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שָׁאַר

𐤔𐤀𐤓

shâʼar

H7604 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שׁאר to remain, to be left behind, to survive, to leave over, to preserve

Definition

To remain, be left behind or survive, especially after an event that removes or destroys others; to leave over or preserve something or someone. שָׁאַר is used for what or who is left after judgment, disaster, exile, battle, or other forms of depletion. The term encompasses both the passive sense of surviving or remaining, and the active sense of leaving something over. It is frequently used to describe individuals or groups who continue to exist after significant loss or crisis, or what is intentionally set aside or saved from consumption or destruction.

Semantic Range

to remain, be left, be left over, survive (as a remnant), leave over, preserve, set aside, spare, be the rest or remainder, be a survivor, cause to remain

Root / Etymology

Root is שׁ־א־ר (שׁאר). The root appears to carry the basic sense of 'to remain,' reflecting a state of being left after others have been taken away or destroyed. The verb can appear in several stems (qal, nifal, hiphil, hifil), covering both intransitive ('to remain, survive') and transitive ('to preserve, leave over') senses. Cognate roots with similar meanings are found in other Semitic languages (e.g., Aramaic שׁאר, Akkadian 'šēru').

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שָׁאַר often describes individuals or groups who survive an event that eliminates others, such as a remnant of Israelites after conquest or exile. In the monarchic and exilic periods, the word develops theological resonance—'the remnant' can become a technical term for those who remain faithful, though this is an interpretive (not strictly lexical) usage. It is distinct from other roots for 'remain' in Hebrew: for example, יָתַר (ytr), which can have a sense of surplus or excess, and נוֹתַר (notar), often related to ritual leftovers. In post-exilic and later periods, especially in prophetic writings, שָׁאַר becomes significant for its use in hopes for restoration and regathering. English translations often render it as 'remain,' 'be left,' 'survivor,' or 'remnant,' but nuances regarding agency (passive survivor vs. what is actively preserved) may be lost. The development of the sense 'remnant' (as a collective noun) is attested especially in the prophets. The English word 'Jew' is not a precise equivalent for the ancient contexts where שָׁאַר appears; often the primary referent is the Israelite or Judahite people more broadly.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make) redundant; leave, (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שׁאר (š-ʾ-r) — to remain, be left behind, survive, leave over, preserve

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4863 מִשְׁאֶרֶת your kneading-trough
H7605 שְׁאָר in remainder of
H7606 שְׁאָר remainder of

Word Forms

37 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7604-09 הִשְׁאִ֖יר hisheir HVhp3ms left he caused to remain 22
H7604-05 הַ/נִּשְׁאָרִ֛ים hanishearim HTd/VNrmpa who remained the remaining ones 21
H7604-13 נִשְׁאָ֗ר nishear HVNrmsa remained the remaining one 19
H7604-17 נִשְׁאָֽרוּ nishearu HVNp3cp were left they were left behind 9
H7604-02 הַ/נִּשְׁאָ֖ר hanishear HTd/VNrmsa is left the one remaining 7
H7604-26 וְ/הַ/נִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים vehanishearim HC/Td/VNrmpa And those of you who are left and the ones remaining 5
H7604-35 יַשְׁאִ֤ירוּ yasheiru HVhi3mp leave they will cause to remain 4
H7604-31 וְ/נִשְׁאַר venishear HC/VNq3ms and-are-left and he was left 3
H7604-14 נִשְׁאֲרָ֥ה nishearah HVNp3fs remains she remained 3
H7604-37 יִשָּׁאֵר֩ yishaer HVNi3ms will remain he will remain 2

Occurrences in Scripture

133 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7604-24 Genesis 7:23 וַ/יִשָּׁ֧אֶר vayishaer HC/VNw3ms and remained and he was left remaining
H7604-26 Genesis 14:10 וְ/הַ/נִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים vehanishearim HC/Td/VNrmpa the survivors and the ones remaining
H7604-02 Genesis 32:9 הַ/נִּשְׁאָ֖ר hanishear HTd/VNrmsa that is left the one remaining
H7604-13 Genesis 42:38 נִשְׁאָ֗ר nishear HVNrmsa is left the remaining one
H7604-13 Genesis 47:18 נִשְׁאַר֙ nishear HVNp3ms remains the remaining one
H7604-20 Exodus 8:5 תִּשָּׁאַֽרְנָה tishaarenah HVNi3fp they shall remain they will be left behind
H7604-20 Exodus 8:7 תִּשָּׁאַֽרְנָה tishaarenah HVNi3fp they shall remain they will be left behind
H7604-13 Exodus 8:27 נִשְׁאַ֖ר nishear HVNp3ms one remained the remaining one
H7604-07 Exodus 10:5 הַ/נִּשְׁאֶ֤רֶת hanisheeret HTd/VNrfsa that remains the remaining one
H7604-09 Exodus 10:12 הִשְׁאִ֖יר hisheir HVhp3ms has left he caused to remain
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