שְׂנֵא
𐤔𐤍𐤀
sᵉnêʼ
H8131 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To have an intense aversion or hostility toward someone or something, to dislike or detest; in some contexts, to reject or oppose. This verb in its Aramaic form expresses the feeling or act of hate, with connotations ranging from personal enmity and hostility to a broader sense of opposition.
Semantic Range
to hate, to be hostile, to be set against, to act as an enemy, to reject, to oppose
Root / Etymology
Root שׂנא, whose core meaning is 'to hate' or 'to be hostile.' The Hebrew root שׂנא is attested in biblical Hebrew, and this Aramaic form (שְׂנֵא) functions as its direct equivalent in Biblical Aramaic passages. The verb derives from this triliteral root and carries into Aramaic both the literal and extended senses of 'to hate.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
שְׂנֵא appears only in Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Daniel, Ezra), consistently used in contexts denoting human or interpersonal hatred, often in legal or political narratives (e.g., enemies of Daniel). Unlike Hebrew שָׂנֵא—which can also describe Israel’s relationship with external nations, or Yahweh's disfavor towards behaviors—Aramaic שְׂנֵא is most often relational among humans. English translations generally offer 'hate,' but modern senses of hate may sometimes understate the social and legal implications in ancient contexts, where hatred could involve active opposition, plot, or legal adversary. In post-exilic contexts, it retained broad meaning, often determined by the narrative situation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׂנֵא; {to hate (personally)}; hate.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שנא (ś-n-ʾ) — hatred, hostility, enmity
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8130 | שָׂנֵא | among their haters |
| H8135 | שִׂנְאָה | your hatreds |
| H8146 | שָׂנִיא | to the hated woman |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8131-02 |
ל/שנאי/ך | lshnykh | AR/Vqrmpc/Sp2ms |
to-[your]-haters | to your haters | 1 |
H8131-01 |
לְ/שָֽׂנְאָ֖/ךְ | lesaneakhe | AR/Vqrmpc/Sp2ms |
to-[your]-haters | to your haters | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8131-02 |
Daniel 4:16 | ל/שנאי/ך | lshnykh | AR/Vqrmpc/Sp2ms |
to-[your]-haters | to your haters |
H8131-01 |
Daniel 4:16 | לְ/שָֽׂנְאָ֖/ךְ | lesaneakhe | AR/Vqrmpc/Sp2ms |
to-[your]-haters | to your haters |