter, disperse, spread
Original Word:פוּץ
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:puwts
Pronunciation:poots
Phonetic Spelling:(poots)
KJV: break (dash, shake) in (to) pieces, cast (abroad), disperse (selves), drive, retire, scatter (abroad), spread abroad
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to dash in pieces, literally or figuratively (especially to disperse)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
break dash, shake in to pieces, cast abroad, disperse selves, drive, scatter abroad, spread abroad
A primitive root; to dash in pieces, literally or figuratively (especially to disperse) -- break (dash, shake) in (to) pieces, cast (abroad), disperse (selves), drive, retire, scatter (abroad), spread abroad.
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. [] (Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; perhaps akin to Arabic
break asunder, scatter); —
Imperfect3masculine pluralPsalm 68:2,Ezekiel 48:16 +; 3 feminine pluralEzekiel 34:5 +,Zechariah 13:7, etc.;Imperative masculine plural1 Samuel 14:34;Participlepassive plural suffixZephaniah 3:10 (see below); —be dispersed, disperse,1 Samuel 14:34;be scattered, of enemies1 Samuel 11:11;Numbers 10:35;Psalm 68:2; of Israel (among nations) under figure of flockEzekiel 34:5 (twice in verse);Zechariah 13:7;Zephaniah 3:10 is probably corrupt, andZephaniah 3:9;Zephaniah 3:10 gloss see SchwZAW x (1890), 203 Now Da; of besieging army2 Samuel 20:22 (); people from () possessionsEzekiel 46:18; men (from Babel)Genesis 11:4 ( location).
Perfect3feminine singularJeremiah 10:21, 3pluralGenesis 10:18 +, 2 masculine pluralEzekiel 11:17 +, etc.;Participle feminine2 Samuel 18:8 Qr (> Kt ) compare Dr and others; plural1 Kings 22:17, 2Chronicles 18:16; —
be scattered, of army2 Kings 25:5 ( person) =Jeremiah 52:8;1 Kings 22:17 ( location) = 2 Chronicles 18:16 (), compareJeremiah 40:15 (absolute); of dispersed Israel with locationEzekiel 11:17;Ezekiel 20:34,41;Ezekiel 28:25, as flockJeremiah 10:21;Ezekiel 34:6 ( location),Ezekiel 34:12 (); EgyptiansEzekiel 29:13 (); of battlescattered over country by defeat2 Samuel 18:8.
be spread abroad, of peoplesGenesis 10:18.
Perfect3masculine singular consecutiveDeuteronomy 4:27 +, 1 singular consecutiveEzekiel 22:15, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularJob 37:11,Genesis 11:8 +, etc.;Imperative masculine singularJob 40:11;Infinitive constructEzekiel 20:23, etc.; —
transitivescatter:
with accusative of personGenesis 11:8,9 ( location),Isaiah 41:16;Habakkuk 3:14; withGenesis 49:7; Israel among () nationsDeuteronomy 4:27;Deuteronomy 28:64;Jeremiah 9:15;Ezekiel 11:16;Ezekiel 12:15;Ezekiel 20:23;Ezekiel 22:15;Ezekiel 36:19;Nehemiah 1:8; withDeuteronomy 30:3;Jeremiah 30:11; with locationEzekiel 34:21; absoluteJeremiah 13:24;Jeremiah 18:17, under figure of flockJeremiah 23:1,2; Gr. reads alsoDeuteronomy 32:26 (see []); Egyptians (c.)Ezekiel 29:12;Ezekiel 30:23,26; inhabitants of earthIsaiah 24:1.
with accusative of thing, arrows (figurative for lightnings)2 Samuel 22:15 =Psalm 18:15;Psalm 144:6; cloudJob 37:11;Job 40:11 (i.e. lightnings ?); seedIsaiah 28:25.
Job 18:11and drive him (si vera lectio, see conjecture in Bu).
intransitive,scatter, with locationExodus 5:12, with person1 Samuel 13:8; of windJob 38:24 ( location).
II. (Arabic
flow, compare BaES 69); —
Imperfect3masculine pluralProverbs 5:16 of springs, figurative for sources of pleasure; 3 feminine pluralZechariah 1:17my cities shall overflow with good.
[] (Arabic
break, break asunder; Nabataeanbreak asunder; Syriac
crush); —
Imperfect3masculine singularJeremiah 23:29 a hammer whichshatters rock.
Imperfect3masculine pluralHabakkuk 3:6and the eternal mountainswere shattered (elsewhere √were scattered).
Imperfect3masculine singular suffixJob 16:12he [God]dashed me in pieces (figurative).
Topical Lexicon
Overviewפוץ depicts forceful or purposeful dispersion. Across some 67 Old Testament occurrences it ranges from the global repopulation after the Flood to the exile of Israel, from the shattering of enemy armies to the generous scattering of gifts. In every setting the verb underscores God’s sovereign right both to disperse and to regather.
Post-Flood Expansion
Genesis 9:19 introduces the word in benign fashion: “From these the whole earth was populated.” Noah’s sons spread by divine design, filling the earth in obedience to the original mandate (compareGenesis 1:28). A similar note is struck inGenesis 10:18 andGenesis 10:32, where the nations are said to have been “spread abroad on the earth after the flood.”
Divine Intervention at Babel
Humanity’s attempt to consolidate its power at Shinar provoked God’s intervention: “So the LORD scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:8). The dispersion thwarted pride yet simultaneously advanced the creation mandate. Babel thus becomes the paradigmatic act of divine scattering for judgment that nevertheless furthers God’s purposes.
Covenant Blessings and Curses
1. Warnings
Deuteronomy 4:27; 28:64; 32:26: the covenant stipulates scattering among the nations as the ultimate sanction for persistent rebellion.
2. Mercy promised
Deuteronomy 30:3 records the complementary promise: God will “gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you.”
Historical Fulfilments
• Northern Kingdom:2 Kings 17:20 describes the Assyrian exile—“He delivered them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them from His presence.”
• Southern Kingdom:2 Kings 25:5—Babylon captures Zedekiah; 25:26 reports terrified survivors fleeing to Egypt, “and they went and settled there”; see alsoEzekiel 12:14–15.
These texts confirm that prophetic warnings were literally fulfilled. Yet even in judgment God preserved a remnant (Nehemiah 1:8-9).
Prophetic Promises of Regathering
Isaiah 11:12 foresees the Messiah who “will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”Jeremiah 23:3 andEzekiel 34:12 add pastoral imagery—God Himself shepherds the scattered flock.Zechariah 10:8-10 anticipates a future whistle that summons the exiles home. Scattering never has the last word; restoration completes the pattern.
Scattering of Enemies
God not only scatters His own people in discipline but also disperses hostile powers:
•Psalm 89:10 “You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.”
•Psalm 68:14 “When the Almighty scattered kings therein, it was like snow on Zalmon.”
•2 Samuel 22:43 “Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth; I crushed and stamped them like the mud of the streets.”
These military uses portray irresistible victory and vindication for the covenant people.
Wisdom and Devotional Uses
Proverbial literature adapts the verb for everyday righteousness:
•Proverbs 15:7 “The lips of the wise spread knowledge.”
•Psalm 112:9 “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
Here scattering is voluntary, generous, and life-giving—the opposite of destructive dispersion.
Metaphorical and Poetic Nuances
1. Rapidity and breadth: “As chaff…driven by the desert wind” (Jeremiah 13:24).
2. Comprehensive ruin: “The earth is utterly broken apart…The LORD scatters its inhabitants” (Isaiah 24:1).
3.Ecclesiastes 11:2 (LXX uses the cognate): wise diversification in investment echoes the positive aspect of scattering resources.
Eschatological Vision
Zechariah 14 andJoel 3 place Israel’s historical scattering within the final consummation, when nations that once dispersed Israel will themselves be judged, and God’s people will be permanently gathered to a sanctified land. Thus פוץ threads from Genesis to the prophets, moving salvation history toward ultimate restoration.
Ministry Implications
• Discipline and Hope: Pastors should present both the sobering reality of divine scattering for sin and the sure promise of regathering for repentance.
• Mission: Even punitive dispersions advanced redemptive aims by placing Israelites among the nations (cf.Esther 3:8), prefiguring the New Testament diaspora witness.
• Generosity: Believers imitate God’s own benevolent “scattering” when they freely distribute resources and truth (Psalm 112:9;Proverbs 15:7).
• Leadership:Jeremiah 23 condemns shepherds who scatter; faithful leaders guard unity and guide restoration.
Representative References
Genesis 11:8;Genesis 49:7
Exodus 5:12
Deuteronomy 28:64; 30:3
1 Samuel 13:11
2 Samuel 22:43
1 Kings 22:17
Nehemiah 1:8
Psalm 68:14;Psalm 89:10;Psalm 112:9
Proverbs 15:7
Isaiah 11:12;Isaiah 24:1
Jeremiah 23:3;Jeremiah 50:17
Ezekiel 12:14
Joel 3:2
Zechariah 7:14
Forms and Transliterations
אֲפִיצֵ֖ם אָפִ֥יץ אפיץ אפיצם בַּהֲפִיצִ֤י בהפיצי הֱפִֽיצְךָ֛ הֱפִיצָ֣ם הֲפִֽיצוֹתִ֖ים הֲפִיצוֹתֶ֛ם הֲפִצֹתֶ֤ם הֲפִצוֹתִ֣יךָ הָ֭פֵץ הפיצותים הפיצותם הפיצך הפיצם הפץ הפצותיך הפצתם וְהֵפִ֖יץ וְהֵפִ֥יץ וְהֵפִ֧יץ וְיָפֻ֙צוּ֙ וְנָפֹ֙צוּ֙ וֶהֱפִֽיצְךָ֤ וֶהֱפִיצֻ֥הוּ וַֽיְפַצְפְּצֵ֑נִי וַאֲפִיצֵ֖ם וַהֲפִֽצוֹתִים֙ וַהֲפִיצוֹתִ֤י וַהֲפִצֹתִ֤י וַהֲפִצוֹתִ֤י וַהֲפִצוֹתִ֥י וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם וַיִּתְפֹּֽצְצוּ֙ וַיָּ֥פֶץ וַיָּ֨פֶץ וַיָּפֻ֔צוּ וַיָּפֻ֥צוּ וַתְּפוּצֶ֖ינָה וַתְּפוּצֶֽינָה׃ וָאָפִ֤יץ וּמְפִצִ֛ים וּתְפִיצֵ֑ם וּתְפוּצֶ֣יןָ ואפיץ ואפיצם והפיץ והפיצהו והפיצותי והפיצך והפצותי והפצותים והפצתי ויפיצם ויפץ ויפצו ויפצפצני ויתפצצו ומפצים ונפצו ותפוצין ותפוצינה ותפוצינה׃ ותפיצם יְפֹ֥צֵֽץ יָ֝פִ֗יץ יָפ֣וּצוּ יָפֵ֖ץ יָפֻ֣צוּ יפוצו יפיץ יפץ יפצו יפצץ לְהָפִ֤יץ לַהֲפִיצֵ֑נִי להפיץ להפיצני מֵפִ֛יץ מפיץ נְפֹצִ֣ים נְפֹצֹתֶ֖ם נְפֹצוֹתֶ֖ם נְפוֹצִ֣ים נְפוֹצֹתֶ֖ם נָפ֖וּץ נָפֹ֔צוּ נָפֹ֖צֶת נָפֹ֖צוּ נָפֹ֣צוּ נָפֹ֥צוּ נָפֽוֹצָה׃ נפוץ נפוצה׃ נפוצים נפוצתם נפצו נפצותם נפצים נפצת נפצתם פֻּ֣צוּ פּוּצַ֔י פוצי פצו תְּפוּצֶ֥ינָה תָּפִ֣יץ תפוצינה תפיץ ’ă·p̄î·ṣêm ’ā·p̄îṣ ’āp̄îṣ ’ăp̄îṣêm aFitz afiTzem ba·hă·p̄î·ṣî bahafiTzi bahăp̄îṣî hā·p̄êṣ hă·p̄i·ṣō·ṯem hă·p̄î·ṣō·w·ṯem hă·p̄i·ṣō·w·ṯî·ḵā hă·p̄î·ṣō·w·ṯîm Hafetz hafitzoTem hafitzoTicha hafitzoTim hāp̄êṣ hăp̄iṣōṯem hăp̄îṣōwṯem hăp̄iṣōwṯîḵā hăp̄îṣōwṯîm hĕ·p̄î·ṣām hĕ·p̄î·ṣə·ḵā hefiTzam hefitzeCha hĕp̄îṣām hĕp̄îṣəḵā la·hă·p̄î·ṣê·nî lahafiTzeni lahăp̄îṣênî lə·hā·p̄îṣ lehaFitz ləhāp̄îṣ mê·p̄îṣ meFitz mêp̄îṣ nā·p̄ō·ṣeṯ nā·p̄ō·ṣū nā·p̄ō·w·ṣāh nā·p̄ūṣ naFotzah naFotzet naFotzu naFutz nāp̄ōṣeṯ nāp̄ōṣū nāp̄ōwṣāh nāp̄ūṣ nə·p̄ō·ṣîm nə·p̄ō·ṣō·ṯem nə·p̄ō·ṣō·w·ṯem nə·p̄ō·w·ṣîm nə·p̄ō·w·ṣō·ṯem nefoTzim nefotzoTem nəp̄ōṣîm nəp̄ōṣōṯem nəp̄ōṣōwṯem nəp̄ōwṣîm nəp̄ōwṣōṯem pū·ṣay pu·ṣū pūṣay puṣū puTzai Putzu tā·p̄îṣ taFitz tāp̄îṣ tə·p̄ū·ṣe·nāh tefuTzeinah təp̄ūṣenāh ū·mə·p̄i·ṣîm ū·ṯə·p̄î·ṣêm ū·ṯə·p̄ū·ṣe·nā umefiTzim ūməp̄iṣîm utefiTzem utefuTzeina ūṯəp̄îṣêm ūṯəp̄ūṣenā vaaFitz vaafiTzem vahafitzoTi vahafitzoTim vaiYafetz vaiyaFutzu vaiyitpotzeTzu vattefuTzeinah vayfatzpeTzeni vayfiTzem veheFitz vehefitzeCha vehefiTzuhu venaFotzu veyaFutzu wā’āp̄îṣ wa’ăp̄îṣêm wa·’ă·p̄î·ṣêm wā·’ā·p̄îṣ wa·hă·p̄i·ṣō·ṯî wa·hă·p̄i·ṣō·w·ṯî wa·hă·p̄î·ṣō·w·ṯî wa·hă·p̄i·ṣō·w·ṯîm wahăp̄iṣōṯî wahăp̄iṣōwṯî wahăp̄îṣōwṯî wahăp̄iṣōwṯîm wat·tə·p̄ū·ṣe·nāh wattəp̄ūṣenāh way·p̄aṣ·pə·ṣê·nî way·p̄î·ṣêm way·yā·p̄eṣ way·yā·p̄u·ṣū way·yiṯ·pō·ṣə·ṣū wayp̄aṣpəṣênî wayp̄îṣêm wayyāp̄eṣ wayyāp̄uṣū wayyiṯpōṣəṣū we·hĕ·p̄î·ṣə·ḵā we·hĕ·p̄î·ṣu·hū wə·hê·p̄îṣ wə·nā·p̄ō·ṣū wə·yā·p̄u·ṣū wəhêp̄îṣ wehĕp̄îṣəḵā wehĕp̄îṣuhū wənāp̄ōṣū wəyāp̄uṣū yā·p̄êṣ yā·p̄îṣ yā·p̄u·ṣū yā·p̄ū·ṣū yaFetz yaFitz yaFutzu yāp̄êṣ yāp̄îṣ yāp̄uṣū yāp̄ūṣū yə·p̄ō·ṣêṣ yeFotzetz yəp̄ōṣêṣ
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