שׁוּד
𐤔𐤅𐤃
shûwd
H7736 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To act violently or devastate, particularly by causing ruin or destruction through aggressive or rapacious action. In some contexts, the nuance is that of assaulting, despoiling, or laying waste, often linked to the behavior of oppressors or enemies who victimize others. The primary lexical sense involves causing destruction as a result of forceful aggression or insolent conduct.
Semantic Range
to devastate, to lay waste, to act violently, to despoil, to ravage, to ruin, to assault by force
Root / Etymology
Root: שׁוּד (sh-w-d). The root is associated with violence, despoilment, or ruin. The verb form שׁוּד refers to the act of devastating or acting violently toward others. In its noun form (שׁוֹד, shōd), it refers to devastation, violence, or plunder, further indicating the semantic field of forceful destruction or rapine. The root is not widespread outside Hebrew but aligns with similar roots in Semitic languages related to assault or ruin.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שׁוּד appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, most notably in poetic contexts such as the Psalms (e.g., Psalm 91:6). Its sense of 'ravaging' or 'devastating' is more active than passive, denoting action taken by an oppressor or enemy. The related noun שׁוֹד (shōd) is often found in prophetic literature denoting violence, robbery, or ruin, which helps clarify the verb’s usual semantic domain. The KJV and other English translations sometimes narrow the term to 'waste' or 'destruction,' but the original sense carries an implication of aggressive violence or plunder, not merely the result but also the violent process. Its rarity may account for translation variation and occasional conflation with related verbs like שָׁדַד (shadad, 'to deal violently'). Over time, the core violent/rapacious nuance remained stable, but context-specific translations may obscure this. No significant shift in meaning appears across biblical periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to swell up, i.e. figuratively (by implication of insolence) to devastate; waste.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁוד (sh-w-d) — to devastate, to act violently, to plunder
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7701 | שֹׁד | the violent devastation |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7736-01 |
יָשׁ֥וּד | yashud | HVqi3ms |
that wastes | he will devastate | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7736-01 |
Psalms 91:6 | יָשׁ֥וּד | yashud | HVqi3ms |
that wastes | he will devastate |