Bible dictionaries
Besom
What Bible dictionaries say about “Besom”, one article after the other.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary & Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
Besom - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
The rendering of a Hebrew word meaning sweeper, occurs only in Isa. 14:23, of the sweeping away, the utter ruin, of Babylon.
Besom - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)
BE'SOM, n. s as z. A broom; a brush of twigs for sweeping.
I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of Hosts. Isa 14.
BE'SOM, v.t. To sweep, as with a besom.
Rolls back all Greece,and besoms wide the plain.
Matthew George Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary; Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language (1828)
The article in Easton + Webster 1828International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE 1915)
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.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia — James Orr, general editor and contributors; CrossWire SWORD module ISBE 2.2
The article in ISBE 1915Smith’s Bible Dictionary
William Smith; revised by F. N. Peloubet and M. A. Peloubet; CrossWire SWORD module Smith 1.3
The article in Smith