Topic
Besom
1 passage cited, from 3 classic reference works.
These works date from 1884–1915 and are in the public domain. They reflect the Protestant scholarship of their time: their history, archaeology and dates can be out of date, and where they interpret, other traditions read the text differently. The verses are shown in the King James Version, the wording these works were written against.
The verses
The passages the works cite, those cited by more of them first.
- Isaiah 14:23Easton · Smith · ISBE
I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.
In the reference works
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · 1 references
The rendering of a Hebrew word meaning sweeper, occurs only in Isa. 14:23, of the sweeping away, the utter ruin, of Babylon.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884) · 1 references
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) · 1 references
be'-zum: Occurs only once in Scripture: "I will sweep it with the besom of destruction" (Isa 14:23). Refers to what was in store for Babylon. The Hebrew word maT'ate', rendered "besom," is close of kin to the one (ti'te'thiha) rendered "sweep." In early English "besom" was synonymous with "broom," and is still so used in some parts of England.
Texts: Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897); Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884); International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), from the CrossWire SWORD modules (public domain). Verse references were parsed from the works' own markup and checked against the KJV verse list.