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סָעַד

𐤎𐤏𐤃

çâʻad

H5582 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To support or sustain, most commonly in a physical, emotional, or social sense. The verb סָעַד can denote providing physical support (e.g. helping someone stand or walk), offering social or psychological encouragement, or sustaining someone in a time of need. In some contexts, it can also refer to supplying food or provisions, as in preparing a meal for support and refreshment. Used figuratively, it implies strengthening, upholding, or maintaining one's position or well-being.

Semantic Range

to support physically, to sustain or encourage, to uphold, to strengthen, to assist the weak, to refresh with food or provisions, to maintain, to comfort

Root / Etymology

Root סעד carries the basic idea of providing support or prop; the verb in the Qal stem means to support, sustain, uphold, or encourage. The link to physical or metaphorical strengthening is primary, with an extended use for providing sustenance, especially through food.

Historical & Contextual Notes

סָעַד occurs in both literal and metaphorical contexts. In narrative and poetry, it is often used for physically supporting or helping someone (e.g. assisting the infirm or elderly, 2 Samuel 22:19), or sustaining with food (e.g. Genesis 18:5, referring to Abraham ‘refreshing’ guests). In Psalms and wisdom literature, it more frequently appears in figurative senses, such as God supporting or sustaining the righteous (Psalm 3:6, Psalm 18:36). The verb often carries connotations of active intervention or relief, rather than static support. Later usage (post-biblical Hebrew) sometimes narrows the sense to nourishment or refreshment. English translations may render the term as "support," "uphold," "refresh," or "strengthen," but these may not always convey the full relational or social dimension implied in the original contexts. Unlike verbs such as תָּמַךְ (tamakh, 'to hold, grasp') which emphasize physical holding, סָעַד can imply both tangible and intangible aid or encouragement.

Translation Consistency

primary "support" 9 occurrences

“Support” best captures the common, everyday sense of סָעַד across physical, social, and emotional contexts. It naturally covers helping, upholding, sustaining, strengthening, and assisting the weak, while remaining more natural and idiomatic than the more formal “sustain” or the narrower “refresh.” It also matches the most frequent existing renderings.

Alternatives (3 occurrences):
"sustain" (2x) "refresh yourself" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to suport (mostly figurative); comfort, establish, hold up, refresh self, strengthen, be upholden.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

סעד (s-ʿ-d) — support, sustain, uphold, strengthen

Root סעד to support, to sustain, to uphold, to strengthen
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4552 מִסְעָד support-structure
H5583 סְעַד strengthening ones

Word Forms

11 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5582-01 סְעָ֧ד sead HVqv2ms refresh Support! Support! 2
H5582-05 וּֽ/סְעָ֑דָ/ה useadah HC/Vqv2ms/Sh and refresh yourself and support! and refresh yourself 1
H5582-03 תִסְעָדֵ֑/נִי tiseadeni HVqi3fs/Sp1cs supports-me she supports me supports me 1
H5582-11 יִ֭סְעָדֶ/נּוּ yiseadenu HVqi3ms/Sp3ms will sustain him he will support him he will sustain him 1
H5582-10 יִסְעָדֵֽ/נִי yiseadeni HVqi3ms/Sp1cs will hold me up he will sustain me he will sustain me 1
H5582-07 וְ/סַעֲד֤וּ vesaadu HC/Vqv2mp and refresh and support! and support 1
H5582-04 וּֽ/לְ/סַעֲדָ֔/הּ ulesaadah HC/R/Vqc/Sp3fs and to uphold it and to support her and to support her 1
H5582-09 יִסְעָדֶֽ/ךָּ yiseadekha HVqi3ms/Sp2ms may support you he will sustain you may he support you 1
H5582-02 סְעָדֵ֥/נִי seadeni HVqv2ms/Sp1cs Hold me up Support me Support me 1
H5582-06 וְ/סָעַ֖ד vesaad HC/Vqq3ms and supports and he sustained and he supports 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5582-07 Genesis 18:5 וְ/סַעֲד֤וּ vesaadu HC/Vqv2mp and refresh and support! and support
H5582-01 Judges 19:5 סְעָ֧ד sead HVqv2ms refresh Support! Support!
H5582-01 Judges 19:8 סְעָד sead HVqv2ms sustain yourself Support! Support!
H5582-05 1 Kings 13:7 וּֽ/סְעָ֑דָ/ה useadah HC/Vqv2ms/Sh and refresh yourself and support! and refresh yourself
H5582-04 Isaiah 9:6 וּֽ/לְ/סַעֲדָ֔/הּ ulesaadah HC/R/Vqc/Sp3fs and to uphold it and to support her and to support her
H5582-03 Psalms 18:36 תִסְעָדֵ֑/נִי tiseadeni HVqi3fs/Sp1cs supports-me she supports me supports me
H5582-09 Psalms 20:3 יִסְעָדֶֽ/ךָּ yiseadekha HVqi3ms/Sp2ms may support you he will sustain you may he support you
H5582-11 Psalms 41:4 יִ֭סְעָדֶ/נּוּ yiseadenu HVqi3ms/Sp3ms will sustain him he will support him he will sustain him
H5582-10 Psalms 94:18 יִסְעָדֵֽ/נִי yiseadeni HVqi3ms/Sp1cs will hold me up he will sustain me he will sustain me
H5582-08 Psalms 104:15 יִסְעָֽד yisead HVqi3ms sustains he will support it will support
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