שׁוֹעַ
𐤔𐤅𐤏
Shoa
H7772 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun denoting a people group referenced in prophetic literature, likely situated in the region of Mesopotamia, with the primary sense being 'Shoa,' a name applied to a nation or ethnic group. In some lexicographical traditions, also associated—by similarity of form only—with a term for 'wealthy' or 'rich,' though in this context it is a toponym or ethnonym, not an adjective.
Semantic Range
proper noun denoting a people group or region (Shoa); ethnonym of a nation or tribe in Mesopotamia; NOT 'rich' or 'wealthy' in this context
Root / Etymology
The word appears to be a proper noun, not derived from a productive Hebrew root. Etymology uncertain; the name may be of non-Hebrew or foreign origin, and its similarity in form to the Hebrew שׁוֹעַ (shoa‘), 'rich' or 'noble,' is likely coincidental. The root שׁוּעַ (shin-vav-ayin) in Hebrew can mean 'to be rich' or 'to cry for help,' but neither sense is contextually relevant to this proper noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שׁוֹעַ (Shôwaʻ) appears in Ezekiel 23:23 alongside other place names or peoples located in the Neo-Assyrian or Neo-Babylonian cultural sphere, such as Pekod and Koa. The term likely refers to a specific nation or group participating in military alliances against Jerusalem in the 6th century BCE. It is distinct from the homographic common noun forms meaning 'rich' or 'noble,' which are rarely used in the biblical text. Early translations and some older English Bibles render the name as 'Shoa,' sometimes interpreting it as 'wealth,' but modern scholarship recognizes it as the ethnic or regional name of a Mesopotamian people. The term's occurrence is limited, and its specific identity remains uncertain, but it should not be conflated with the later use of similar-sounding words or names. Unlike related terms such as שׁוּעַ (shua‘), the word here is not descriptive, but designates an ethnic or regional group involved in Near Eastern political affairs during the late monarchic and exilic periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as שׁוֹעַ; rich; Shoa, an Oriental people; Shoa.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שוע (sh-w-ʿ) — uncertain; proper name of a people group
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7768 | שָׁוַע | I cry out for release |
| H7769 | שׁוּעַ | Cry-for-Help |
| H7771 | שׁוֹעַ | wealthy man of rank |
| H7773 | שֶׁוַע | my outcry |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7772-01 |
וְ/שׁ֨וֹעַ֙ | veshoa | HC/Np |
and-Shoa | and Shoa | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7772-01 |
Ezekiel 23:23 | וְ/שׁ֨וֹעַ֙ | veshoa | HC/Np |
and-Shoa | and Shoa |