שָׁנַס
𐤔𐤍𐤎
shânaç
H8151 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To gird up or fasten with a belt or sash, especially the garment around the waist; in extended sense, to prepare oneself for activity (especially for movement, labor, or battle) by securing outer garments or equipment. Used literally of tightening a sash, or figuratively as an idiom for readiness or preparedness.
Semantic Range
to gird up with a belt, to tighten a sash or garment, to prepare oneself for action by girding, to make ready, to secure by compression
Root / Etymology
Root שָׁנַס (ש-נ-ס), meaning is to bind or gird tightly; actual occurrence is rare and the root does not have widespread attestation outside this form. Some suggest a link to a related Semitic root meaning 'to compress' or 'to hold in place,' but derivation within Hebrew usage is limited to the sense of girding or fastening clothing for readiness.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׁנַס appears sparingly in the Hebrew Bible, limited to a few contexts related to the act of girding oneself. In ancient Israelite dress, long, flowing garments were often secured with a belt or sash for practical activities such as traveling, working, or engaging in battle. The verb שָׁנַס captures this specific action. Distinct from more common verbs for 'girding' (e.g., אָזַר H247 or חָגַר H2296), שָׁנַס emphasizes the act of tightening or compressing with a belt, and its usage may carry the nuance of preparation, alertness, or strengthening for action. While English translations may render it generically ('gird up'), the underlying image reflects a preparatory action distinctive of ancient Near Eastern garments, and should not be confused with simply wearing a belt. Although the expression became an idiom for readiness in post-biblical Hebrew, its biblical usage remains literal or closely tied to the motif of physical or metaphorical preparedness.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to compress (with a belt); gird up.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שנס (š-n-s) — to gird, to tighten, to bind, to compress
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8151-01 |
וַ/יְשַׁנֵּ֖ס | vayeshanes | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he girded | and he tightly girded | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8151-01 |
1 Kings 18:46 | וַ/יְשַׁנֵּ֖ס | vayeshanes | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he girded | and he tightly girded |