שָׁבַע
to swear
‘to swear’ is one of 2 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Niphal verb in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
Stem
- Niphal
- Usually the simple passive or reflexive of the Qal (“he was written”). Here: ‘subj. man’
- Hiphil
- The causative active stem (“he caused / brought about”). Here: ‘cause to take an oath’
Form
- Perfect
- A completed action or state — Hebrew marks aspect (completeness) more than strict tense (“he wrote”).
- Sequential Imperfect
- An imperfect with prefixed waw — the standard past-narrative form (waw-consecutive imperfect).
- Imperative
- A direct command (“write!”).
- Participle Active
- A verbal adjective expressing ongoing or characteristic action (“writing / one who writes”).
- Sequential Perfect
- A perfect with prefixed waw continuing a preceding imperfect or command (waw-consecutive perfect).
- Infinitive Construct
- A bound verbal noun, frequently with prepositions (“to write / in writing”).
- Imperfect
- An incomplete, ongoing, or future action (“he will / would write”).
- Infinitive Absolute
- An unbound verbal noun, often intensifying or standing in for a finite verb.
- Jussive
- A third- or second-person volitional form expressing wish or command (“let him write”).
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Person
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
- 1st Person
- The speaker (“I / we”).
- 2nd Person
- The one addressed (“you”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Common
- Either gender — not distinguished for this form.
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
Grammatical forms 38 distinct
- Verb, Niphal, Perfect, 3rd Person, Masculine, Singular 45 times (24%)
- Verb, Niphal, Perfect, 1st Person, Common, Singular 27 times (15%)
- Verb, Niphal, Sequential Imperfect, 3rd Person, Masculine, Singular 20 times (11%)
- Verb, Niphal, Perfect, 2nd Person, Masculine, Singular 8 times (4%)
- Verb, Niphal, Perfect, 3rd Person, Common, Plural 7 times (4%)
- Verb, Niphal, Sequential Imperfect, 3rd Person, Masculine, Plural 5 times (3%)
- Verb, Niphal, Imperative, 2nd Person, Masculine, Singular 5 times (3%)
- Verb, Hiphil, Sequential Imperfect, 3rd Person, Masculine, Singular 5 times (3%)
+30 more forms (63 occurrences)
Parsed forms decoded from the imported morphology (morphhb / Westminster Leningrad Codex — WLC text public domain, morphhb tagging CC BY 4.0), counted across 185 parsed occurrences — not distinct verses.
Every verse where H7650 appears — 174 distinct verses across 27 books. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Genesis 17 verses
- Genesis 21:23 הִשָּׁ֨בְעָ/ה Niphal impv 2ms + sfx h Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner."
- Genesis 21:24 אִשָּׁבֵֽעַ Niphal impf 1cs Abraham said, "I will swear."
- Genesis 21:31 נִשְׁבְּע֖וּ Niphal pf 3cp Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because they both swore there.
- Genesis 22:16 נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs and said, "I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,
- Genesis 24:3 וְ/אַשְׁבִּ֣יעֲ/ךָ֔ conj + Hiphil impf 1cs + sfx pers 2ms I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
- Genesis 24:7 נִֽשְׁבַּֽע Niphal pf 3ms Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, 'I will give this land to your seed.' He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
- Genesis 24:9 וַ/יִּשָּׁ֣בַֽע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
- Genesis 24:37 וַ/יַּשְׁבִּעֵ֥/נִי conj + Hiphil wimpf 3ms + sfx pers 1cs My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,
- Genesis 25:33 הִשָּׁ֤בְעָ/ה וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֖ע Niphal impv 2ms + sfx h conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms Jacob said, "Swear to me first." He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob.
- Genesis 26:3 נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
- Genesis 26:31 וַ/יִּשָּׁבְע֖וּ conj + Niphal wimpf 3mp They rose up some time in the morning, and swore one to another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
- Genesis 31:53 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֣ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac.
- Genesis 47:31 הִשָּֽׁבְעָ/ה֙ וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֖ע Niphal impv 2ms + sfx h conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms He said, "Swear to me," and he swore to him. Israel bowed himself on the bed's head.
- Genesis 50:5 הִשְׁבִּיעַ֣/נִי Hiphil pf 3ms + sfx pers 1cs 'My father made me swear, saying, "Behold, I am dying. Bury me in my grave which I have dug for myself in the land of Canaan." Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come again.'"
- Genesis 50:6 הִשְׁבִּיעֶֽ/ךָ Hiphil pf 3ms + sfx pers 2ms Pharaoh said, "Go up, and bury your father, just like he made you swear."
- Genesis 50:24 נִשְׁבַּ֛ע Niphal pf 3ms Joseph said to his brothers, "I am dying, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."
- Genesis 50:25 וַ/יַּשְׁבַּ֣ע conj + Hiphil wimpf 3ms Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."
Exodus 5 verses
- Exodus 13:5 נִשְׁבַּ֤ע Niphal pf 3ms It shall be, when Yahweh shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month.
- Exodus 13:11 נִשְׁבַּ֥ע Niphal pf 3ms "It shall be, when Yahweh shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it you,
- Exodus 13:19 הַשְׁבֵּ֨עַ הִשְׁבִּ֜יעַ Hiphil inf.abs Hiphil pf 3ms Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you."
- Exodus 32:13 נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתָּ Niphal pf 2ms Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.'"
- Exodus 33:1 נִ֠שְׁבַּעְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your seed.'
Leviticus 4 verses
- Leviticus 5:4 תִשָּׁבַע֩ Niphal impf 3fs "'Or if anyone swears rashly with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatever it is that a man might utter rashly with an oath, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty of one of these.
- Leviticus 6:3 וְ/נִשְׁבַּ֣ע conj + Niphal wpf 3ms or has found that which was lost, and dealt falsely therein, and swearing to a lie; in any of all these things that a man does, sinning therein;
- Leviticus 6:5 יִשָּׁבַ֣ע Niphal impf 3ms or any thing about which he has sworn falsely; he shall restore it even in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. To him to whom it belongs he shall give it, in the day of his being found guilty.
- Leviticus 19:12 תִשָּׁבְע֥וּ Niphal impf 2mp "'You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.
Numbers 8 verses
- Numbers 5:19 וְ/הִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ conj + Hiphil wpf 3ms The priest shall cause her to swear, and shall tell the woman, 'If no man has lain with you, and if you haven't gone aside to uncleanness, being under your husband, be free from this water of bitterness that brings a curse.
- Numbers 5:21 וְ/הִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ conj + Hiphil wpf 3ms then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, 'Yahweh make you a curse and an oath among your people, when Yahweh allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell;
- Numbers 11:12 נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתָּ Niphal pf 2ms Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that you should tell me, Carry them in your bosom, as a nursing-father carries the sucking child, to the land which you swore to their fathers?
- Numbers 14:16 נִשְׁבַּ֣ע Niphal pf 3ms Because Yahweh was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.
- Numbers 14:23 נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised me see it:
- Numbers 30:2 הִשָּׁ֤בַע Niphal inf.abs When a man vows a vow to Yahweh, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
- Numbers 32:10 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֖ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms Yahweh's anger was kindled in that day, and he swore, saying,
- Numbers 32:11 נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:
Deuteronomy 33 verses
- Deuteronomy 1:8 נִשְׁבַּ֣ע Niphal pf 3ms Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their seed after them.
- Deuteronomy 1:34 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֥ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms Yahweh heard the voice of your words, and was angry, and swore, saying,
- Deuteronomy 1:35 נִשְׁבַּ֔עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see the good land, which I swore to give to your fathers,
- Deuteronomy 2:14 נִשְׁבַּ֥ע Niphal pf 3ms The days in which we came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, were thirty-eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were consumed from the midst of the camp, as Yahweh swore to them.
- Deuteronomy 4:21 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֗ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms Furthermore Yahweh was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in to that good land, which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance:
- Deuteronomy 4:31 נִשְׁבַּ֖ע Niphal pf 3ms for Yahweh your God is a merciful God; he will not fail you, neither destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which he swore to them.
- Deuteronomy 6:10 נִשְׁבַּ֧ע Niphal pf 3ms It shall be, when Yahweh your God shall bring you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities, which you didn't build,
- Deuteronomy 6:13 תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ Niphal impf 2ms You shall fear Yahweh your God; and him shall you serve, and shall swear by his name.
- Deuteronomy 6:18 נִשְׁבַּ֥ע Niphal pf 3ms You shall do that which is right and good in the sight of Yahweh; that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land which Yahweh swore to your fathers,
- Deuteronomy 6:23 נִשְׁבַּ֖ע Niphal pf 3ms and he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he swore to our fathers.
- Deuteronomy 7:8 נִשְׁבַּע֙ Niphal pf 3ms but because Yahweh loves you, and because he would keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, has Yahweh brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
- Deuteronomy 7:12 נִשְׁבַּ֖ע Niphal pf 3ms It shall happen, because you listen to these ordinances, and keep and do them, that Yahweh your God will keep with you the covenant and the loving kindness which he swore to your fathers:
- Deuteronomy 7:13 נִשְׁבַּ֥ע Niphal pf 3ms and he will love you, and bless you, and multiply you; he will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the young of your flock, in the land which he swore to your fathers to give you.
- Deuteronomy 8:1 נִשְׁבַּ֥ע Niphal pf 3ms All the commandment which I command you this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers.
- Deuteronomy 8:18 נִשְׁבַּ֥ע Niphal pf 3ms But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as at this day.
- Deuteronomy 9:5 נִשְׁבַּ֤ע Niphal pf 3ms Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations Yahweh your God does drive them out from before you, and that he may establish the word which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
- Deuteronomy 10:11 נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Yahweh said to me, Arise, take your journey before the people; and they shall go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give to them.
- Deuteronomy 10:20 תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ Niphal impf 2ms You shall fear Yahweh your God; him shall you serve; and to him shall you cleave, and by his name shall you swear.
- Deuteronomy 11:9 נִשְׁבַּ֨ע Niphal pf 3ms and that you may prolong your days in the land, which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give to them and to their seed, a land flowing with milk and honey.
- Deuteronomy 11:21 נִשְׁבַּ֧ע Niphal pf 3ms that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth.
- Deuteronomy 13:17 נִשְׁבַּ֖ע Niphal pf 3ms There shall cleave nothing of the devoted thing to your hand; that Yahweh may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and show you mercy, and have compassion on you, and multiply you, as he has sworn to your fathers;
- Deuteronomy 19:8 נִשְׁבַּ֖ע Niphal pf 3ms If Yahweh your God enlarge your border, as he has sworn to your fathers, and give you all the land which he promised to give to your fathers;
- Deuteronomy 26:3 נִשְׁבַּ֧ע Niphal pf 3ms You shall come to the priest who shall be in those days, and tell him, I profess this day to Yahweh your God, that I am come to the land which Yahweh swore to our fathers to give us.
- Deuteronomy 26:15 נִשְׁבַּ֨עְתָּ֙ Niphal pf 2ms Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel, and the ground which you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.
- Deuteronomy 28:9 נִֽשְׁבַּֽע Niphal pf 3ms Yahweh will establish you for a holy people to himself, as he has sworn to you; if you shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and walk in his ways.
- Deuteronomy 28:11 נִשְׁבַּ֧ע Niphal pf 3ms Yahweh will make you plenteous for good, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give you.
- Deuteronomy 29:13 נִשְׁבַּע֙ Niphal pf 3ms that he may establish you this day to himself for a people, and that he may be to you a God, as he spoke to you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
- Deuteronomy 30:20 נִשְׁבַּ֨ע Niphal pf 3ms to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cleave to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
- Deuteronomy 31:7 נִשְׁבַּ֧ע Niphal pf 3ms Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of good courage: for you shall go with this people into the land which Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give them; and you shall cause them to inherit it.
- Deuteronomy 31:20 נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and grown fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant.
- Deuteronomy 31:21 נִשְׁבָּֽעְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs It shall happen, when many evils and troubles are come on them, that this song shall testify before them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they frame this day, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.
- Deuteronomy 31:23 נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs He gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore to them: and I will be with you.
- Deuteronomy 34:4 נִ֠שְׁבַּעְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Yahweh said to him, This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, I will give it to your seed: I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.
Joshua 15 verses
- Joshua 1:6 נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Be strong and of good courage; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
- Joshua 2:12 הִשָּֽׁבְעוּ Niphal impv 2mp Now therefore, please swear to me by Yahweh, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a true token;
- Joshua 2:17 הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽ/נוּ Hiphil pf 2fs + sfx pers 1cp The men said to her, We will be guiltless of this your oath which you have made us to swear.
- Joshua 2:20 הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽ/נוּ Hiphil pf 2fs + sfx pers 1cp But if you utter this our business, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you have made us to swear.
- Joshua 5:6 נִשְׁבַּ֤ע נִשְׁבַּ֨ע Niphal pf 3ms Niphal pf 3ms For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, even the men of war who came forth out of Egypt, were consumed, because they didn't listen to the voice of Yahweh: to whom Yahweh swore that he wouldn't let them see the land which Yahweh swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
- Joshua 6:22 נִשְׁבַּעְתֶּ֖ם Niphal pf 2mp Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, Go into the prostitute's house, and bring out there the woman, and all that she has, as you swore to her.
- Joshua 6:26 וַ/יַּשְׁבַּ֣ע conj + Hiphil wimpf 3ms Joshua charged them with an oath at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before Yahweh, that rises up and builds this city Jericho: with the loss of his firstborn shall he lay the foundation of it, and with the loss of his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
- Joshua 9:15 וַ/יִּשָּׁבְע֣וּ conj + Niphal wimpf 3mp Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation swore to them.
- Joshua 9:18 נִשְׁבְּע֤וּ Niphal pf 3cp The children of Israel didn't strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes.
- Joshua 9:19 נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ Niphal pf 1cp But all the princes said to all the congregation, We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
- Joshua 9:20 נִשְׁבַּ֥עְנוּ Niphal pf 1cp This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.
- Joshua 14:9 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֣ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms Moses swore on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have wholly followed Yahweh my God.
- Joshua 21:43 נִשְׁבַּ֖ע Niphal pf 3ms So Yahweh gave to Israel all the land which he swore to give to their fathers; and they possessed it, and lived therein.
- Joshua 21:44 נִשְׁבַּ֖ע Niphal pf 3ms Yahweh gave them rest round about, according to all that he swore to their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; Yahweh delivered all their enemies into their hand.
- Joshua 23:7 תַשְׁבִּ֔יעוּ Hiphil impf 2mp that you not come among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear [by them], neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves to them;
Judges 6 verses
- Judges 2:1 נִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי֙ Niphal pf 1cs The angel of Yahweh came up from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you:
- Judges 2:15 נִשְׁבַּ֥ע Niphal pf 3ms Wherever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was against them for evil, as Yahweh had spoken, and as Yahweh had sworn to them: and they were sore distressed.
- Judges 15:12 הִשָּׁבְע֣וּ Niphal impv 2mp They said to him, We have come down to bind you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines. Samson said to them, Swear to me that you will not fall on me yourselves.
- Judges 21:1 נִשְׁבַּ֥ע Niphal pf 3ms Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter to Benjamin as wife.
- Judges 21:7 נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ Niphal pf 1cp How shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
- Judges 21:18 נִשְׁבְּע֤וּ Niphal pf 3cp However we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin.
1 Samuel 10 verses
- 1 Samuel 3:14 נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.
- 1 Samuel 14:27 בְּ/הַשְׁבִּ֣יעַ prep + Hiphil inf.cs But Jonathan didn't hear when his father charged the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
- 1 Samuel 14:28 הַשְׁבֵּעַ֩ הִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ Hiphil inf.abs Hiphil pf 3ms Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father directly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day. The people were faint.
- 1 Samuel 19:6 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֣ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.
- 1 Samuel 20:3 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֨ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms David swore moreover, and said, Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, Don't let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.
- 1 Samuel 20:17 לְ/הַשְׁבִּ֣יעַ prep + Hiphil inf.cs Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
- 1 Samuel 24:21 הִשָּׁ֤בְעָ/ה Niphal impv 2ms + sfx h Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house.
- 1 Samuel 24:22 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֥ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men got them up to the stronghold.
- 1 Samuel 28:10 וַ/יִּשָּׁ֤בַֽע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, As Yahweh lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing.
- 1 Samuel 30:15 הִשָּׁבְעָ/ה֩ Niphal impv 2ms + sfx h David said to him, Will you bring me down to this troop? He said, Swear to me by God, that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop.
2 Samuel 6 verses
- 2 Samuel 3:9 נִשְׁבַּ֤ע Niphal pf 3ms God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I don't do even so to him;
- 2 Samuel 3:35 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֨ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun be down.
- 2 Samuel 19:7 נִשְׁבַּ֜עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don't go forth, there will not stay a man with you this night: and that will be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.
- 2 Samuel 19:23 וַ/יִּשָּׁ֥בַֽע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms The king said to Shimei, You shall not die. The king swore to him.
- 2 Samuel 21:2 נִשְׁבְּע֣וּ Niphal pf 3cp The king called the Gibeonites, and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them: and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);
- 2 Samuel 21:17 נִשְׁבְּעוּ֩ Niphal pf 3cp But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, You shall go no more out with us to battle, that you don't quench the lamp of Israel.
1 Kings 10 verses
- 1 Kings 1:13 נִשְׁבַּ֤עְתָּ Niphal pf 2ms Go and get you in to king David, and tell him, Didn't you, my lord, king, swear to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? why then does Adonijah reign?
- 1 Kings 1:17 נִשְׁבַּ֜עְתָּ Niphal pf 2ms She said to him, My lord, you swore by Yahweh your God to your handmaid, [saying], Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.
- 1 Kings 1:29 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֥ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms The king swore, and said, As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
- 1 Kings 1:30 נִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs most assuredly as I swore to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place; most assuredly so will I do this day.
- 1 Kings 1:51 יִשָּֽׁבַֽע Niphal juss 3ms It was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon; for, behold, he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.
- 1 Kings 2:8 וָ/אֶשָּׁ֨בַֽע conj + Niphal wimpf 1cs Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, I will not put you to death with the sword.
- 1 Kings 2:23 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַע֙ conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms Then king Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.
- 1 Kings 2:42 הִשְׁבַּעְתִּ֣י/ךָ Hiphil pf 1cs + sfx pers 2ms The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Didn't I adjure you by Yahweh, and protest to you, saying, Know for certain, that on the day you go out, and walk abroad any where, you shall surely die? and you said to me, The saying that I have heard is good.
- 1 Kings 18:10 וְ/הִשְׁבִּ֤יעַ conj + Hiphil wpf 3ms As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, where my lord has not sent to seek you: and when they said, He is not here, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they didn't find you.
- 1 Kings 22:16 מַשְׁבִּעֶ֑/ךָ Hiphil ptcp.act ms cs + sfx pers 2ms The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?
2 Kings 2 verses
- 2 Kings 11:4 וַ/יַּשְׁבַּ֤ע conj + Hiphil wimpf 3ms In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of Yahweh; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of Yahweh, and shown them the king's son.
- 2 Kings 25:24 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֨ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms Gedaliah swore to them and to their men, and said to them, Don't be afraid because of the servants of the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
2 Chronicles 4 verses
- 2 Chronicles 15:14 וַ/יִּשָּֽׁבְעוּ֙ conj + Niphal wimpf 3mp They swore to Yahweh with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
- 2 Chronicles 15:15 נִשְׁבָּ֔עוּ Niphal pf 3cp All Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and Yahweh gave them rest round about.
- 2 Chronicles 18:15 מַשְׁבִּיעֶ֑/ךָ Hiphil ptcp.act ms cs + sfx pers 2ms The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?
- 2 Chronicles 36:13 הִשְׁבִּיע֖/וֹ Hiphil pf 3ms + sfx pers 3ms He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Ezra 1 verse
Nehemiah 2 verses
- Nehemiah 5:12 וָֽ/אַשְׁבִּיעֵ֔/ם conj + Hiphil wimpf 1cs + sfx pers 3mp Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as you say. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.
- Nehemiah 13:25 וָ/אַשְׁבִּיעֵ֣/ם conj + Hiphil wimpf 1cs + sfx pers 3mp I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, [saying], You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.
Psalms 12 verses
- Psalms 15:4 נִשְׁבַּ֥ע Niphal pf 3ms In whose eyes a vile man is despised, But who honors those who fear Yahweh; He who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn't change;
- Psalms 24:4 נִשְׁבַּ֣ע Niphal pf 3ms He who has clean hands and a pure heart; Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, And has not sworn deceitfully.
- Psalms 63:11 הַ/נִּשְׁבָּ֣ע ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act ms But the king shall rejoice in God. Everyone who swears by him will praise him, For the mouth of those who speak lies shall be silenced.
- Psalms 89:3 נִ֝שְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant,
- Psalms 89:35 נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Once have I sworn by my holiness, I will not lie to David.
- Psalms 89:49 נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתָּ Niphal pf 2ms Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses, Which you swore to David in your faithfulness?
- Psalms 95:11 נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They won't enter into my rest."
- Psalms 102:8 נִשְׁבָּֽעוּ Niphal pf 3cp My enemies reproach me all day. Those who are mad at me use my name as a curse.
- Psalms 110:4 נִשְׁבַּ֤ע Niphal pf 3ms Yahweh has sworn, and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek."
- Psalms 119:106 נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs I have sworn, and have confirmed it, That I will obey your righteous ordinances.
- Psalms 132:2 נִ֭שְׁבַּע Niphal pf 3ms How he swore to Yahweh, And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
- Psalms 132:11 נִשְׁבַּֽע Niphal pf 3ms Yahweh has sworn to David in truth. He will not turn from it: "I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.
Ecclesiastes 1 verse
Song of Solomon 5 verses
- Song of Solomon 2:7 הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי Hiphil pf 1cs I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes, or by the hinds of the field, That you not stir up, nor awaken love, Until it so desires.
- Song of Solomon 3:5 הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי Hiphil pf 1cs I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, By the roes, or by the hinds of the field, That you not stir up, nor awaken love, Until it so desires.
- Song of Solomon 5:8 הִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי Hiphil pf 1cs I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, That you tell him that I am faint with love. Friends
- Song of Solomon 5:9 הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽ/נוּ Hiphil pf 2fs + sfx pers 1cp How is your beloved better than another beloved, You fairest among women? How is your beloved better than another beloved, That you do so adjure us? Beloved
- Song of Solomon 8:4 הִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי Hiphil pf 1cs I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, That you not stir up, nor awaken love, Until it so desires. Friends
Isaiah 7 verses
- Isaiah 14:24 נִשְׁבַּ֛ע Niphal pf 3ms Yahweh of Hosts has sworn, saying, Surely, as I have thought, so shall it happen; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
- Isaiah 19:18 וְ/נִשְׁבָּע֖וֹת conj + Niphal ptcp.act fp In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Yahweh of hosts; one shall be called The city of destruction.
- Isaiah 45:23 נִשְׁבַּ֔עְתִּי תִּשָּׁבַ֖ע Niphal pf 1cs Niphal impf 3fs By myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from my mouth [in] righteousness, and shall not return, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
- Isaiah 48:1 הַֽ/נִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp Hear you this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah; who swear by the name of Yahweh, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness
- Isaiah 54:9 נִשְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Niphal pf 1cs For this is [as] the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
- Isaiah 62:8 נִשְׁבַּ֧ע Niphal pf 3ms Yahweh has sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give your grain to be food for your enemies; and foreigners shall not drink your new wine, for which you have labored:
- Isaiah 65:16 וְ/הַ/נִּשְׁבָּ֣ע יִשָּׁבַ֖ע conj + ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act ms Niphal impf 3ms so that he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from my eyes.
Jeremiah 13 verses
- Jeremiah 4:2 וְ/נִשְׁבַּ֨עְתָּ֙ conj + Niphal wpf 2ms and you shall swear, As Yahweh lives, in truth, in justice, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
- Jeremiah 5:2 יִשָּׁבֵֽעוּ Niphal impf 3mp Though they say, As Yahweh lives; surely they swear falsely.
- Jeremiah 5:7 וַ/יִּשָּׁבְע֖וּ conj + Niphal wimpf 3mp How can I pardon you? your children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the prostitutes' houses.
- Jeremiah 7:9 וְ/הִשָּׁבֵ֥עַ conj + Niphal inf.abs Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods that you have not known,
- Jeremiah 11:5 נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs that I may establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then answered I, and said, Amen, Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 12:16 לְ/הִשָּׁבֵ֤עַ לְ/הִשָּׁבֵ֖עַ prep + Niphal inf.cs prep + Niphal inf.cs It shall happen, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Yahweh lives; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.
- Jeremiah 22:5 נִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי֙ Niphal pf 1cs But if you will not hear these words, I swear by myself, says Yahweh, that this house shall become a desolation.
- Jeremiah 32:22 נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתָּ Niphal pf 2ms and gave them this land, which you did swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;
- Jeremiah 38:16 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֞ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, As Yahweh lives, who made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.
- Jeremiah 40:9 וַ/יִּשָּׁבַ֨ע conj + Niphal wimpf 3ms Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their men, saying, Don't be afraid to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.
- Jeremiah 44:26 נִשְׁבַּ֜עְתִּי Niphal pf 1cs Therefore hear the word of Yahweh, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by my great name, says Yahweh, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, As the Lord Yahweh lives.
- Jeremiah 49:13 נִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי֙ Niphal pf 1cs For I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, that Bozrah shall become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities of it shall be perpetual wastes.
- Jeremiah 51:14 נִשְׁבַּ֛ע Niphal pf 3ms Yahweh of Hosts has sworn by himself, [saying], Surely I will fill you with men, as with the canker-worm; and they shall lift up a shout against you.
Ezekiel 2 verses
- Ezekiel 16:8 וָ/אֶשָּׁ֣בַֽע conj + Niphal wimpf 1cs Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness: yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord Yahweh, and you became mine.
- Ezekiel 21:23 שְׁבֻעֵ֥י n c fp cs It shall be to them as a false divination in their sight, who have sworn oaths to them; but he brings iniquity to memory, that they may be taken.
Daniel 1 verse
Hosea 1 verse
Amos 4 verses
- Amos 4:2 נִשְׁבַּ֨ע Niphal pf 3ms The Lord Yahweh has sworn by his holiness that behold, "The days shall come on you that they will take you away with hooks, And the last of you with fish hooks.
- Amos 6:8 נִשְׁבַּע֩ Niphal pf 3ms "The Lord Yahweh has sworn by himself," says Yahweh, the God of hosts: "I abhor the pride of Jacob, And detest his fortresses. Therefore I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.
- Amos 8:7 נִשְׁבַּ֥ע Niphal pf 3ms Yahweh has sworn by the pride of Jacob, "Surely I will never forget any of their works.
- Amos 8:14 הַ/נִּשְׁבָּעִים֙ ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act mp Those who swear by the sin of Samaria, And say, 'As your god, Dan, lives;' And, 'As the way of Beersheba lives;' They will fall, and never rise up again."
Micah 1 verse
Zephaniah 1 verse
Zechariah 2 verses
- Zechariah 5:3 הַ/נִּ֨שְׁבָּ֔ע ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act ms Then he said to me, "This is the curse that goes out over the surface of the whole land; for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to it on the one side; and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off according to it on the other side.
- Zechariah 5:4 הַ/נִּשְׁבָּ֥ע ptcl def.art + Niphal ptcp.act ms I will cause it to go out," says Yahweh of Hosts, "and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it will remain in the midst of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones."
Malachi 1 verse
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
שבע (shâbaʻ) is a Hebrew verb most often rendered “to swear.” The King James Version usually renders it “sware,” while modern versions prefer “swore” (unfoldingWord Literal Text) — see the renderings breakdown. With 174 verses in 27 books, it is a common word in the Hebrew Bible. Debuting at Genesis 21:23, it then recurs through the corpus. The verb spans 3 stems, from Qal to Niphal. For the data behind this summary, explore the sense tree and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H7650 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 174
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 174 distinct verses.
- 27 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 27 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #252
- by frequency
- Top 500 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 252 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 174 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Deuteronomy 33 verses 19%
- Genesis 17 verses 10%
- Joshua 15 verses 9%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 174 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 81 verses · 47%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 67 verses · 39%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 26 verses · 15%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Sware 33×, Swear 19×, I sware 15×
- American Standard Version: Sware 28×, Swear 17×, He sware 13×
- Berean Standard Bible: Swear 20×, Swore 17×, He swore 11×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Swore 26×, Swear 23×, He swore 18×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H7650 across 189 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 49 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H7650 across 189 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 58 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H7650 across 185 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 50 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 1 further occurrence.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H7650 across 223 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 41 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
9 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
Hebrew verbs can shift meaning by stem (binyan): Qal is the basic action, Niphal is often passive or reflexive, Piel often intensifies or makes it factitive, and Hiphil is typically causative. The senses below are grouped under the stem BDB assigns to each.
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 9 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
Qal
- (according to Thes Rob Ges) Pt. pass. שְׁבֻעֵי שְׁבֻעוֹת Ez 21:28 those sworn with (= who have sworn) oaths; both from שְׁבוּעָה, according to Krae, oaths of oaths (the most sacred); 𝔊 𝔖 Co om.; both from שָׁבוּעַ, Ew Sm שׁ׳ שָׁ׳ weeks on weeks (plenty of time). e.g. Ezekiel 21:28
Niphal
- Pf. 3 ms. נִשְׁבַּע Gn 24:7 +, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יִשָּׁבַע Lv 5:24 +, וַיִּשָּׁ֫בַע Gn 24:9 +; 2 ms. תִּשָּׁבִ֑עַ Dt 6:13; 10:20; 1 s. אִשָּׁב֑עַ Gn 21:24, וָאֶשָּׁ֫בַע 1 K 2:8; Ez 16:8, etc.; Imv. ms. הִשָּֽׁבְעָה Gn 21:23 +, etc.; Inf. abs. הִשָּׁבַע Nu 30:3, הִשָּׁבֵעַ Je 7:9; cstr. הִשָּׁבֵעַ Je 12:16(×2) + 1 S 20:17 v. infra; Pt. נִשְׁבָּע Zc 5:3 +, etc.;—swear, take an oath: e.g. Genesis 24:7
- 1. subj. man:
- a. in asseveration, abs. Gn 21:24, 31 (E), Ju 21:1, 18; 2 S 21:2 +; also sq. וַיֹּאמֶר 1 S 20:3; 1 K 1:29, sq. לֵאמֹר 2 S 3:35; Jos 14:9 (D); c. acc. cogn. Nu 30:3 (P; ‖ נָדַר); + לַשֶּׁקֶר Je 5:2; 7:9; Lv 5:24 (P; + עַל rei), Mal 3:5; + על־שׁ׳ Lv 5:22 (P); + לְמִרְמָה ψ 24:4; sq. inf. Lv 5:4 (P), ψ 15:4; 119:106; + ל pers. take an oath to, Jos 6:22 (JE), 9:20 (P; acc. cogn.) Gn 24:9 (+ עַל־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה) +, so also 1 S 20:17 (read לְהִשָּׁבֵעַ אֶל־ for לְהַשְׁבְּיעַ אֶת־, 𝔊 𝔙 Th We Dr al.); oath of allegiance (לי׳) Is 19:18; 45:23 Zp 1:5; 2 Ch 15:14, cf. (abs.) v 15 (Jos 23:7 v. Hiph.); also sq. וַיֹּאמֶר 2 K 25:24; sq. לֵאמֹר 2 S 21:17; 1 K 1:13; Je 40:9; sq. פֶּן = that not Ju 15:12, sq. אִם = id. 1 K 1:51; + אֶל pers. sq. לֵאמֹר Je 38:16; + בי׳ by י׳, sq. inf. Ju 21:7; + בְּשֵׁם י׳ 1 S 20:42; Is 48:1, cf. Gn 31:53 (E), Dt 6:13; 10:20; Je 12:16 (+ חַי־י׳), Is 65:16; Zc 5:4 (לַשָּׁ֑קְר), Lv 19:12 (id.), ψ 63:12; Dn 12:7; + בי׳ sq. אִם 2 S 19:8; + ל pers. c. בי׳ Jos 9:18, 19 (P; pledge faith), sq. לֵאמֹר 1 S 28:10; 1 K 1:30; 2:8, 23, sq. כִּי of obj. cl. Jos 2:12 (JE), 1 K 1:17; + ל pers. c. בא׳, sq. אִם Gn 21:23 (E), 1 S 30:15; as vb. of quotation + obj. חַי־י׳ Ho 4:15 Je 4:2; 1 S 19:6 (+ אִם), + אִם in orat. recta ψ 132:2 (‖ נָדַר); also + בְּלֹא אֱלֹהִים Je 5:7, בַּבָּ֑עַל 12:16, בְּמַלְכָּם Zp 1:5, cf. Am 8:14 (+ וְאָמַר). e.g. Genesis 21:24
- b. imprecate, curse, בִּ׳ by me ψ 102:9 (cf. שְׁבוּעָה 1 b, קְלָלָה). e.g. Psalms 102:9
- 2. subj. י׳: swear, c. בִּי by myself Gn 22:16 (JE), Je 22:5 (cl. כִּי), 49:13 (id.), Is 45:23 (id.), c. בְּקָדְשׁוֹ Am 4:2 (id.), cf. ψ 89:36 (‖ אִם אֲכַזֵּב), cf. also Am 6:8; 8:7; Je 44:26; 51:14; Is 62:8; swear, sq. inf. Dt 1:35; 4:21; Jos 21:41 (van d. H. Baer; v 43 Gi), sq. מִן inf. = not to Is 54:9(×2), sq. אִם ψ 95:11, sq. לֵאמֹר Dt 1:34; Is 14:24; Nu 32:10 (P); sq. orat. recta ψ 110:4; c. ל pers. take an oath to, Gn 24:7 (J), Ex 13:11 (J), Dt 2:14 + 7 times Dt. (acc. cogn. 7:8; 9:5), Ez 16:8 (‖ בּוֹא בִבְרִית), ψ 89:4 (‖ כָּרַת בְּרִית), v 50 (בֶּאֱמוּנָתֶ֑ךָ), +; ל pers. + inf. (usually to give land) Ex 13:5 (J), Dt 1:8 + 9 times Dt, Jos 1:6; 5:6(×2) (all RD), Je 11:5 (+ acc. cogn.), 32:22; ל pers. + acc. rei (usually land) = promise by oath to Gn 50:24; Ex 33:1; Nu 11:12 (all J), 14:16, 23 (JE), 32:11 (P), Ju 2:1; Mi 7:20; Dt 6:18 + 8 times Dt (obj. covenant 4:31; 8:18); ל pers. om. Dt 31:21. e.g. Genesis 22:16
Hiphil
- Perf. 3 ms. הִשְׁבִּיעַ Ex 13:19 + 1 s. הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי Ct 2:7 +, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. וַיַּשְׁבַּע Gn 50:25 + sf. וַיַּשְׁבִּעֵנִי Gn 24:37, etc.; Inf. abs. הַשְׁבֵּעַ Ex 13:19; 1 S 14:28; cstr. הַשְׁבִּיעַ 1 S 14:27 (20:17 v. Niph.); Pt. sf. מַשְׁבִּיעֶ֑ךָ 1 K 22:16 = 2 Ch 18:15;— e.g. Exodus 13:19
- 1. cause to take an oath, subj. always man: c. acc. pers. Gn 50:6 (J), 1 S 14:27; 1 K 18:10; 2 K 11:4, + acc. cogn. Jos 2:17, 20 (J), + לֵאמֹר Gn 24:37; 50:5 (both J), v 25 (E), Jos 6:26 (J; acc. pers. om.), so (Inf. abs. + Pf.) Ex 13:19 (JE), 1 S 14:28, + וְאָמַר Nu 5:19 and (c. acc. cogn.) v 21 (both P), + inf. cl. Ne 5:12; Ezr 10:5; + בי׳ by י׳ Gn 24:3 (J; cl. אֲשֶׁר), 1 K 2:42 (‖ וָאָעִד בְּךָ, + לֵאמֹר), cf. Jos 23:7 (RD; but read perhaps Niph. תִּשָּֽׁבְעוּ Gr al.; 𝔊 del.), Ne 13:25 (cl. אִם, orat. recta), 2 Ch 36:13. e.g. Genesis 50:6
- 2. adjure, c. acc. pers. 1 K 22:16 = 2 Ch 18:15 (both + cl. אֲשֶׁר); elsewhere only Ct: 5:9, c. cl. מַה־ interrog. v 8, c. cl. אִם that not 2:7; 3:5 (both + ב of oath), = cl. מַה־ 8:4 (v. מָה 2 a (b)).—1 S 20:17 v. Niph. e.g. 1 Kings 22:16
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
vb. swear (prob., so to say, seven oneself, or bind oneself by seven things, cf. Thes (as altern.), Gerb 108 ff.; NH Niph. = BH; 𝔗 שְׁבַע Ithpe. Aph.; v. also Dr Gn 21:28 KöHast.DB number, 565 RSSem. i. 166, 2nd ed., 182 We Reste ArabicHeid. 2, 186);—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Origin: a primitive root
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
שֶׁבַע
- (b. h.) seven. Snh. V, 1, v. חֲקִירָה. Ib. 3 בש׳ (sub שעות) at seven hours of the day. Ab. V, 7. Lam. R. introd. (R. Josh. 2) ש׳ מש׳ seven times seven; a. v. fr.—בנות ש׳, ברת ש׳, v. בַּת I a. בְּרַת I.—Esp. שִׁבְעָה (sub. ימים) Shib ah, the seven days of mourning for a near relative. M. Kat. 20ᵃ, v. שְׁלֹשָׁה; a. fr.—Y. M. Kat. III, 82ᶜ; v. שָׁמַר.—Pl. שִׁבְעִים seventy. Snh. V, 5 עד ש׳ ואחד (add to the members of the court,) until they number seventy-one. Ab. Zar. 11ᵇ אחת לש׳ שנה once every seventy years; a. v. fr.
שְׁבַע
- Targ. Gen. V, 7. Ib. IV, 24 (O. ed. Vien. שִׁבְעָה). Ib. XXIX, 27. Targ. Y. II, Num. XI, 26 שׁוֹבְעָתֵי; a. fr.—Y. Kil. IV, beg. 29ᵃ חמש שורין מן שו׳ שו׳ five rows of seven trees each. Y. Sabb. I, 3ᶜ bot. אלו שגזרו … שובעה אינון those laws which they decreed by majority of votes, were seven; a. fr.—Pl. שַׁבְעִין, שִׁבְ׳, שׁוּבְ׳ seventy. Targ. Gen. V, 12; a. fr.
שָׁבַע
- , Nif. נִשְׁבַּע (b. h.) to be sworn, to swear. Shebu. III, 6 נ׳ לבטל וכ׳ if a person swears that he will omit to perform a commandment. Ib. VI, 4 אין נִשְׁבָּעִין על וכ׳ no oath is imposed in refutation of a claim of a deaf and mute, or of an insane person, or of a minor, nor do we administer an oath to a (claimant) minor, אבל נשבעין לקטן וכ׳ but you must make oath when suing a minor or the sacred treasury. Ib. 7 ומי נ׳ מי … שמא יִשָּׁבַע זה וכ׳ which of them is first admitted to an oath? He with whom the (lost) pledge was deposited, lest this one (the debtor) swear (to the value of the pledge), and the other produce the pledge (and prove him a perjurer). Ib. VII, 1 כל הנשבעין שבתורה נשבעין וכ׳ all those bound to swear according to Biblical law swear and are free from payment, but the following swear and receive (are awarded their claim). Ib. 32ᵇ ואינו יכול לִישָּׁבֵעַ, v. שְׁבוּעָה; a. fr.
- to adjure; to impose, administer an oath. Ib. IV, 3 אמרו אין אנו … מַשְׁבִּיעַ אני עליכם וכ׳ if they say, we know no testimony in thy case, (and he says,) I adjure you, and they say, Amen: they are guilty (if they could testify). Ib. ה׳ עליהן … חוץ וכ׳ if he adjured them five times out of court, and coming before court they confess (that they know testimony), they are acquitted. Ib. VIII, 2 מַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ אני וכ׳ I adjure thee, and he says, Amen. Ib. 29ᵃ; 39ᵃ, a. e. וכשמַשְׁבִּיעִין אותו … אנו משביעין אותך וכ׳ and when the court administers an oath to him, they say to him, know that we cause thee to swear not in thy sense, but in the sense of God and in the sense of the court; a. fr.—Part. pass. מוּשְׁבָּע; pl. מוּשְׁבָּעִין. Ib. 31ᵃ מ׳ מפי עצמו one who is sworn on his own demand (in his own case); מ׳ מפי אחרים one who is sworn on other people’s demands (as a supposed witness that claims ignorance). Ib. III, 6 הרשות שאינו מ׳ עליה מהר סיני a religiously indifferent act, on which he is not sworn from Mount Sinai; מצוה שהוא מ׳ וכ׳ a religious act on which he is sworn &c. Ib. 21ᵇ; 22ᵇ, v. סִינַי; a. fr.
שְׁבַע II
- Ithpa. אִשְׁתַּבַּע, Ithpe. אִשְׁתְּבַע, אִישְּׁבַע as preced. Nif. Targ. Lev. V, 22; 24. Targ. Jer. V, 2; a. fr.— Shebu. 29ᵃ ודילמא … וכי קא מִשְׁתַּבַּע אדעתא דיריה א׳ perhaps that man saw a huge bird and called it gamla (camel), and when he swore (that he saw a camel fly in the air), he swore in his sense. Ib. דכי קא משתבע … קא משתבע so that when he swears (that he has paid the money), he swears to the truth in his sense (having given him tokens, v. אִיסְקוּנְדְּרֵי). Ib. 32ᵇ אי … הוה מִשְׁתַּבַּעְנָא וכ if thou hadst come and testified for me, I should have been assigned an oath and received my claim; מי יימר דמִשְׁתַּבְּעַת who can say that thou wouldst have made oath? Ib. לִישְׁתַּבַּע shall he be admitted to an oath? Ib. 26ᵃ ואנא בשיקרא אִישְׁתַּבְּעִי and have I sworn falsely?; a. fr.
- as preced. Hif. Targ. Y. II, Ex. XIII, 19 [read:] מִשְׁבָּע אַשְׁבַּע. Targ. Cant. II, 7. Targ. Cant. II, 4; a. e.—Shebu. 36ᵃ אַשְׁבְּעִינְהוּ ולייטינהו he made them swear, and also pronounced a curse upon them. Ib. 41ᵃ לא מַשְׁבְּעִינָן ליה we do not put him to an oath; a. fr.
שָׂבֵעַ I
- next w.) sated, filled, satisfied. Gitt. 56ᵃ יוצא כשהוא ש׳, v. רָעֵב I. Lev. R. s. 34 לשְׂבֵעוֹ וכ׳, v. רָעֵב I; a. fr.—Pl. שְׂבֵעִים, שְׂבֵעִין, שְׂבֵי׳. Joma 74ᵇ סומין … ואינו ש׳ blind persons eat and are not satisfied. Taan. 10ᵇ אל תראו עצמיכם בפני בני עשו … כאילו אתם ש׳ Ms. M. (v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note) make no show of your plenty before the sons of Esau or of Ishmael, lest they envy you; Yalk. Gen. 148; a. e.—Fem. שְׂבֵעָה, שְׂבֵי׳. Y. Ab. Zar. III, 42ᶜ top the Lord allows the righteous in this world to see their (future) reward, ונפשם ש׳ וכ׳ and they feel satisfied and go to sleep; a. e.—Pl. שְׂבֵעוֹת, שְׂבֵי׳. Midr. Sam. ch. XIII (ref. to I Sam. IX, 12, sq.) וכל האורך הזה … ולא היו ש׳ ממנו why this lengthy speech? It intimates that they looked at the beauty of Saul and could not see enough of it; a. e. e.g. 1 Samuel 9:12
שָׂבֵעַ II
- to be filled, to have plenty, be satisfied. Sabb. 113ᵇ (ref. to Ruth II, 14) ותאכל בעולם הזה ותִשְׂבַּע וכ׳ she (Israel) will eat in this world, will have plenty in the Messianic days, and leave over for the hereafter. Succ. 52ᵇ, v. רָעֵב II; a. e. e.g. Ruth 2:14
- to satisfy. Gen. R. s. 76, end כדי להַשְׂבִּיעַ עיניו וכ׳ in order to satisfy the eyes of the wicked man. Y. Keth. V, 30ᵇ הִשְׂבִּיעָתוֹ; Succ. l. c. מַשְׂבִּיעוֹ, v. רָעֵב II. Snh. 100ᵃ; a. fr.—Ib. 29ᵇ אדם עשוי שלא להשביע את עצמו man is wont not to declare himself wealthy (to disclaim wealth, by saying that he is in debt, even if he is not); כשם שאדם … שלא להשביע את בניו as man is wont to disclaim wealth for himself, so is he likely to disclaim it for his heirs (therefore an ante-mortem confession of indebtedness does not establish a claim against heirs).
- same.—Part. pass. מְשׂוּבָּע. Lev. R. s. 29 (play on השביעי, Lev. XXIII, 24) שהוא מש׳ בכל וכ׳ a month which is plentiful in every thing &c. e.g. Leviticus 23:24
- to be satiated, sick. Num. R. s. 14 עתיד להִשְׂתַּבּעַ, v. סִיג I.
שְׂבַע
- , to be satisfied, saturated. Targ. O. Ex. XVI, 8 למִיסְבַּע ed. Berl. (ed. Amst. למִישְׂ׳); Y. למִשְׂבּוֹעַ. Targ. Ps. CIV, 16 (Ms. ס׳); a. fr.—Part. שְׂבִיעַ, שְׂבַע, סְ׳; f. שָׂבְעָא, סָ׳. Targ. Prov. XXX, 22 דשביע ed. Lag. (Ms. דסביע; ed. Wil. דיִשְׂבַּע). Targ. Job XLII, 17. Targ. Gen. XXV, 8. Targ. Prov. XXVII, 7; a. fr.—Pesik. R. s. 16; Pesik. Eth Korb., p. 57ᵇ, a. e., v. רְוֵי; a. e.
- ; Af. אַשְׂבַּע, אַסְ׳ to satisfy. Targ. Ps. XC, 14. Ib. CVII, 9; a. fr.—Taan. 24ᵃ רחמנא לִישַׂבְּעָךְ … דאַשְׂבְּעָן ברך the Lord satisfy thee, as thy son has satisfied us. Yoma 79ᵇ שַׂבּוּעֵי מְשַׂבְּעא is enough to satisfy the appetite. Gitt. 70ᵃ תמרי מְשַׂבְּעַן וכ׳ dates satisfy, heat &c.; Keth. 10ᵇ; a. e.
- (cmp. צָבָה) to be swollen. Esth. R. to III, 14 א׳ קרסוליה (omitted in Yalk. ib. 1056) his ankle was swollen.
שָׂבָע
- , v. שׂוֹבַע, שׂוֹבְעָא, a. סִבְעָא.
שׂוֹבַע
- plenty, satiation. Ber. 55ᵃ שלשה דברים … רעב וש׳ וכ׳ three things does the Lord himself announce: famine, plenty, and a good leader. Tosef. Pes. V, 3 חגיגה … פסח נאכל בש׳ (Var. על הש׳) the pilgrim’s sacrifice … must be eaten first, so that the Passover offering be eaten after the appetite is satisfied; Y. ib. VI, 33ᶜ לָשׂבַע; Bab. ib. 70ᵃ על השבע. Gen. R. s. 91 שני השָ׳ the years of plenty. Snh. 97ᵃ ש׳ ואינו ש׳ plenty and no plenty (partial plenty); ש׳ גדול general plenty; a. fr.
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 113 distinct written forms H7650 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that stem’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 53 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H7650, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derived from this word
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 5 — not the complete family. 1 of the same-root words is a proper name (a person or place). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 167 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 174 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 21:23
- Exodus 13:5
- Leviticus 5:4
- Numbers 5:19
- Deuteronomy 1:8
- Joshua 1:6
- Judges 2:1
- 1 Samuel 3:14
- 2 Samuel 3:9
- 1 Kings 1:13
- 2 Kings 11:4
- 2 Chronicles 15:14
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.