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שָׂעַר

𐤔𐤏𐤓

sâʻar

H8175 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To be stormy, tempestuous, to sweep away as in a storm or whirlwind. It also carries the sense of trembling with fear, especially as a reaction to a physically violent or overwhelming force—whether natural (a storm) or emotional (terror, horror). The verb primarily denotes violent movement, agitation, or commotion, as with a storm or whirlwind, and by extension, intense fear or dread in the face of such power.

Semantic Range

to storm, be tempestuous, come like a whirlwind, to be violently agitated, to sweep away as with a storm or whirlwind, to tremble (with fear), to be seized with horror or terror, to cause or experience commotion or terror

Root / Etymology

Root: שׂער. The root fundamentally means 'to be stormy, to be in a state of agitation or turbulence.' The verb derives from the root's notion of swirling or being violently moved, much like a storm or whirlwind agitates its surroundings. From this sense of violent, sweeping force, it developed metaphorically to refer to trembling or being gripped by fear as one might be in a tempest.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שָׂעַר is most often used in poetic or vivid narrative settings to describe the overwhelming, often destructive force of storms or violent winds. The verb may also be employed metaphorically to evoke the terror or panic that such natural phenomena induce in humans. In later texts, it may take on a more emotional or psychological nuance, signifying to tremble, be terrified, or shudder in fear, but the root sense of violent agitation or sweeping power remains primary. This verb should not be confused with שֵׂעָר (hair), which comes from a different root. English translations tend to render this root with terms related to whirlwind, tempest, or storm, while occasionally translating the metaphorical usage as 'to be afraid,' although this may obscure the vivid, physical imagery underlying the term. The root does not directly signify ordinary fear, but rather a fear or terror akin to the overwhelming force of a tempest. In passages such as Job 27:21 or Isaiah 17:13, the sense is that of being swept away as by a storm, whereas in Psalms (e.g., Psalm 58:10), it takes on a more personal or emotional tenor, linked closely to awe or terror. There is no evidence that the term took on a specialized religious or theological meaning in biblical usage.

Translation Consistency

primary "tremble" 0 occurrences

Tremble best covers the verb’s typical uses: involuntary shaking or shuddering from fear or terror and, by extension, violent agitation or commotion. It is natural English, broad enough to render both emotional trembling and forceful, storm-like disturbance, and aligns with the attested P2 renderings (e.g., “shudder/shuddered”) while remaining the most generally usable single base verb for all forms.

Alternatives (8 occurrences):
"shudder" (2x) "feared" (1x) "shuddered" (1x) "tempestuous" (1x) "storm-sweeps" (1x) "violently storms" (1x) "storm violently" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to storm; by implication, to shiver, i.e. fear; be (horribly) afraid, fear, hurl as a storm, be tempestuous, come like (take away as with) a whirlwind.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

שׂער (s-ʿ-r) — to be stormy, to be tempestuous, to sweep away, to tremble, to be agitated

Root שׂער to be stormy, to be tempestuous, to sweep away, to tremble, to be agitated
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H8163 שָׂעִיר the shaggy male-goat
H8164 שָׂעִיר tempestuous downpours
H8165 שֵׂעִיר in Seir
H8166 שְׂעִירָה she-goat of
H8167 שְׂעִירָה to the Seirah

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H8175-05 וְ/יִשְׂתָּעֵ֨ר veyisetaer HC/Vti3ms and-will-storm he will storm violently and he will storm violently 1
H8175-02 שָׂ֣עֲרוּ saaru HVqp3cp shuddered they stormed violently shuddered 1
H8175-04 וְ/שַׂעֲר֛וּ vesaaru HC/Vqv2mp and shudder and rage like a storm and shudder 1
H8175-08 יִשְׂעֲר֤וּ yisearu HVqi3mp will shudder they storm will shudder 1
H8175-06 וִֽ֝/ישָׂעֲרֵ֗/הוּ visaarehu HC/Vpi3ms/Sp3ms and-storms-him he violently storms him and he violently storms him 1
H8175-01 נִשְׂעֲרָ֥ה nisearah HVNp3fs it shall be tempestuous was storm-tossed it will be tempestuous 1
H8175-03 שְׂעָר֖וּ/ם searum HVqp3cp/Sp3mp they feared them they stormed them they feared them 1
H8175-07 יִשְׂעָרֶֽ/נּוּ yisearenu HVqi3ms/Sp3ms He sweeps it away he storm-sweeps him he storm-sweeps him 1

Occurrences in Scripture

8 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H8175-03 Deuteronomy 32:17 שְׂעָר֖וּ/ם searum HVqp3cp/Sp3mp they feared them they stormed them they feared them
H8175-04 Jeremiah 2:12 וְ/שַׂעֲר֛וּ vesaaru HC/Vqv2mp and shudder and rage like a storm and shudder
H8175-02 Ezekiel 27:35 שָׂ֣עֲרוּ saaru HVqp3cp shuddered they stormed violently shuddered
H8175-08 Ezekiel 32:10 יִשְׂעֲר֤וּ yisearu HVqi3mp will shudder they storm will shudder
H8175-01 Psalms 50:3 נִשְׂעֲרָ֥ה nisearah HVNp3fs it shall be tempestuous was storm-tossed it will be tempestuous
H8175-07 Psalms 58:10 יִשְׂעָרֶֽ/נּוּ yisearenu HVqi3ms/Sp3ms He sweeps it away he storm-sweeps him he storm-sweeps him
H8175-06 Job 27:21 וִֽ֝/ישָׂעֲרֵ֗/הוּ visaarehu HC/Vpi3ms/Sp3ms and-storms-him he violently storms him and he violently storms him
H8175-05 Daniel 11:40 וְ/יִשְׂתָּעֵ֨ר veyisetaer HC/Vti3ms and-will-storm he will storm violently and he will storm violently
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