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שְׂאֵת

𐤔𐤀𐤕

sᵉʼêth

H7613 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נשא to lift, carry, raise, bear

Definition

A rising, elevation, or lifting up; refers concretely to a physical swelling or spot, especially a conspicuous mark or swelling on the skin (as in skin disease), and figuratively to elevation, dignity, or status. The term is used both in ritual purity contexts and poetic imagery for human exaltation or distinguishing mark.

Semantic Range

elevation, rising, swelling (on skin), conspicuous mark, upward projection, exaltation in social rank or status, dignity, acceptance (figuratively), lifting up (in both ritual and metaphorical senses)

Root / Etymology

From the root נָשָׂא (n-ś-ʼ, נשא), meaning 'to lift, carry, bear up.' The noun שְׂאֵת is a feminine substantive indicating the thing that is lifted or elevated. The concrete sense (swelling, mark) arises from the imagery of something lifted or raised from the surface. The abstract sense (exaltation) comes from the root meaning extended metaphorically to rank or character.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In legal and ritual texts (especially Leviticus), שְׂאֵת refers to a lifted or raised spot on the skin—a prominent sign of a particular type of scale disease (often translated 'leprosy'). Accurate identification of שְׂאֵת required priestly judgment for ritual impurity. In poetic and wisdom literature, the term shifts to denote elevation in status, dignity, or acceptance (e.g., Genesis 4:7, Psalms). Standard English renderings often use narrow terms—'leprous scab' or 'exaltation'—but the Hebrew term bridges both physical and metaphorical rising. Distinguish שְׂאֵת from similar terms such as שָׂרָה (striving, power) or גָּאוֹן (pride, majesty), which emphasize dominance or grandeur rather than the physical or social act of being lifted or distinguished. Meaning and usage shift by genre: ritual/medical language to describe disease; poetic/figurative usage for human or divine exaltation. Later translations (post-biblical) sometimes equate the term with 'acceptance' or 'favorable regard,' especially in passages about divine favor.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from נָשָׂא; an elevation or leprous scab; figuratively, elation or cheerfulness; exaltation in rank or character; be accepted, dignity, excellency, highness, raise up self, rising.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נשא (n-ś-ʾ) — lift, carry, raise, bear

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4853 מַשָּׂא in the burden
H4854 מַשָּׂא burden of
H4856 מַשֹּׂא and lifting-up-of
H4858 מַשָּׂאָה rising mass
H4859 מַשָּׁאָה loans

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7613-04 שְׂאֵ֔ת seet HNcfsa swelling raised swelling 7
H7613-03 מִ֭/שֵּׂת/וֹ miseto HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms from its scales his rising 1
H7613-05 שְׂ֭אֵת/וֹ seeto HNcfsc/Sp3ms his majesty his elevation 1
H7613-06 וּ֝/מִ/שְּׂאֵת֗/וֹ umiseeto HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp3ms and because of his majesty and from his elevation 1
H7613-08 וְ/לַ/שְׂאֵ֥ת velaseet HC/Rd/Ncfsa and for a swelling and for a rising 1
H7613-01 בַּ/שְׂאֵֽת baseet HRd/Ncfsa in the swelling in the raised swelling 1
H7613-07 וּ/שְׂאֵת֖/וֹ useeto HC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms and their dignity and his elevation 1
H7613-02 מִ/שְּׂאֵת֨/וֹ miseeto HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms from his elevation from his elevation 1

Occurrences in Scripture

14 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7613-04 Genesis 4:7 שְׂאֵ֔ת seet HNcfsa be accepted raised swelling
H7613-04 Genesis 49:3 שְׂאֵ֖ת seet HNcfsa in dignity raised swelling
H7613-04 Leviticus 13:2 שְׂאֵ֤ת seet HNcfsa a swelling raised swelling
H7613-04 Leviticus 13:10 שְׂאֵת seet HNcfsc swelling raised swelling
H7613-01 Leviticus 13:10 בַּ/שְׂאֵֽת baseet HRd/Ncfsa in the swelling in the raised swelling
H7613-04 Leviticus 13:19 שְׂאֵ֣ת seet HNcfsa a swelling raised swelling
H7613-04 Leviticus 13:28 שְׂאֵ֥ת seet HNcfsc swelling raised swelling
H7613-04 Leviticus 13:43 שְׂאֵת seet HNcfsc swelling raised swelling
H7613-08 Leviticus 14:56 וְ/לַ/שְׂאֵ֥ת velaseet HC/Rd/Ncfsa and for a swelling and for a rising
H7613-07 Habakkuk 1:7 וּ/שְׂאֵת֖/וֹ useeto HC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms and their dignity and his elevation
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