← H8452 H8454 →

תּוֹשָׁב

𐤕𐤅𐤔𐤁

tôwshâb

H8453 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ישב to sit, to dwell, to remain, to inhabit

Definition

A resident alien; an individual who dwells among a population but lacks full legal rights accorded to native-born members. The term denotes a permanent or semi-permanent inhabitant, often distinguished from both natives (especially those with landholding rights) and from transient sojourners. Sometimes used to signify someone granted limited settled status (such as the right to reside, but usually not to own land).

Semantic Range

resident alien, settled inhabitant without full native rights, permanent foreign resident, non-citizen dweller, non-Israelite living in Israelite territory

Root / Etymology

From the root יָשַׁב (y-sh-b), meaning 'to sit, remain, dwell.' תּוֹשָׁב is a nominal form (infinitive/participle) indicating someone who resides or is settled in a place. The underlying semantic shift is from the act of dwelling (root-level) to the legal/social status of a dweller in a community.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Israelite society, תּוֹשָׁב designated a non-native inhabitant, typically differing from a native-born citizen (ezraḥ, אֶזְרָח) and from a transient sojourner or guest (גֵּר, ger). While a גֵּר generally denotes a protected stranger with some associative legal status and integration into communal and covenantal life (though sometimes still marginal), the תּוֹשָׁב was more permanently resident but did not possess equal standing with native-born community members. Legal texts especially distinguish between the תּוֹשָׁב and native Israelites in matters such as land tenure, ritual practice, and participation in festivals or sacrificial meals (e.g., Leviticus 22:10, Leviticus 25:6). In some contexts, תּוֹשָׁב includes certain rights of residency, but without inheritance or full civic privileges. The designation persisted into post-monarchic periods as resident population categories evolved. Later English translations sometimes render both גֵּר and תּוֹשָׁב as 'stranger' or 'sojourner,' but this often collapses important legal and social distinctions present in the Hebrew.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or תֹּשָׁב; (1 Kings 17:1), from יָשַׁב; a dweller (but not outlandish (נׇכְרִי)); especially (as distinguished from a native citizen (active participle of יָשַׁב) and a temporary inmate (גֵּר) or mere lodger (לוּן)); resident alien; foreigner, inhabitant, sojourner, stranger.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

ישב (y-š-b) — to sit, to dwell, to remain, to inhabit

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3143 יוֹשִׁבְיָה Yahweh causes to dwell
H3427 יָשַׁב in dwelling
H3428 יֶשֶׁבְאָב Dwelling-of-a-Father
H3429 יֹשֵׁב בַּשֶּׁבֶת in the seat
H3430 יִשְׁבּוֹ בְּנֹב Dweller-in-Nob

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8453-04 תּוֹשָׁ֥ב toshav HNcmsa a guest settled resident alien 4
H8453-07 וְ/תוֹשָׁ֥ב vetoshav HC/Ncmsa and sojourner and resident alien 3
H8453-08 וְ/תוֹשָׁבִ֛ים vetoshavim HC/Ncmpa and sojourners resident dwellers 2
H8453-05 וּ/לְ/תוֹשָׁ֣בְ/ךָ֔ uletoshavekha HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp2ms and for your sojourner your resident alien 1
H8453-06 וְ/לַ/תּוֹשָׁב֙ velatoshav HC/Rd/Ncmsa and for the sojourner and to the resident alien 1
H8453-01 הַ/תּוֹשָׁבִ֜ים hatoshavim HTd/Ncmpa the sojourners the resident aliens 1
H8453-02 כְּ/תוֹשָׁ֖ב ketoshav HR/Ncmsa as a resident alien as a settled resident-alien 1
H8453-03 מִ/תֹּשָׁבֵ֣י mitoshavey HR/Ncmpc who was of the settlers of from resident aliens of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

14 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8453-07 Genesis 23:4 וְ/תוֹשָׁ֥ב vetoshav HC/Ncmsa and sojourner and resident alien
H8453-04 Exodus 12:45 תּוֹשָׁ֥ב toshav HNcmsa temporary resident settled resident alien
H8453-04 Leviticus 22:10 תּוֹשַׁ֥ב toshav HNcmsc sojourner settled resident alien
H8453-05 Leviticus 25:6 וּ/לְ/תוֹשָׁ֣בְ/ךָ֔ uletoshavekha HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp2ms and for your sojourner your resident alien
H8453-08 Leviticus 25:23 וְ/תוֹשָׁבִ֛ים vetoshavim HC/Ncmpa and sojourners resident dwellers
H8453-07 Leviticus 25:35 וְ/תוֹשָׁ֛ב vetoshav HC/Ncmsa or sojourner and resident alien
H8453-02 Leviticus 25:40 כְּ/תוֹשָׁ֖ב ketoshav HR/Ncmsa as a resident alien as a settled resident-alien
H8453-01 Leviticus 25:45 הַ/תּוֹשָׁבִ֜ים hatoshavim HTd/Ncmpa the sojourners the resident aliens
H8453-07 Leviticus 25:47 וְ/תוֹשָׁב֙ vetoshav HC/Ncmsa or resident alien and resident alien
H8453-04 Leviticus 25:47 תּוֹשָׁב֙ toshav HNcmsa or resident alien settled resident alien
← H8452 Hebrew Lexicon H8454 →