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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Cut; Cutting
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(כּרת, kaÌ„rath, גּדע, gaÌ„dha‛, כּחד, kaÌ„hÌ£adh, × ×ª×—, naÌ„thahÌ£; ἀποκοÌπτω, apokoÌptoÌ„, ἐκκοÌπτω, ekkoÌptoÌ„): Many Hebrew words are translated “cut.†Of these kaÌ„rath, “to cut down, out, off,†is the most frequent. As “cut off†it is used in the sense of laying or destroying (; ; ; , etc.), also for cutting off transgressors from the community of Yahweh, which meant probably separation, or exclusion, rather than death or destruction (; , ). Other words are daÌ„mam, “to be silent,†“cease†the King James Version; ); caÌ„math “to destroy†( the King James Version; , etc.); gaÌ„dhadh, “to cut, one's self,†is used of the cutting of one's flesh before heathen gods and in mourning for the dead, which was forbidden to the Israelites, (; ; ; ; ); seretÌ£, saÌ„retÌ£eth, “incision,†are also used of those “cuttings of the flesh†(; compare ). See CUTTINGS IN THE FLESH. The cutting of the hair of head and beard in mourning for the dead is referred to in ; “Every, beard is cut off†(gaÌ„dha‛), and , gazaz, “Cut off thy hair (the Revised Version, margin “thy crownâ€), O Jerusalem†(compare ; ; ; ). This early and widespread practice was also forbidden to the Israelites as being unworthy of them in their relation to Yahweh (; ).
Ḥărōsheth, “carving,†“engraving,†is used for the cutting of stones (; ).
In the New Testament we have apokoptoÌ„ “to cut away†(, ; the King James Version; see CONCISION); diaprıÌoÌ„, “to saw through†(, “they were cut to the heartâ€); dichotomeÌoÌ„, “to cut in two†(); sunteÌmnoÌ„, “to cut together†(), “finishing it and cutting it short,†i.e; “making it conclusive and brief.â€
Among the changes of the Revised Version (British and American) are “brought to silence†for “cut down†(), also for “cut off†(; ); “sore wounded†for “cut in pieces†(); for “cut off,†“pass through†(), “gone†(); “rolled up†(); “cut off†for “destroy†(; ; , , ); for “cut them in the head†(), “break them in pieces on the head ofâ€; for “in the cutting off of my days†(; Hebrew demı̄, “silence,†“restâ€), “noontide,†margin “Or, tranquillity†(Gesenius, Delitzsch, etc., “in the quiet of my daysâ€); instead of, “I would that they were even cut off which trouble you†(), the English Revised Version has “cut themselves off,†margin “mutilate themselves,†the American Standard Revised Version “go beyond circumcision,†margin, Greek: “mutilate themselves.â€