שׁוֹעַ
𐤔𐤅𐤏
shôwaʻ
H7771 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who is affluent, wealthy, or socially prominent; a person of high status or considerable means. The term can denote a wealthy or influential individual (especially in poetic or wisdom literature), and in some contexts is used collectively for persons of standing or power within society. It carries connotations of prosperity and distinguished position.
Semantic Range
wealthy person, affluent, noble, person of high status; bountiful, rich; (rarely, a cry or shout, though this is debated)
Root / Etymology
From the root שָׁוַע (sh-v-‘), whose basic meaning is 'to cry out' or 'plead.' The noun form שׁוֹעַ is derived in later usage and came to denote someone high-ranking or wealthy (the semantic connection to 'crying out' is uncertain, and may arise from the public prominence or voice such individuals possess).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical poetry and wisdom literature (e.g. Job 34:19; Job 35:9; Isaiah 32:5), שׁוֹעַ refers to the affluent or influential members of society, often contrasted with the poor or downtrodden. The sense of 'noble' and 'rich' arises not only from wealth but also from the social role or status. The original connection between the root 'to cry out' and the noun for 'rich, noble person' is debated; it may have faded by the time of later texts, with only the notion of social prominence and prosperity remaining. Standard English translations as 'rich' or 'noble' generally capture the basic sense, but may obscure the word's nuance of social influence or beneficence. The derived nominal sense as a 'cry' or 'halloo' is only marginally attested, if at all, and some lexicographers consider this a secondary or mistaken reading. The term has no direct association with inherited nobility in the later European sense but instead reflects the realities of Israelite and Judahite society in the First Temple period, where status came from wealth, lineage, or public standing. The term is not used for later categories such as 'Jew' or religious leadership per se.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁוַע in the original sense of freedom; a noble, i.e. liberal, opulent; also (as noun in the derived sense) a halloo; bountiful, crying, rich.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שוע (sh-v-ʿ) — to cry out, cry for help, plead
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7768 | שָׁוַע | I cry out for release |
| H7769 | שׁוּעַ | Cry-for-Help |
| H7772 | שׁוֹעַ | and Shoa |
| H7773 | שֶׁוַע | my outcry |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7771-01 |
שֽׁוֹעַ | shoa | HNcmsa |
bountiful | wealthy man of rank | 2 |
H7771-02 |
וְ/שׁ֥וֹעַ | veshoa | HC/Ncmsa |
and crying | wealthy man | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7771-02 |
Isaiah 22:5 | וְ/שׁ֥וֹעַ | veshoa | HC/Ncmsa |
and crying | wealthy man |
H7771-01 |
Isaiah 32:5 | שֽׁוֹעַ | shoa | HNcmsa |
bountiful | wealthy man of rank |
H7771-01 |
Job 34:19 | שׁ֭וֹעַ | shoa | HNcmsa |
the rich | wealthy man of rank |