6340. pazar
Lexical Summary
pazar: To scatter, disperse

Original Word: פָזַר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: pazar
Pronunciation: pah-ZAHR
Phonetic Spelling: (paw-zar')
KJV: disperse, scatter (abroad)
NASB: scattered, scatters, freely
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to scatter, whether in enmity or bounty

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
disperse, scatter abroad

A primitive root; to scatter, whether in enmity or bounty -- disperse, scatter (abroad).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to scatter
NASB Translation
freely (1), scattered (7), scatters (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[מָּזַר] verb scatter (usually regarded as secondary form of בזר q. v.; Late Hebrew id. Pi`el (opposed to כנס = כנשׁ), Niph`al; Arabic rend, slit, also separate, disperse); —

Qal Passive participle feminine שֶׂה פְזוּרָה Jeremiah 50:17 a scattered sheep is Israel (i.e. driven off, isolated).

Niph`al Perfect3plural נִפְזְרוּ Psalm 141:7 our bones are scattered לִפִי שְׁאוֺל.

Pi`el Perfect3masculine singular מִּזַּר Psalm 53:6; Psalm 112:9, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יְפַזֵּר Psalm 147:16; 2feminine singular וַתְּפַזְּרִי Jeremiah 3:13; Participle מְפַזֵּר Proverbs 11:24; — scatter Psalm 89:11; Psalm 53:6; Psalm 147:16 (all subject ׳י), Joel 4:2; object דְּרָכַיִךְ Jeremiah 3:13, of Israel running hither and thither to strange gods; absolute of spending money Psalm 112:9 (alms), Proverbs 11:24.

Pu`al Participle מְפֻוָּר Esther 3:3 scattered, of Israel

I, II. מַּח see פחח.

Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Biblical Imagery

פָזַר conveys the idea of throwing, dispersing, or spreading widely. Scripture employs the verb in both negative and positive scenes—bones flung across a battlefield, frost flung across the earth, alms flung across poverty, and a covenant people flung across the nations. The imagery is graphic: what is whole becomes fragmented, or what is hoarded becomes lavishly poured out.

Contexts of Judgment and Discipline

1. Divine retaliation against enemies: “You crushed Rahab like a corpse; You scattered Your foes with Your mighty arm” (Psalm 89:10).
2. Terror on the wicked: “For God has scattered the bones of those who laid siege against you” (Psalm 53:5).
3. Personal lament: “As when one plows and breaks up the soil, our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol” (Psalm 141:7).
4. National chastening: “Israel is a scattered flock that lions have driven away” (Jeremiah 50:17); “whom they have scattered among the nations” (Joel 3:2).

Sin fractures, and פָזַר depicts the painful consequences when God’s protective hand is withdrawn or when He actively disperses in judgment.

Contexts of Generous Distribution

Where covenant faithfulness breeds generosity, פָזַר is redeemed.
• “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever” (Psalm 112:9).
• “One gives freely, yet gains even more” (Proverbs 11:24).

The same verb that describes bones strewn in defeat becomes the verb for benevolence that endures. Generous scattering imitates the divine Giver who “scatters the frost like ashes” (Psalm 147:16), blessing creation with abundance.

National Scattering and Divine Restoration

Esther 3:8 notes a “certain people dispersed and scattered among the peoples,” echoing covenant warnings (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). Jeremiah 3:13 rebukes Judah for “scattering favors to strangers,” intensifying the exile that followed. Yet scattering is never the final word. Joel 3:2 promises judgment on the nations precisely because they “scattered” Israel—God affirming He will gather what was dispersed. Scattering therefore frames both the curse of exile and the stage for future regathering.

Symbolism in Poetry and Wisdom

Psalms employ פָזַר to evoke battlefield carnage (bones), meteorological wonder (frost), and philanthropic virtue (almsgiving). Wisdom literature seizes the paradox: liberality that seems wasteful actually multiplies; stinginess that seems prudent impoverishes (Proverbs 11:24). The verb’s elasticity allows Hebrew poets to move effortlessly between physical, moral, and spiritual realities.

Ministry and Sermonic Implications

• Judgment: Scattering warns congregations that sin disperses fellowship, unity, and mission.
• Mercy: Christ’s body was, in a sense, “broken and scattered” so that many might be gathered.
• Generosity: Believers are encouraged to “scatter” resources, trusting God to replenish.
• Mission: Persecution that scatters the church also spreads the gospel (Acts 8:1–4 mirrors the thematic arc of פָזַר).

Christological and Eschatological Connections

Jesus laments Jerusalem’s unwillingness—“how often I have longed to gather your children” (Matthew 23:37)—revealing His mission to reverse scattering. The cross gathers Jews and Gentiles into one flock (John 11:52). Eschatologically, the ingathering of Israel (Romans 11) and of all the elect (Revelation 7) completes the reversal. Until then, scattering remains a divine tool—discipline for the rebellious, dispersion of witness for the obedient.

Practical Application for the Church and Believer

1. Examine whether personal or corporate sin is leading to fragmentation.
2. Practice intentional generosity; “scattered” giving is seed for enduring righteousness.
3. View diaspora realities as gospel opportunities; God often multiplies His work through displacement.
4. Hope in the ultimate gathering promised by the Shepherd who will lose none of His flock.

פָזַר thus spans judgment, generosity, exile, and restoration—revealing a God who both scatters and gathers, wounds and heals, sends away and brings home, all for the glory of His name and the good of His people.

Forms and Transliterations
וַתְּפַזְּרִ֨י ותפזרי יְפַזֵּֽר׃ יפזר׃ מְ֭פַזֵּר מְפֻזָּ֤ר מפזר נִפְזְר֥וּ נפזרו פְזוּרָ֛ה פִּ֭זַּר פִּזְּר֣וּ פִּזַּ֤ר ׀ פִּזַּ֥רְתָּ פזורה פזר פזרו פזרת fezuRah mə·p̄az·zêr mə·p̄uz·zār Mefazzer mefuzZar məp̄azzêr məp̄uzzār nifzeRu nip̄·zə·rū nip̄zərū p̄ə·zū·rāh p̄əzūrāh piz·zar piz·zar·tā piz·zə·rū pizzar pizZarta pizzartā pizzeRu pizzərū vattefazzeRi wat·tə·p̄az·zə·rî wattəp̄azzərî yə·p̄az·zêr yefazZer yəp̄azzêr
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Esther 3:8
HEB: עַם־ אֶחָ֗ד מְפֻזָּ֤ר וּמְפֹרָד֙ בֵּ֣ין
NAS: people scattered and dispersed
KJV: people scattered abroad and dispersed
INT: people certain scattered and dispersed among

Psalm 53:5
HEB: כִּֽי־ אֱלֹהִ֗ים פִּ֭זַּר עַצְמ֣וֹת חֹנָ֑ךְ
NAS: For God scattered the bones
KJV: was: for God hath scattered the bones
INT: because God scattered the bones encamped

Psalm 89:10
HEB: בִּזְר֥וֹעַ עֻ֝זְּךָ֗ פִּזַּ֥רְתָּ אוֹיְבֶֽיךָ׃
NAS: like one who is slain; You scattered Your enemies
KJV: as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies
INT: arm your mighty scattered enemies

Psalm 112:9
HEB: פִּזַּ֤ר ׀ נָ֘תַ֤ן לָאֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים
NAS: He has given freely to the poor,
KJV: He hath dispersed, he hath given
INT: freely has given to the poor

Psalm 141:7
HEB: וּבֹקֵ֣עַ בָּאָ֑רֶץ נִפְזְר֥וּ עֲ֝צָמֵ֗ינוּ לְפִ֣י
NAS: Our bones have been scattered at the mouth
KJV: Our bones are scattered at the grave's
INT: and breaks the earth have been scattered our bones the mouth

Psalm 147:16
HEB: כְּ֝פ֗וֹר כָּאֵ֥פֶר יְפַזֵּֽר׃
NAS: like wool; He scatters the frost
KJV: like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost
INT: the frost ashes scatters

Proverbs 11:24
HEB: יֵ֣שׁ מְ֭פַזֵּר וְנוֹסָ֥ף ע֑וֹד
NAS: There is one who scatters, and [yet] increases
KJV: There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth;
INT: There scatters and increases all

Jeremiah 3:13
HEB: אֱלֹהַ֖יִךְ פָּשָׁ֑עַתְּ וַתְּפַזְּרִ֨י אֶת־ דְּרָכַ֜יִךְ
NAS: your God And have scattered your favors
KJV: thy God, and hast scattered thy ways
INT: your God you have transgressed scattered your favors to the strangers

Jeremiah 50:17
HEB: שֶׂ֧ה פְזוּרָ֛ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֲרָי֣וֹת
NAS: Israel is a scattered flock,
KJV: Israel [is] a scattered sheep;
INT: flock scattered Israel the lions

Joel 3:2
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פִּזְּר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְאֶת־
NAS: Whom they have scattered among the nations;
KJV: Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations,
INT: Israel Whom have scattered the nations my land

10 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6340
10 Occurrences


p̄ə·zū·rāh — 1 Occ.
mə·p̄az·zêr — 1 Occ.
mə·p̄uz·zār — 1 Occ.
nip̄·zə·rū — 1 Occ.
piz·zar — 2 Occ.
piz·zar·tā — 1 Occ.
piz·zə·rū — 1 Occ.
wat·tə·p̄az·zə·rî — 1 Occ.
yə·p̄az·zêr — 1 Occ.

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