שׁוֹבֵב
𐤔𐤅𐤁𐤁
shôwbêb
H7728 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who turns back, turns away, or is rebellious; especially, one who departs or defects from a standard, expectation, or agreement. In most contexts, the term refers to someone who acts with waywardness, unfaithfulness, or recalcitrance, particularly in covenantal or relational settings. The primary sense is of an individual who is turning away from a previous position, loyalty, or behavior.
Semantic Range
one who turns away, one who is rebellious, wayward person, backslider, defector, apostate (in the sense of turning back or away from a relationship or obligation)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שׁוּב (shuv), meaning 'to turn, return, go back.' שׁוֹבֵב (shôwbêb) is a participial form, literally 'one who turns back' or 'one who turns aside.' The lexical nuance shifts from the neutral act of turning (root level) to the more negative sense of turning away, being wayward, or rebellious (lexical level).
Historical & Contextual Notes
שׁוֹבֵב appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, notably in poetic and prophetic literature (e.g. Jeremiah, Isaiah), often describing the 'backsliding' or rebellious state of Israel as a people, or of individuals turning from proper conduct or loyalty. The term carries a connotation of deliberate, willful turning away, contrasted with simple error or ignorance. English translation as 'apostate' in some traditions can obscure the original sense, which focuses more on the act of turning away than on formal renunciation. Related nouns such as מְשׁוּבָה (meshubah, 'backsliding') convey a similar meaning; שׁוֹבֵב, however, is more personal and active in form. In later Hebrew, similar roots can mean 'naughty' or 'mischievous,' extending the sense of waywardness to general recalcitrance. The later use of 'apostate' or 'heathen' as translation risks importing later religious and communal categories not present in the biblical usage, which is focused on relational or covenantal faithlessness. In biblical narrative, the concept of 'backsliding' often applies to Israelite relationships with YHWH and covenant obligations, but the word itself retains its core nuance of deliberate waywardness or rebellious turning away, distinct from ritual impurity or legal transgression.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שׁוּב; apostate, i.e. heathenish or (actually) heathen; backsliding.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁוּב (sh-w-v) — to turn, return, go back, turn away
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4878 | מְשׁוּבָה | to my turning-away |
| H7726 | שׁוֹבָב | turning-away ones |
| H7729 | שׁוּבָה | in returning |
| H8666 | תְּשׁוּבָה | for the return of |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7728-01 |
הַ/שּֽׁוֹבֵבָ֑ה | hashovevah | HTd/Aafsa |
backsliding | the turning-away woman | 2 |
H7728-02 |
לְ/שׁוֹבֵ֥ב | leshovev | HR/Aamsa |
to the apostate | to a turning-away one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7728-01 |
Jeremiah 31:22 | הַ/שּֽׁוֹבֵבָ֑ה | hashovevah | HTd/Aafsa |
backsliding | the turning-away woman |
H7728-01 |
Jeremiah 49:4 | הַ/שּֽׁוֹבֵבָ֑ה | hashovevah | HTd/Aafsa |
backsliding | the turning-away woman |
H7728-02 |
Micah 2:4 | לְ/שׁוֹבֵ֥ב | leshovev | HR/Aamsa |
to the apostate | to a turning-away one |