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סַר

𐤎𐤓

çar

H5620 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root סרר to turn aside, to be stubborn, to withdraw

Definition

An adjective describing a state of being sullen, morose, or withdrawn in spirit, typically due to emotional heaviness, gloom, or dissatisfaction; carries the nuance of 'downcast' or 'gloomy,' particularly as an emotional or mental state, rather than a physical condition.

Semantic Range

sullen, morose, withdrawn, gloomy, downcast (of spirit), dejected, emotionally heavy, out of sorts

Root / Etymology

From the root סרר (סרר), meaning 'to stubbornly turn aside, be rebellious, withdraw.' סַר (sar) is a derived adjective. The root sense is 'to turn aside' or 'to be stubborn,' which informs the derived adjective's nuance of being unapproachable or withdrawn due to emotional heaviness.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, סַר appears infrequently (notably in Genesis 40:6 in the context of Joseph observing the downcast faces of the royal cupbearer and baker). The meaning is not simply 'sad' in a general sense, but connotes an air of being withdrawn or brooding, possibly due to disappointment or troubled thoughts (as reflected in its parallelisms and context). It is distinct from primary Hebrew words for 'sadness' (עָצוּב) or 'mourning' (אֵבֶל), in that סַר indicates a sullen temperament or moodiness, rather than grief or bereavement. Later Hebrew usage continues the sense of 'sullen' or 'morose.' English translations often render it 'sad' or 'dejected,' though the connotation can include displeasure or irritability. The Strong's gloss 'peevish' points to this nuance but is overly narrow; the term encompasses a fuller emotional and psychological withdrawal. Over Israelite and later periods, the term did not shift substantially, remaining a rare and descriptive adjective for a particular emotional state.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

contracted from סָרַר; peevish; heavy, sad.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שרר (ś-r-r) — to rule, to govern, to exercise authority

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5371 נֵרְגַּל שַׁרְאֶצֶר ruling-official
H5493 סוּר ruling chief
H8269 שַׂר among rulers
H8270 שֹׁר to your navel-cord
H8285 שֵׁרָה and the wrist-bands

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5620-01 סַ֣ר sar HAamsa sullen ruling-official 2
H5620-02 סָרָ֔ה sarah HAafsa sullen Princess 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5620-01 1 Kings 20:43 סַ֣ר sar HAamsa sullen ruling-official
H5620-01 1 Kings 21:4 סַ֣ר sar HAamsa sullen ruling-official
H5620-02 1 Kings 21:5 סָרָ֔ה sarah HAafsa sullen Princess
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