H7754a H7754a
branch, bough (with suffix)
This noun means branch, bough, or brushwood, appearing in Judges 9:49 during Abimelech's attack on the tower of Shechem. Each person cut 'his branch' or bough and followed Abimelech to pile branches against the stronghold and burn it. The term refers to substantial tree limbs or cut branches suitable for burning. The context shows military use of branches as combustible material for siege warfare—a tactic of piling brushwood against fortifications and setting them ablaze. The word appears with pronominal suffix 'his branch,' indicating individual participation in gathering the deadly fuel.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A branch or bough cut from a tree, appearing with pronominal suffix in Judges 9:49. Each man cut down 'his branch' following Abimelech's example, then piled them against Shechem's tower to burn it with fire. The term across languages (rama in Spanish, 'branch' in English, Ast in German) indicates substantial tree limbs. The context reveals brutal siege tactics—using cut branches as accelerant for arson. About a thousand people died in the resulting conflagration, making these branches instruments of mass murder in Abimelech's ruthless quest for power. 1×
AR["غُصْناً"]·ben["ডাল"]·DE["sein-Ast"]·EN["his-branch"]·FR["son-branche"]·heb["סוכה"]·HI["डाली"]·ID["cabang"]·IT["suo-branch"]·jav["pang"]·KO["가지-씩"]·PT["galho"]·RU["ветвь"]·ES["su-rama"]·SW["tawi"]·TR["dal"]·urd["شاخ"]
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
† [שׂוֹךְ] n.[m.] branch or brushwood;—sf. 3 ms. שׂוֹכֹה Ju 9:49 (Ges§ 91 e; but v. GFM Bu).