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מְשׁוֹבָב

𐤌𐤔𐤅𐤁𐤁

Meshovav

H4877 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׁוּב to turn, return, bring back

Definition

Meshobab is a personal name meaning 'one who turns back' or 'restorer.' It is used in biblical genealogies as the name of an Israelite man from the tribe of Simeon. The term itself expresses the idea of turning, returning, or restoring, likely conveying the sense of 'brought back' or 'one who brings/has brought a return.' The primary use is as a proper name, not as a common noun or verb.

Semantic Range

proper name, a restorer, one who brings back, one who returns; as a personal name, Meshobab

Root / Etymology

The name derives from the root שׁוּב (shuv), which means 'to turn, return, bring back.' It is in the causative stem (hiphil), suggesting the sense 'one who causes to return' or 'restorer.' The prefix מְ- (mem), common in participial forms and names, adds either an instrumental or agentive nuance. Thus, מְשׁוֹבָב is best understood as 'restorer' or 'he who brings back.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

Meshobab appears in 1 Chronicles 4:34 as a Simeonite leader noted in a genealogical list. His name is constructed similarly to other biblical personal names formed from verb roots, sometimes indicating circumstances of birth, a hope for the individual's role, or as an honorific. The sense is not a theological designation but fits a naming pattern where restoration or return is emphasized. While the root שׁוּב often has nuanced theological and metaphorical significance (e.g., 'return to YHWH' in prophetic literature), here it is strictly a personal name. Later translations sometimes use 'Meshobab' without alteration; English Bibles conventionally retain the Hebrew name due to its status as a proper noun. It is important to note that the English term 'Jew' is a later development and does not apply to Meshobab, who is specifically identified in the biblical text as an Israelite from the tribe of Simeon, prior to the formation of the later Judahite or Judean ethnic/geographic identities.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שׁוּב; returned; Meshobab, an Israelite; Meshobab.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שׁוב (sh-w-v (shuv)) — turn, return, bring back

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3427 יָשַׁב and I will return
H3437 יָשׁוּב to He-will-return
H4878 מְשׁוּבָה turning-away defection
H7610 שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב he will return
H7619 שְׁבוּאֵל And God-restores

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4877-01 וּ/מְשׁוֹבָ֣ב umeshovav HC/Np Meshobab and Restorer 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4877-01 1 Chronicles 4:34 וּ/מְשׁוֹבָ֣ב umeshovav HC/Np Meshobab and Restorer
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