The context of Da'raba in the ayah 4:34

So I've lately been investigating the ayah 4:34 and it's meanings. From what I know, scholars have traditionally interpreted this ayah to mean a physical hit. Whether a tiny tap or a moderate yet light hit. It's also to note that according to the majority of the scholars that the hitting cannot be severe in any way, leave marks, hit sensitive parts, or hit the face of the woman. There are numerous hadith from both Shia and Sunni sources that say that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) never hit a woman and those that do are should be ashamed (paraphrasing). People have reinterpreted the word "wadrabahun" to mean a separation. Which actually does logically make sense since it's the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to not hit women and the separation does logically make since considering the steps taken before the word "wadrabahun" is used.

My question is that is the interpretation of the word "wadrabahun" merely a modernist stance due to the reaction of contemporary social issues. Or is it a sincere interpretation that scholars have evidence for. I just find it odd that for hundreds of years we've interpreted as a physical hit (which of course the type of hitting has to follow a standard that follows the Islamic Jurisprudence). It was only recently that we've interpreted the word in such a way.

I'm of the stance that it means a physical hit (though a very light one). Though you won't see me trying this out with a future partner. Some translations translate the word a 'beat' which itself is an inaccurate translation and has a severe negative connotation. I only ask of the evidence as a Sister who is a scholar directed me to an article that possibly shows that the word "wadrabahun" means separation. The only thing I wonder is that is if this is true, (forgive me for my wording on this, I'm just trying to make a point) why did Allah (swt) not make this potential meaning more apparent with a choice of better words? As scholars have interpreted this as a physical hit for centuries. I feel it is only now we are becoming 'flabby' in interpretations to appease Western discourse. I feel that the word the meaning is apparent to meaning hit. I feel there's is no way out of this. But I'm willing to see evidence within the sunnah for such a claim as well as evidence from early scholars on such an interpretation.

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