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שׂוּר

𐤔𐤅𐤓

sûwr

H7787 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שור to saw, to cut, to divide by rubbing or repeated action

Definition

To saw or cut, specifically to divide or sever an object by means of sawing; in some cases, to hew or separate by repeated motion or abrasion. The term typically refers to physical activity of separating materials such as wood or stone.

Semantic Range

to saw, to cut (with a saw), to divide by friction, to hew

Root / Etymology

Root: שור. Derived from a root meaning to saw or cut by friction or a to-and-fro motion. It is likely related to the noun מַשּׂוֹר (masor, 'saw'), which shares both form and semantic field. The root and derived verb are onomatopoetic, mimicking the sound or action of a saw. Not to be confused with the homograph שׂוּר (H7786) meaning 'to turn aside, travel around.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

The verb שׂוּר (sûwr, H7787) appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and refers to the process of sawing or cutting, typically in contexts dealing with craftsmanship or sacrificial preparation (e.g., dividing wood for fire or sacrifice). There is some overlap in form with other, more common, roots (such as שור 'to gaze' and סור 'to turn aside'), but these are distinguished by both context and spelling. Early translations sometimes render saw, hew, or cut, but later translations occasionally obscure the manual, physical aspect of labor involved. The Hebrew term connotes not simply any cutting, but specifically the repetitive, abrasive action typical of sawing, as opposed to chopping or slicing. The tool implied is usually a saw (מַשּׂוֹר), not an axe or knife. No significant shift in meaning is observed between early and later biblical texts; the term retains its technical, material sense and never acquires a figurative or metaphoric usage in known biblical occurrences. The English rendering 'to saw' is essentially accurate, but always implies manual labor with physical tools, not metaphorical division.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root (identical with שׂוּר through the idea of reducing to pieces; compare מַשּׂוֹר); to saw; cut.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

סור (s-w-r) — turning aside, departure, removal

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3249 יָסוּר my departing ones
H5493 סוּר turned-aside one
H5494 סוּר turned-aside ones
H5495 סוּר Sur Gate
H5518 סִיר in the cooking-pot

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7787-01 וַ/יָּ֨שַׂר vayasar HC/Vqw3ms and cut and he caused to turn aside 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7787-01 1 Chronicles 20:3 וַ/יָּ֨שַׂר vayasar HC/Vqw3ms and cut and he caused to turn aside
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