שָׂדַד
𐤔𐤃𐤃
sâdad
H7702 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To devastate, lay waste, or violently destroy. The verb שָׂדַד (sâdad) primarily denotes the act of violently ravaging, ruining, or stripping land, cities, or people, often with an agricultural or military connotation. In poetic and prophetic texts, it is used to describe the destruction wrought by an enemy or disaster, emphasizing forceful or violent stripping away.
Semantic Range
to devastate, lay waste, violently ruin, strip bare, destroy cities or land, oppress; (Historically also, to break clods or harrow, but rarely in this literal sense in biblical usage)
Root / Etymology
Root: שָׂדַד. The root meaning is 'to strip off, devastate, violently lay bare.' While the exact relation to agricultural terms (such as 'harrow' in English translation) is influenced by the semantic field of stripping or breaking up the surface, in Hebrew usage the term carries broader destructive overtones beyond agricultural contexts.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb שָׂדַד appears predominantly in poetic and prophetic literature, especially in Jeremiah and Job, describing the comprehensive destruction of land, property, or cities. While older English translations at times associate the word with agricultural practice (e.g., 'harrow'), the Hebrew usage is almost always violent and destructive, not mere tilling of the earth. In prophetic literature, it is used for the devastation of cities or the violent stripping of people's fortunes. The meaning is closely related to שָׁדַד (shadad), 'to devastate' or 'to oppress,' and may at times be variant spellings or dialect forms. Over time, the concept of violent devastation became more prominent, and standard Bible translations in recent centuries more accurately render it as 'devastate,' 'despoil,' or 'lay waste.' The connection to agriculture (i.e., breaking clods or harrowing) is secondary and not the primary biblical sense.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to abrade, i.e. harrow afield; break clods, harrow.
Bantu Hebrew
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שׂדד (ś-d-d) — strip off, devastate, lay waste, ravage
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7702-02 |
יְשַׂדֶּד | yesaded | HVpi3ms |
he-will-harrow | he will ravage | 2 |
H7702-01 |
וִֽ/ישַׂדֵּ֖ד | visaded | HC/Vpi3ms |
and-break | and he will ravage | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7702-01 |
Isaiah 28:24 | וִֽ/ישַׂדֵּ֖ד | visaded | HC/Vpi3ms |
and-break | and he will ravage |
H7702-02 |
Hosea 10:11 | יְשַׂדֶּד | yesaded | HVpi3ms |
will harrow | he will ravage |
H7702-02 |
Job 39:10 | יְשַׂדֵּ֖ד | yesaded | HVpi3ms |
he-will-harrow | he will ravage |