שָׂרַד
𐤔𐤓𐤃
sârad
H8277 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To survive, escape, or remain alive after a calamity or crisis; to be left as a remnant following disaster, often in the sense of having evaded destruction or threat. The verb frequently denotes the action or state of outliving others, persisting beyond a danger, or being part of a surviving group. In some cases, it may imply continuing in existence in contrast with those who have perished or have not endured difficulty.
Semantic Range
to survive a threat or disaster, to remain alive after others perish, to escape alive, to persist or outlive danger, to be left as a survivor or remnant
Root / Etymology
From the root שׂרד, whose basic sense is 'to survive' or 'to escape.' There is likely a semantic relation to the noun שֶׂרֶד (Sered, a personal name), but direct derivation is uncertain. The root meaning does not seem to directly correspond to the idea of 'puncturing,' as Strong suggested, and is more reliably linked to the concept of survival or remaining.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שָׂרַד (sârad) primarily appears in poetic and prophetic contexts to describe individuals or groups who escape destruction, particularly in the context of warfare, judgment, or national crisis. The word shares semantic space with נָשַׁאַר (nashar, 'to be left over, remain') and פָּלַט (palat, 'to escape'), but often emphasizes the fact of survival or enduring a threat rather than merely being left behind. While English translations sometimes use 'survive' or 'escape,' these may not fully convey the nuance of continuing existence after communal trauma. Over time, the term came to be associated with the concept of a 'remnant'—that is, those who remain faithful or are spared in times of disaster, though this later theological sense should not be retroactively imposed on early usages. The word does not specifically refer to escape by stealth or subterfuge, but often simply to the fact of survival.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; (compare שֶׂרֶד); properly, to puncture, i.e. (figuratively through the idea of slipping out) to escape or survive; remain.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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שׂרד (ś-r-d) — to survive, remain, escape
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8277-01 |
שָׂרְד֣וּ | saredu | HVqp3cp |
survived | they survived | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8277-01 |
Joshua 10:20 | שָׂרְד֣וּ | saredu | HVqp3cp |
survived | they survived |