שֵׁרוּת
𐤔𐤓𐤅𐤕
shêrûwth
H8293 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
A condition or state of liberty, freedom from servitude, or exemption from bondage or forced labor. The word may also, in certain contexts, carry the sense of preserved status or remnant condition, typically in relation to ongoing community or personal freedom.
Semantic Range
freedom, liberty, exemption from forced labor, absence of interference, preserved state or remnant condition
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שָׁרָה (šārah), meaning 'to loosen, to let go,' with the formation of a noun denoting a state of being free or released. This noun formation is relatively rare, but its etymology is rooted in the concept of loosening or freeing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שֵׁרוּת occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, attested only in specific passages (such as Ezra 6:7), usually in the context of decrees or proclamations granting or preserving freedom of action or status. In such texts, particularly during the Persian period, it describes the absence of interference—such as granting Israelites or residents of Yehud (Judea) the freedom to rebuild and worship. Usage is distinct from related terms such as דְּרוֹר (dərōr, H1865), which more commonly denotes emancipation or manumission, and from חָפְשִׁי (ḥopshî), which describes someone who is freeborn or has been freed from slavery. Later rabbinic and post-biblical Hebrew may reflect evolution in use, but the biblical term is best understood as describing the granted state of being free from constraint (usually by foreign authority or officials). English translations often render it as 'freedom' or 'liberty,' but sometimes conflate it with other terms of release or remnant, which should be differentiated contextually.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁרָה abbreviated; freedom; remnant.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שרה (š-r-h) — to loosen, to let go, to release
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8293-01 |
שרות/ך | shrvtkh | HVqp1cs/Sp2ms |
I have released you | your freedom | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8293-01 |
Jeremiah 15:11 | שרות/ך | shrvtkh | HVqp1cs/Sp2ms |
I have released you | your freedom |