שָׂגָה
𐤔𐤂𐤄
sâgâh
H7685 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To grow, become great, or increase in size, intensity, or quantity. The verb שָׂגָה denotes a process of expansion or becoming abundant, whether in a physical, figurative, or socio-economic sense. It can refer to humans (becoming numerous or mighty), vegetation (growing luxuriant), or abstract qualities (like pride or strength increasing). While primarily indicating upward or outward expansion, it can also describe the intensification of circumstances or attributes.
Semantic Range
to increase in number or amount, to grow in stature or abundance, to flourish luxuriantly, to become powerful or exalted, to become haughty or prideful
Root / Etymology
From the root שׂגה, an apparent denominative or primary verb meaning 'to grow, increase, become great.' The root core conveys ideas of augmentation and expansion. The exact root etymology is somewhat unclear, as it is uncommon and largely limited to poetic and prophetic contexts, but is clearly related to the semantic field of growing and enlarging.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׂגָה occurs primarily in poetic, prophetic, and wisdom literature and is rare in narrative prose. Its semantic emphasis often reflects abundance, prosperity, or growth beyond the ordinary. The word frequently appears in parallelism with other growth or enlargement terms, such as רָבָה (to become many) and גָּדַל (to become great). In later Hebrew, related terms become more common. English translations may render שָׂגָה as 'increase,' 'grow,' 'become great,' or 'enlarge,' but these may not fully capture the connotation of lavish expansion or flourishing. There is no specialized or fixed technical usage; the sense is shaped by poetic context, often highlighting either positive (e.g., flourishing, prosperity) or negative (e.g., arrogance) connotations, depending on the subject. Unlike רָבָה, which focuses on multiplication or numerical increase, שָׂגָה stresses the manner and quality of growth. Its rarity and choice settings in the Hebrew Bible give the term a literary or elevated tone. Post-biblical Hebrew prefers other roots for 'to grow' or 'to increase.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to enlarge (especially upward, also figuratively); grow (up), increase.
Bantu Hebrew
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שׂגה (s-g-h) — grow, increase, become great, flourish
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7685-02 |
יִשְׂגֶּֽה | yisegeh | HVqi3ms |
Can it grow | he will grow | 3 |
H7685-01 |
הִשְׂגּוּ | hisegu | HVhp3cp |
they increase | they caused to increase | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7685-01 |
Psalms 73:12 | הִשְׂגּוּ | hisegu | HVhp3cp |
they increase | they caused to increase |
H7685-02 |
Psalms 92:13 | יִשְׂגֶּֽה | yisegeh | HVqi3ms |
he grows tall | he will grow |
H7685-02 |
Job 8:7 | יִשְׂגֶּ֥ה | yisegeh | HVqi3ms |
will increase | he will grow |
H7685-02 |
Job 8:11 | יִשְׂגֶּה | yisegeh | HVqi3ms |
Can it grow | he will grow |