סוּסָה
𐤎𐤅𐤎𐤄
çûwçâh
H5484 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A female horse, specifically a mare. In biblical Hebrew, סוּסָה refers to the female of the horse species, with occasional extension to a collective sense (i.e., a group of mares or horses) in poetic or figurative language. The term is used both for literal animals and as a metaphor or simile in poetic contexts, often highlighting beauty, strength, or movement.
Semantic Range
mare (female horse), group or company of female horses (esp. in poetic/collective sense), metaphor for beauty, elegance, or strength
Root / Etymology
From the root סוס (s-w-s), meaning 'to leap, rejoice, move swiftly.' סוּסָה is the feminine form of סוּס (male horse/horse generically) formed with the feminine ending -ָה. While the root suggests movement or leaping, the lexical meaning is specifically that of a female horse.
Historical & Contextual Notes
סוּסָה appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, almost always as the feminine counterpart to סוּס (horse, stallion/generic horse). In Song of Songs 1:9, the comparison of a beloved to a סוּסָה harnessed to Pharaoh's chariots employs the term to evoke images of elegance, nobility, and power. Rarely, the plural or collective application appears in poetic passages. English translations often render the term as 'mare,' but in some historic translations (e.g., KJV), the term 'company of horses' is found, reflecting the poetic collective sense. The underlying metaphor does not carry ethnic or religious identity connotations, and its usage is essentially stable across Israelite history. However, in the Near Eastern context, horses and chariotry were associated with royal power and warfare, adding connotations of prestige and strength to metaphoric uses. Related terms: סוּס (stallion, horse) is masculine/generic, while סוּסָה indicates specifically a female horse. Later Hebrew maintained this usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of סוּס; a mare; company of horses.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
סוס (s-w-s) — leaping, swift movement, rejoicing
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2702 | חֲצַר סוּסִים | horses |
| H5483 | סוּס | in the horses |
| H5485 | סוּסִי | My-Horse |
| H5580 | סָס | he exulted |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5484-01 |
לְ/סֻסָתִ/י֙ | lesusati | HR/Ncfsc/Sp1cs |
to my mare | to my mare | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5484-01 |
Song of Songs 1:9 | לְ/סֻסָתִ/י֙ | lesusati | HR/Ncfsc/Sp1cs |
to my mare | to my mare |