Lexical Summary
zaraq: To throw, scatter, sprinkle
Original Word: זָרַק
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: zaraq
Pronunciation: zah-RAHK
Phonetic Spelling: (zaw-rak')
KJV: be here and there, scatter, sprinkle, strew
Word Origin: [a primitive root]
1. to sprinkle (fluid or solid particles)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
be here and there, scatter, sprinkle, strew
A primitive root; to sprinkle (fluid or solid particles) -- be here and there, scatter, sprinkle, strew.
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(in a volume), scatter abundantly (Late Hebrew
id.; Aramaic
id.,
👁 Image disperse; Assyrian
zarâ‡u Lotz
TP138 Jäger
BAS ii. 292 Anm. **; compare also Arabic
👁 Image cast at, pierce,
👁 Image and
👁 Image javelin = Ethiopic
👁 Image) —
Perfect Exodus 24:6; Leviticus 17:6, suffix Exodus 9:8, Hosea 7:9 (12 t. Perfect); Imperfect Leviticus 7:2 16t.; Infinitive Ezekiel 43:18; Imperative Ezekiel 10:2; Participle Leviticus 7:14, plural 2Chronicles 30:16;
toss (in handfuls, see Exodus 9:8; or from a bowl, ; opposed to to sprinkle with the finger):
Isaiah 28:25, dust, followed by 2Chronicles 34:4; Job 2:12, ashes , heavenward, Exodus 9:8,10 (P), coals of fire Ezekiel 10:2.
, throw (from a bowl) against the altar Exodus 24:6 (JE), Leviticus 17:6 (H), Numbers 18:17 (P), 2 Kings 16:13,15; Ezekiel 43:18, especially in the ritual, against the altar round about Exodus 29:16,20; Leviticus 1:5,11; Leviticus 3:2,8,13; Leviticus 7:2; Leviticus 8:19,24; Leviticus 9:12,18 (all P); followed by Exodus 24:8 (JE), followed by 2Chronicles 29:22 (3 t. in verse); without designation of place Leviticus 7:14 (P), 2 Chronicles 30:16; 35:11.
water for purification, followed by , Ezekiel 36:25.
intransitive (si vera lectio) Hosea 7:9 grey hairs are profuse upon him (? read , as in 2 Chronicles 26:19).
Perfect , of water of purification poured over () one defiled by a corpse Numbers 19:18,20 (P).
Topical Lexicon
Root Meaning and Range of Imagery זָרַק (zaraq) conveys the dynamic action of hurling, scattering, or sprinkling. In Scripture it is applied to blood, water, ashes, dust, oil, and even human bodies, creating pictures of cleansing, consecration, judgment, or desecration according to context.
Priestly Sprinkling and the Sacrificial System
The vast majority of occurrences lie in Leviticus, Numbers, and Chronicles, where the term governs the priest’s task of applying sacrificial blood to sacred space. Blood was “sprinkled around on the altar” for burnt offerings (Leviticus 1:5, 11), peace offerings (Leviticus 3:2, 8, 13), sin offerings (Leviticus 4:6-7, 17-18), and the Day of Atonement rites (Leviticus 16:14-19). Each act demonstrated that “the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11); the blood-sprinkling graphically transferred the life of the substitute to the place of atonement, satisfying God’s justice so that fellowship could continue.
Covenant Ratification
At Sinai Moses “took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘Here is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you’ ” (Exodus 24:8). The people themselves came under the purifying reach of zaraq, binding them to obey and be blessed. Hebrews 9:19-22 later looks back on this moment to explain the sufficiency of Christ’s self-offering.
Purification Waters and the Red Heifer
Numbers 19 extends the verb beyond blood to the water-and-ash solution produced from the unique red heifer. The priest “shall sprinkle it toward the front of the Tent of Meeting seven times” (Numbers 19:4), and the cleansed Israelite “shall sprinkle himself on the third and on the seventh day” (Numbers 19:19). Here zaraq mediates removal of corpse defilement, prefiguring the deeper washing promised in Ezekiel 36:25: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean.”
Temple Worship in the Monarchy
During Hezekiah’s temple restoration, “the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar” (2 Chronicles 30:16), keeping alive the Mosaic pattern even after centuries of neglect. Ahaz perversely copied the Syrian altar yet still “sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings” (2 Kings 16:13), a reminder that external rite without obedient heart avails nothing.
Prophetic and Poetic Uses
The prophets press zaraq beyond ritual into imagery of both mercy and doom:
• Cleansing and Renewal – “I will sprinkle clean water on you” (Ezekiel 36:25) anchors the new-covenant promise of inner transformation.
• Messianic Outreach – “so shall He sprinkle many nations” (Isaiah 52:15) links the Suffering Servant’s atoning blood with global salvation.
• Judgment – Moses “tossed [zaraq] the ashes toward heaven” and Egypt broke out in boils (Exodus 9:8-10); Jehu’s men “threw her down” (2 Kings 9:33, a violent zaraq), enacting divine retribution on Jezebel.
Typological Fulfillment in Jesus Christ
Every Old Testament sprinkling anticipates “the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:24). Jesus, the ultimate High Priest, does what zaraq signified but could never achieve permanently. His blood secures eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12-14), ratifies the new covenant (Matthew 26:28), and cleanses consciences (1 Peter 1:2). Ezekiel’s future cleansing and Isaiah’s world-wide sprinkling are realized through the Gospel.
Ministry Implications
1. Assurance of Cleansing—Believers may approach God “having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience” (Hebrews 10:22).
2. Evangelistic Urgency—Isaiah 52:15 propels mission: Christ’s sprinkling reaches “many nations.”
3. Worship Integrity—Like Israel’s priests we are called to serve in purity, lest ritual degenerate into hypocrisy (cf. 2 Kings 16:13).
4. Pastoral Care—The red-heifer motif speaks to those burdened by death’s defilement; Christ’s sacrifice provides real purification and hope.
Representative References
Exodus 9:8-10; 24:6-8
Leviticus 1:5, 11; 3:2, 8, 13; 4:6-7, 17-18; 7:2; 8:19, 24, 30; 16:14-19; 17:6
Numbers 19:4, 18-19
2 Kings 9:33; 16:13
2 Chronicles 29:22; 30:16
Isaiah 52:15
Ezekiel 36:25
Forms and Transliterations
הַזֹּרֵ֛ק הזרק וְ֠זָרְקוּ וְזָרְק֡וּ וְזָרְק֨וּ וְזָרַ֨ק וְזָרַקְתִּ֧י וְזָרַקְתָּ֥ וְזָרַקְתָּ֧ וְלִזְרֹ֥ק וַֽיִּזְרְק֖וּ וַיִּזְרְק֤וּ וַיִּזְרְק֥וּ וַיִּזְרְקֵ֥הוּ וַיִּזְרֹ֖ק וַיִּזְרֹ֛ק וַיִּזְרֹ֥ק וַיִּזְרֹ֨ק וַיִּזְרֹק֙ וּזְרָק֥וֹ וּזְרֹ֖ק וזרק וזרקו וזרקת וזרקתי ויזרק ויזרקהו ויזרקו ולזרק זָ֣רְקָה זָרַ֖ק זֹרְקִ֣ים זֹרַ֤ק זֹרַ֥ק זרק זרקה זרקים יִזְרֹ֑ק יִזְרֹ֥ק יזרק תִּזְרֹ֑ק תִּזְרֹ֤ק תזרק haz·zō·rêq hazzoRek hazzōrêq tiz·rōq tizRok tizrōq ū·zə·rā·qōw ū·zə·rōq uzeraKo ūzərāqōw uzeRok ūzərōq vaiyizreKehu vaiyizreKu vaiyizRok velizRok vezaRak vezarakTa vezarakTi vezareKu way·yiz·rə·qê·hū way·yiz·rə·qū way·yiz·rōq wayyizrəqêhū wayyizrəqū wayyizrōq wə·liz·rōq wə·zā·raq wə·zā·raq·tā wə·zā·raq·tî wə·zā·rə·qū wəlizrōq wəzāraq wəzāraqtā wəzāraqtî wəzārəqū yiz·rōq yizRok yizrōq zā·raq zā·rə·qāh zaRak zāraq Zarekah zārəqāh zō·raq zō·rə·qîm zoRak zōraq zoreKim zōrəqîm
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