H2757 H2757
cuts, slices (of cheese); sharp iron implements
A term with two distinct meanings. First, it refers to cuts or slices, specifically of cheese in 1 Samuel. Second, it denotes sharp iron implements or picks used as instruments of labor or torture. The semantic range connects through the concept of 'cutting'—whether cutting milk into cheese slices or cutting tools made of iron. The violent usage in Samuel and Chronicles may involve agricultural threshing sledges (like those in Amos 1:3) or torture instruments, depending on interpretation. Both meanings derive from the root sense of cutting or dividing.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Cuts of cheese or sharp iron implements. 1 Samuel 17:18 uses it concretely for 'ten cuts of milk'—cheese slices David brought to his brothers. 2 Samuel 12:31 and 1 Chronicles 20:3 employ it for instruments of forced labor or torture: David put Ammonite captives to work 'with saws and sharp instruments of iron.' The semantic breadth (food items vs. tools) reflects the underlying cutting concept, though the violent passages remain ethically troubling and textually difficult. 3×
AR["قَطَعِ", "وَ-بِ-أَدَوَاتِ", "وَفي-مَعاوِلِ"]·ben["এবং-কুঠারে", "ও-কুঠারগুলিতে-", "পনিরের-টুকরো"]·DE["[ובחריצי]", "cuts-von", "und-bei-picks-von"]·EN["and-at-picks-of", "and-with-picks-of", "cuts-of"]·FR["[ובחריצי]", "coupe-de", "et-à-picks-de"]·heb["ו-ב-חריצי", "חריצי"]·HI["और-कुल्हाड़ियों-से", "और-धारदारों-से", "तुकधे"]·ID["dan-dengan-bajak-besi", "dan-pada-beliung", "potong"]·IT["[ובחריצי]", "cuts-di", "e-a-picks-di"]·jav["keju", "lan-ing-pacul", "lan-kaliyan-pacul-"]·KO["그리고-에-도리깨", "그리고-에-찌르는-도구들-의", "조각들을"]·PT["e-com-trilhos-de", "e-nos-trilhos-de", "fatias-de"]·RU["и-зубчатыми", "и-над-молотилками", "сыров"]·ES["quesos-de", "y-con-trillos-de", "y-en-trillos-de"]·SW["na-kwa-shoka", "na-kwenye-vipanga-vya", "vya-jibini"]·TR["dilim", "ve-demir-", "ve-kazmalara"]·urd["اور-لوہے-کے-اوزاروں-سے", "اور-کُدالوں-کے-پاس", "ٹکڑے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [חָרִיץ] n.m. 1 S 17:18 a cut, thing cut, sharp instrument;—pl. cstr. חֲרִיצֵי 1 S 17:18 1 Ch 20:3; חֲרִצֵי 2 S 12:31;— 1. ח׳ הֶחָלָב 1 S 17:18 cuts of milk i. e. cheeses. 2. sharp instr. of iron, 2 S 12:31 = 1 Ch 20:3 בַּמְּגֵרָה ובח׳ הַבַּרְזֶל וּבַמְּגֵרוֹת (cf. Am 1:3 sub חרוץ 1, and DrSm).