שָׁגַג
𐤔𐤂𐤂
shâgag
H7683 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To go astray, err; most typically, to commit an unintentional mistake or error, especially in a ritual, legal, or moral sense. In the Hebrew Bible, שָׁגַג refers almost exclusively to actions done without intent or knowledge, especially in the context of violating commandments or laws inadvertently. The term is primarily used to indicate unintentional sin or inadvertent transgression, distinguishing such actions from deliberate or defiant disobedience.
Semantic Range
to go astray, err, make an unintentional mistake, transgress unwittingly, sin inadvertently, be mistaken, act by error
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁ־ג־ג (שָׁגַג), meaning to stray or err. The root encompasses ideas of wandering from a path, making a mistake, or deviating unintentionally. The verb derives directly from this root sense of inadvertent straying, with later nominal forms (e.g., שְׁגָגָה) denoting 'unintentional sin' or 'mistake.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In ancient Israelite law and ritual, distinguishing between intentional and unintentional actions was critical, especially regarding sacrificial procedures in Leviticus and Numbers. שָׁגַג defines the legal category of transgression that happens by mistake, lack of knowledge, or inadvertence—distinct from sins committed 'with a high hand' (בְּיָד רָמָה), i.e., presumptuously or willfully. This term is foundational for understanding the Israelite sacrificial system, which provided means of atonement specifically for unintentional (שָׁגַג) sins, but not for high-handed, defiant acts. Later Jewish interpretive traditions rendered the term in Greek as ἀγνοεῖν (to be ignorant) in the Septuagint, and later Latin as peccare per ignorantiam. The English term 'sin' sometimes fails to capture the tightly defined scope of שָׁגַג as involving lack of intent or mistaken action. In contrast, related roots such as פָּשַׁע (to rebel) or חָטָא (to miss, to sin more generally) can include intentional wrongdoing. The nuance of inadvertence is central to שָׁגַג and should inform both translation and interpretation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to stray, i.e. (figuratively) sin (with more or less apology); [idiom] also for that, deceived, err, go astray, sin ignorantly.
Bantu Hebrew
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שׁגג (sh-g-g) — to err, stray, go astray unintentionally, make a mistake
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7684 | שְׁגָגָה | in unintentional error |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7683-02 |
שֹׁגֵ֑ג | shogeg | HVqrmsa |
the deceived | the unwitting errer | 2 |
H7683-03 |
בִ/שְׁגָגָ֖ה | vishegagah | HR/Ncfsa |
unintentionally | in unintentional error | 1 |
H7683-01 |
שָׁגָ֛ג | shagag | HVqp3ms |
he erred | he erred unintentionally | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7683-01 |
Leviticus 5:18 | שָׁגָ֛ג | shagag | HVqp3ms |
he erred | he erred unintentionally |
H7683-03 |
Numbers 15:28 | בִ/שְׁגָגָ֖ה | vishegagah | HR/Ncfsa |
unintentionally | in unintentional error |
H7683-02 |
Psalms 119:67 | שֹׁגֵ֑ג | shogeg | HVqrmsa |
went astray | the unwitting errer |
H7683-02 |
Job 12:16 | שֹׁגֵ֥ג | shogeg | HVqrmsa |
the deceived | the unwitting errer |