שׂוּחַ
𐤔𐤅𐤇
sûwach
H7742 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To go about, move, or traverse, especially with the implication of engaging in meditation, contemplation, or prayer while walking; by extension, to muse, ponder, or meditate in thought. The semantic range covers both physical activity (walking or moving about) and mental activity (contemplation, reflecting, or communing, especially with the divine).
Semantic Range
to go about, to walk, to wander, to meditate, to muse, to ponder, to pray (especially silently or while walking), to reflect
Root / Etymology
From the root שׂוּחַ (שׂוּח), which primarily means 'to go about, to traverse.' The root's core idea is physical movement, but in biblical usage it comes to be associated with both movement and internal meditation or prayer, especially as expressed in solitary walking or wandering.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical biblical usage, שׂוּחַ appears rarely and is understood in its two primary senses: (1) the literal, physical act of walking or wandering, and (2) the figurative act of meditating, pondering, or communing, especially in a devotional context. Genesis 24:63 is the primary attestation, where Isaac is described as going out 'to suwach in the field' toward evening; traditional translations and commentaries have debated whether this refers to walking/rambling or praying/meditating. The word does not occur frequently enough in the Hebrew Bible to show significant diachronic development, but rabbinic tradition tended to interpret it as seeking communion with the divine through meditation or prayer, influenced by later interpretive traditions. English translations sometimes render it narrowly as 'meditate' or 'pray,' but the Hebrew word retains an ambiguity encompassing both physical and mental activity. The distinction from related terms such as שִׂיחַ (siakh) highlights that שׂוּחַ focuses more on the movement associated with meditation or prayer rather than speech or verbal reflection.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to muse pensively; meditate.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׂוח (ś-w-ḥ) — to go about, to traverse, to meditate, to ponder
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7878 | שִׂיחַ | I will muse |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7742-01 |
לָ/שׂ֥וּחַ | lasucha | HR/Vqc |
to meditate | to go about in meditation | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7742-01 |
Genesis 24:63 | לָ/שׂ֥וּחַ | lasucha | HR/Vqc |
to meditate | to go about in meditation |