שָׂנִיא
𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤀
sânîyʼ
H8146 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who is hated, enemy; a person who is held in aversion or subject to enmity. In context, denotes an individual who is the object of intense dislike, antipathy, or opposition by another or by a group. While often translated as 'enemy' or 'opponent,' the emphasis is on the affective dimension—a status marked by emotional rejection or hostility more than political or military enmity.
Semantic Range
hated one, unloved, disliked person, person subject to enmity, one toward whom hostility is directed; enemy (in personal sense), rejected individual
Root / Etymology
From the root שָׂנֵא (to hate, to be an enemy). שָׂנִיא is the Qal passive participle form functioning as a substantive. The formation denotes a person who is the object of hatred.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׂנִיא appears rarely (see e.g., Deuteronomy 21:15-17) and is distinct from the more common terms for 'enemy' (like אׂיֵב, which connotes active hostility, adversary or foe in a conflict context) or צַר (one who harasses, oppressor). שָׂנִיא implies personal, emotional enmity rather than legal or military antagonism. In legal and family texts, frequently denotes an individual within a social or household context (such as the 'hated wife' contrasted with the 'loved wife'), emphasizing subjective feelings more than objective circumstances. In later Hebrew and in translation traditions, the nuance may be lost, and the term rendered generally as 'enemy,' but the original focus is on being unloved or rejected. The KJV and related translations sometimes obscure this by using 'enemy' rather than 'hated one' or 'unfavored.' In patriarchal and monarchic periods, use is typically constrained to matters of personal or household relationships, not broader national or communal opposition.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׂנֵא; hated; hated.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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שנא (š-n-ʾ) — hate, hostility, enmity, rejection
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8130 | שָׂנֵא | among their haters |
| H8131 | שְׂנֵא | to your haters |
| H8135 | שִׂנְאָה | your hatreds |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8146-01 |
לַ/שְּׂנִיאָֽה | laseniah | HRd/Aafsa |
of the hated | to the hated woman | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8146-01 |
Deuteronomy 21:15 | לַ/שְּׂנִיאָֽה | laseniah | HRd/Aafsa |
of the hated | to the hated woman |