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שׁוּב

𐤔𐤅𐤁

shûwb

H7725 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שׁוב to return, turn back, restore

Definition

To turn back, return, or go back; by extension, to restore, bring back, or reverse an action or state; to turn away from a direction, action, or condition, with a range of nuance from literal physical movement to metaphorical or spiritual turning (such as repentance, restoration, or change in relationship). Used both transitively (to cause to return or restore) and intransitively (to return oneself or revert).

Semantic Range

to return (to a place or state), to turn back (away from), to restore someone or something, to bring back, to reverse a previous condition or decision, to relent, to turn away (from wrongdoing), to be brought back (passive usage), to recover, to repeat or do again, to withdraw

Root / Etymology

From the triliteral root שׁ־וּ־ב (שׁוּב), meaning 'to return, turn back.' The root primarily connotes a change in movement or direction, either physical or metaphorical.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שׁוּב is a foundational verb in Biblical Hebrew, appearing in all periods of the Hebrew Bible. In narrative texts, it often denotes literal physical return (e.g., from a journey or exile), while in prophetic and wisdom literature, it develops important metaphorical senses, such as religious or ethical turning (repentance, i.e., 'turning back' to YHWH). In the monarchy and later periods, שׁוּב could refer to both social and religious restoration. The term contrasts with related roots such as פנה (to turn aside) or סור (to turn away in the sense of depart, desist). English translations sometimes restrict שׁוּב to 'return,' but in context it often conveys the nuance of restoration or a reversal of a previous state. In later Jewish interpretive tradition, שׁוּב is foundational for the concept of 'teshuvah' (return/repentance), but these later religious connotations should not be anachronistically applied to earlier biblical usage. The breadth of use is extensive, encompassing acts as varied as returning from exile, reversing judgment, being restored to status or favor, and turning from wrongdoing.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again; ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שׁוב (sh-w-b) — return, turn back, restore

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3427 יָשַׁב and I will return
H3437 יָשׁוּב to He-will-return
H4877 מְשׁוֹבָב and Restorer
H4878 מְשׁוּבָה turning-away defection
H7610 שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב he will return

Word Forms

194 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7725-128 וַ/יָּ֤שָׁב vayashav HC/Vqw3ms and returned and he turned back 81
H7725-185 יָשׁ֛וּב yashuv HVqi3ms will return he will return 53
H7725-132 וַ/יָּשֻׁ֧בוּ vayashuvu HC/Vqw3mp and they returned and they turned back 52
H7725-55 שָׁ֥ב shav HVqp3ms turned he returned 38
H7725-85 תָּשֽׁוּב tashuv HVqi2ms you return you will return 33
H7725-41 לְ/הָשִׁ֤יב lehashiv HR/Vhc to restore to cause to return 31
H7725-155 וְ/שָׁב֙ veshav HC/Vqq3ms and he shall return and he returned 31
H7725-75 שֻׁ֖בוּ shuvu HVqv2mp Return Turn back! 30
H7725-68 שׁוּב shuv HVqc return to return 28
H7725-186 יָשׁ֣וּבוּ yashuvu HVqi3mp let them return they will return 25

Occurrences in Scripture

1073 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7725-70 Genesis 3:19 שֽׁוּבְ/ךָ֙ shuvekha HVqc/Sp2ms your return your turning back
H7725-85 Genesis 3:19 תָּשֽׁוּב tashuv HVqi2ms you shall return you will return
H7725-132 Genesis 8:3 וַ/יָּשֻׁ֧בוּ vayashuvu HC/Vqw3mp and receded and they turned back
H7725-121 Genesis 8:3 וָ/שׁ֑וֹב vashov HC/Vqa and returning and returning
H7725-121 Genesis 8:7 וָ/שׁ֔וֹב vashov HC/Vqa and returning and returning
H7725-124 Genesis 8:9 וַ/תָּ֤שָׁב vatashav HC/Vqw3fs and she returned and she turned back
H7725-68 Genesis 8:12 שׁוּב shuv HVqc to him to return
H7725-132 Genesis 14:7 וַ֠/יָּשֻׁבוּ vayashuvu HC/Vqw3mp And they returned and they turned back
H7725-129 Genesis 14:16 וַ/יָּ֕שֶׁב vayashev HC/Vhw3ms he brought back and he caused to return
H7725-28 Genesis 14:16 הֵשִׁ֔יב heshiv HVhp3ms he brought back he caused to return
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