H2219 H2219
To scatter, fan, winnow; dispersing people in judgment or tossing grain to the wind; also to spread abroad or sift.
Zarah sits at the intersection of the threshing floor and the battlefield. Concretely, it describes winnowing — tossing grain into the wind so chaff blows away, as when Boaz winnows barley at Bethlehem (Ruth 3:2). But the prophets seized this image for divine judgment: God 'winnows' Israel among the nations (Jer 15:7), scattering them like chaff. The dual resonance is confirmed cross-linguistically: Spanish uses aventar ('to fan/winnow') alongside dispersar ('to scatter'), while German distinguishes worfeln from zerstreuen. The agricultural and the judgmental are never fully separable — and that is precisely the prophetic point.
5. sense 5 — A single disputed occurrence at Isa 30:22 where the verb appears in connection with casting away idolatrous silver and gold 'like a menstruous thing' (English) or 'you will scatter them' (Spanish los esparciras). The context is purging contamination — flinging away impure objects with disgust. Whether this is a specialized 'cast away in revulsion' sense or simply the standard scattering applied to ritual impurity is debated. The Hebrew niddah ('menstrual impurity') imagery suggests an intensified rejection beyond ordinary dispersal. 1×
AR["تَطْرَحُهَا"]·ben["ছুড়ে-ফেলবে-তাদের"]·DE["worfeln"]·EN["like-a-menstruous-thing"]·FR["vanner"]·heb["תזרם"]·HI["फेंकोगे-उन्हें-तुम"]·ID["Kamu-membuangnya"]·IT["vagliare"]·jav["panjenengan-mbucal"]·KO["너가-흩을-것이다"]·PT["os-espalharás"]·RU["рассеешь-их"]·ES["los-esparcirás"]·SW["utazitupa"]·TR["atacaksin-onlari"]·urd["پھینک-دے-گے"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. scatter, disperse (people) — The dominant prophetic-judgment sense: to scatter or disperse people among the nations as an act of divine punishment or military conquest — twenty-three of thirty-nine occurrences. God warns through Moses 'I will scatter you among the nations' (Lev 26:33); through Jeremiah 'I will fan them with a winnowing fork' (Jer 15:7); through Ezekiel 'I will scatter you into every wind' (Ezek 5:10). The Piel stem is standard here, intensifying the dispersal. Spanish dispersar/esparcir and German zerstreuen both select national-exile vocabulary distinct from agricultural winnowing, while Arabic dharra ('to scatter to the wind') preserves the root's Semitic resonance. The metaphorical link to the threshing floor remains alive: judgment is winnowing, separating grain from chaff among the peoples. 23×
AR["أُذَرِّي","بَدَّدَتْ","تُذَرِّي","شَتَّتَنا","وَ-أُذَرِّي","وَ-لِيُفَرِّقَهُم","وَ-يُذَرِّيهِمْ","وَأَذْرِي","وَأَذْرِيتُكِ","وَأُبَدِّدُهُمْ","وَأُذَرِّيهِمْ","وَلِأُشَتِّتَهُمْ"]·ben["আমি-ছড়িয়ে-দেব","আর-আমি-ছড়িয়ে-দেব","আর-আমি-বিকীর্ণ-করব","আর-আমি-বিখ্যাত-করব","আর-আমি-বিখ্যাত-করব-তাদের","আর-বিক্ষিপ্ত-করতে","এবং-আমি-ছড়িয়ে-দেব","এবং-ছড়িয়ে-দেবেন-তাদের","এবং-তাদের-ছড়িয়ে-দিতে","এবং-বিক্ষেপ-করব-আমি-তোমাকে","ছড়াব","ছড়িয়ে-দিয়েছ-আমাদের","ছড়িয়ে-দিয়েছে","তুমি-ছড়িয়ে-দেবে"]·DE["du-haben-zerstreut-uns","ich-wird-zerstreuen","und-scatter-ihnen","und-worfeln","und-zerstreut","und-zu-zerstreuen-ihnen","worfeln","zerstreut"]·EN["I-shall-scatter","I-will-scatter","You-have-scattered-us","and-I-scatter","and-I-shall-scatter","and-I-will-disperse","and-I-will-disperse-them","and-I-will-disperse-you","and-I-will-scatter-them","and-I-will-spread","and-scatter-them","and-to-disperse","and-to-scatter-them","scattered","you-shall-scatter"]·FR["et-disperse-eux","et-vanner","et-à-vanner","je-fera-disperser","vanner"]·heb["אזרה","ו-זריתי","ו-זריתיך","ו-זריתים","ו-זרם","ו-ל-זרות","ו-ל-זרותם","זירו","זרו","זריתנ-ו","תזרה"]·HI["और-छितरा-दूंगा","और-छितरा-दूंगा-उन्हें","और-छितराऊँगा-मैं-तुझे","और-छितराने","और-तितर-बितर-करने-के-लिए-उन्हें","और-तितर-बितर-करूँगा","और-बिखेरेगा-उन्हें","और-मैं-तितर-बितर-करूंगा-उनें","और-मैं-फैलादूँगा","और-मैं-बिखेरूंगा","तितर-बितर-किया","तितर-बितर-किया-हमें","तितर-बितर-किया-है","तू-बिखेरेगा","बिखेर-दूँगा","बिखेरूंगा","मैं-बिखेरूंगा"]·ID["Aku-akan-menaburkan","Aku-akan-mencerai-beraikan","Aku-akan-menceraiberaikan","dan-Aku-akan-menaburkan","dan-Aku-akan-menceraiberaikan-mereka","dan-Aku-akan-menyebarkan","dan-Aku-akan-menyebarkan-engkau","dan-Aku-akan-menyebarkan-mereka","dan-Aku-menyebarkan","dan-akan-menceraiberaikan-mereka","dan-untuk-mencerai-beraikan-mereka","dan-untuk-menyebarkan","engkau-akan-menaburkan","mencerai-beraikan"]·IT["e-disperdi-loro","e-sparpaglio'","e-vagliare","e-ventilare","io-fara-disperdere","sparpaglio'","ventilare"]·jav["Kawula-awur","Kawula-nyebar","Panjenengan-sampun-nyebar-kita","lan-Ingsun-nyebar-piyambakipun","lan-Kawula-awur","lan-Kawula-badhe-mbuyaraken","lan-Kawula-badhe-nyebar-panjenengan","lan-Kawula-badhe-nyebar-piyambakipun-sedaya","lan-Kawula-nyebar","lan-nyebar","lan-nyebar-piyambakipun-sedaya","lan-supados-mbuyaraken","nyebar","panjenengan-awur"]·KO["그리고-내가-흩으리라-그들을","그리고-뿌리리라","그리고-뿌릴-것이다-내가","그리고-뿌릴-것이다-내가-그들을","그리고-포스리라","그리고-흩띄리기-위해","그리고-흩띄리리라-너를","그리고-흩으리라","그리고-흩으시려고-그들-을","그리고-흩으시리라","나는-흩뜨리것이다","내가-흩으리라","네가-흩으라","흩떴렸도다","흩으리라","흩으셨도다-우리-를"]·PT["dispersaram","e-dispersar","e-espalharei","e-espalhará-os","e-espalhá-los-ei","e-os-espalharei","e-para-dispersar","e-para-espalhá-los","e-te-dispersarei","espalharei","espalharás","nos-espalhaste"]·RU["И-рассею-их","и-разбросаю","и-развеет-их","и-развею","и-развею-их","и-рассею","и-рассею-их","и-рассею-я","и-рассеять-их","и-рассыплю","рассеешь","рассею","рассею-я","рассеял-нас","рассеяли"]·ES["aventaré","dispersaron","esparcirás","esparciré","nos-esparciste","os-esparciré","y-esparcirlos","y-esparciré","y-los-dispersaré","y-los-esparcirá","y-los-esparciré","y-para-dispersarlos","y-te-dispersaré"]·SW["na-atawatawanya","na-kuwasambaza","na-kuwatawanya","na-nitaeneza","na-nitakusambaza","na-nitatawanya","na-nitawasambaza","na-nitawatawanya","nitawatawanya","umetutawanya","utaitawanya","zilizitawanya"]·TR["dağıttılar","dağıttın-bizi","her","milletlere","serpeceğim","ve-dağıtacağım-onları","ve-dağıtmak-için-onları","ve-savracağım","ve-savracağım-onları","ve-savracağım-seni","ve-savrulmak-için","ve-savuracak-onları","ve-savuracağım","ve-saçacağım","üçte-biri"]·urd["اور-بکھیر-دوں-گا-اُنہیں","اور-بکھیر-دوں-گا-تجھے","اور-بکھیر-دوں-گا-میں","اور-بکھیرنے","اور-بکھیرنے-کو","اور-بکھیروں-گا","اور-بکھیرے-گا","اور-میں-تتر-بتر-کروں-گا-اُنہیں","اور-میں-پھیلاؤں-گا","بکھیر","بکھیر-دوں-گا","بکھیروں-گا","تُو-نے-بکھیر-دیا-ہمیں","منتشر-کیا","میں-بکھیروں-گا","و-میں-بکھیروں-گا"]
2. winnow (grain) — The concrete agricultural sense: to winnow grain by tossing it into the air so the wind carries away the chaff — seven occurrences. Ruth watches as Boaz 'winnows barley tonight at the threshing floor' (Ruth 3:2); Isaiah describes the farmer whose 'ox and donkey eat seasoned fodder that has been winnowed' (Isa 30:24). In the great taunt of Isa 41:16, Israel herself will 'winnow' the mountains — a metaphorical reversal where the winnowed become the winnower. German worfeln and Spanish aventar both select technical threshing-floor vocabulary. Moses grinds and scatters the golden calf (Exod 32:20) in a ritual act that combines destruction with winnowing symbolism. 7×
AR["تُذَرِّيهِمْ","ذُرِّيَ","فَيُذَرُّونَهَا","لِـ-تَذْرِيَةٍ","وَ-ذَرَّيْتُهُمْ","وَ-ذَرّاهُ","يُذَرِّي"]·ben["আর-ছড়িয়ে-দিলাম-তাদের","এবং-ঝেড়ে-ফেলবে-তাকে","এবং-তিনি-ছড়িয়ে-দিলেন","ঝাড়ছেন","ঝাড়াই-করা-হয়েছে","তুমি-বিক্ষিপ্ত-করবে-তাদের","বাতাস-করার-জন্য"]·DE["und-er-zerstreute","und-worfeln","worfeln","zerstreut"]·EN["And-I-winnowed-them","You-shall-winnow-them","and-he-scattered","and-they-will-winnow-her","has-been-winnowed","to-winnow","winnowing"]·FR["et-il-dispersé","et-vanner","vannant","vanner"]·heb["ו-אזרם","ו-זרה","ו-זרוה","זורה","ל-זרות","תזרם"]·HI["और-छरकाया-मैंने-उन्हें","और-बिखेरा","और-वे-फटकेंगे","छाना-गया","फटक-रहा","फटकने-के-लिए","फटकेगी-तू-उन्हें"]·ID["Engkau-akan-menampi-mereka","dan-Aku-menampi-mereka","dan-ia-menaburkan","dan-mereka-akan-menampi","ditampi","menampi","untuk-menampi"]·IT["e-egli-disperse","e-vagliare","vagliare","winnowing"]·jav["Lan-Ingsun-nyebar","Panjenengan-badh駭ampi","dipun-sebar","kangge-napeni","lan-piyambakipun-badhé-napèni","lan-piyambakipun-nyebar","napeni"]·KO["그리고-내가-키질했다-그들을","그리고-뿌렸다","그리고-키질하리라-그녀를-그들이","에-키질하기-위해","키질하고-있다","키질하리라-그것들을","키질하여"]·PT["E-espalhá-los-ei","abanarás-os","e-espalhou","e-espalhá-la-ão","foi-joeirada","joeira","para-padejar"]·RU["веет","и-развею-их","и-развеют-её","и-рассыпал","развеешь-их","развеяли","чтобы-веять"]·ES["Y-los-aventaré","aventado","aventando","los-aventarás","para-aventar","y-la-aventarán","y-lo-esparció"]·SW["Na-nikawapepeta","Utawapeperusha","anapepeta","kimepepetwa","kupepeta","na-akaitawanya","na-watampepeta"]·TR["Savuracaksin-onlari","savurmak-için","savuruldu","savuruyor","ve-saptı","ve-savrursunlar-onu","ve-savurdum"]·urd["اور-بکھیرا","اور-بکھیرا-میں-نے-اُنہیں","اور-وہ-اُسے-پھٹکیں-گے","تُو-اُڑائے-گی-اُنہیں","پھٹک-رہا-ہے","پھٹکا-گیا-ہے","پھٹکنے-کو"]
3. spread, scatter abroad — To spread abroad, scatter things (not people), or disseminate — four occurrences in Proverbs. A net 'spread' in the sight of any bird is futile (Prov 1:17); the lips of the wise 'spread' knowledge (Prov 15:7); a wise king 'scatters' the wicked with his judicial gaze (Prov 20:8, 26). Spanish dispersar and German zerstreuen serve here too, but the objects of scattering are abstractions or things rather than populations. The Proverbs usage extends the root's core 'spreading out' semantics beyond both agriculture and exile into the domain of moral-intellectual dissemination. 4×
AR["تَنْثُرانِ","تُنْصَبُ","يُذَرّي"]·ben["ছড়িয়ে-দেয়","পাতা-হয়"]·DE["zerstreut"]·EN["is-spread","scatters","spread"]·FR["vanner"]·heb["יזרו","מזורה","מזרה"]·HI["छांटता-है","फैलाया-जाता-है","बिखेरते-हैं"]·ID["Menampi","dipasang","menampi","menyebarkan"]·IT["scatters","spread","è-spread"]·jav["napeni","nyebar","pasang"]·KO["퍼뜨리느니라","펼쳐진다","펼치느니라","펼치시느니라"]·PT["Dispersa","dispersa","espalham","é-espalhada"]·RU["развеивает","рассеивают","расставлена"]·ES["Dispersa","dispersa","esparcen","se-tiende"]·SW["hupepeta","hutandazwa","inaeneza"]·TR["dağıtır","savuran","savurur","serilir"]·urd["الگ-کرتا-ہے","بکھیرتے-ہیں","پھیلایا-جاتا-ہے"]
4. be scattered, be dispersed — The Nifal and Pual passive: to be scattered, be dispersed — three occurrences. In Ezek 6:8 God promises a remnant 'when you are scattered among the countries'; in Ezek 36:19 Israel has already been dispersed; in Job 18:15 brimstone 'is scattered' on the wicked's habitation. The passive voice marks the subject as undergoing dispersion rather than performing it. Spanish ser esparcido and the reflexive passive forms confirm the voice distinction. These occurrences are the experiential counterpart of sense 1's active divine scattering. 3×
AR["في-تَشَتُّتِكُمْ","وَتَبَدَّدُوا","يُذَرُّ"]·ben["আর-ছড়িয়ে-পড়ল","ছিটিয়ে-দেওয়া-হবে","তোমাদের-ছড়িয়ে-দেওয়ার-সময়"]·DE["und-worfeln","worfeln","zerstreut"]·EN["and-they-were-dispersed","in-scattering-of-you","is-scattered"]·FR["et-vanner","vanner"]·heb["ב-היזרותיכם","ו-ניזרו","יזורה"]·HI["और-वे-फैल-गए","बिखराया-जाएगा","में-तुम्हारे-बिखरने"]·ID["dan-mereka-ditaburkan","ditaburkan","ketika-kamu-dicerai-beraikan"]·IT["e-ventilare","ventilare","è-scattered"]·jav["dipunsebar","lan-piyambakipun-kasebar","nalika-panjenengan-sedaya-dipunawur"]·KO["그리고-그들이-흩어졌다","너희가-흩어질-때에","뿌리지리라"]·PT["ao-serdes-dispersos","e-foram-dispersos","será-espalhado"]·RU["и-были-развеяны","когда-рассеетесь-вы","рассыплется"]·ES["al-ser-esparcidos-ustedes","será-esparcido","y-fueron-dispersados"]·SW["mtakapotawanywa","na-wakasambazwa","utanyunyizwa"]·TR["dağıtıldığınızda","serpilir","ve-saçıldılar"]·urd["اور-بکھیرے","بکھیرنے-تمہارے-میں","چھڑکی جائے"]
6. sense 6 — A single occurrence at Ps 139:3 where the Psalmist tells God 'you winnow my path and my lying down' — meaning God sifts, scrutinizes, or thoroughly examines every aspect of the speaker's life. Spanish escudrinas ('you scrutinize') diverges entirely from 'scatter' or 'winnow' vocabulary, suggesting translators perceive a metaphorical extension: winnowing as investigative sifting, separating truth from falsehood in a person's conduct. This 'divine examination' sense is a creative theological repurposing of the threshing-floor image. 1×
AR["ذَرَيْتَ"]·ben["তুমি-মেপেছ,"]·DE["du-winnow"]·EN["you-winnow"]·FR["vanner"]·heb["זרית"]·HI["तूने-नापा-है"]·ID["Engkau-mengukur"]·IT["sparpaglio'"]·jav["Panjenengan-nipis"]·KO["쪼개셨나이다"]·PT["tu-peneiras"]·RU["просеиваешь"]·ES["escudriñas"]·SW["umepepeta"]·TR["eleğin"]·urd["تو-نے-چھانا"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [זָרָה] vb. scatter, fan, winnow (Arabic ذَرَا cause to fly, scatter (of wind), winnow; Aramaic דְּרָא, ܕܪܳܐ; Ethiopic ዘረወ: )— Qal Impf. וַיִּ֫זֶר Ex 32:20; 2 ms. תִּזְרֶה Ez 5:2; sf. תִּזְרֵם Is 30:22; 41:16; וָאֶזְרֵם Je 15:7; Imv. זְרֵה Nu 17:2; Inf. לִזְרוֹת Je 4:11; Pt. זֹרֶה Ru 3:2 Is 30:24;— 1. scatter, the powder into which golden calf was ground Ex 32:20 (E, obj. not expr.); c. acc.…