What does סָבָא (sābāʾ) mean in the Bible?
סָבָא (sābāʾ): To drink to excess and lose self-control; metaphorically, to be saturated or overwhelmed by something
Hebrew · H5433
סָבָא
To quaff to satiety, i.e. become tipsy
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
סָבָא H5433
Pronunciation sābāʾ
What does סָבָא (sābāʾ) mean in the Bible?
סָבָא (sābāʾ): To drink to excess and lose self-control; metaphorically, to be saturated or overwhelmed by something
Full entry for סָבָא (H5433) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5433?
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and a drunkard (1), Drunkards (1), let us imbibe (1), of a drunkard (1), the drunkard (1).
Where does סָבָא (sābāʾ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 21:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (2), Deuteronomy (1), Ezekiel (1), Isaiah (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It and a drunkard 1× Deuteronomy 21:20
Drunkards 1× Ezekiel 23:42
let us imbibe 1× Isaiah 56:12
of a drunkard 1× Nahum 1:10
the drunkard 1× Proverbs 23:21
those who drink too much 1× Proverbs 23:20
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 21:20 וְסֹבֵֽא׃ to and a drunkard Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Proverbs 23:20 בְסֹֽבְאֵי־ to those who drink too much Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Proverbs 23:21 סֹבֵ֣א to the drunkard Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Isaiah 56:12 וְנִסְבְּאָ֣ה to let us imbibe Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural Ezekiel 23:42 סוֹבָאִים to Drunkards Noun - masculine plural Nahum 1:10 סְבוּאִ֑ים to of a drunkard Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Deuteronomy 21:20
Aligned rows 6
Books represented 5
Deuteronomy 1 Proverbs 2 Isaiah 1 Ezekiel 1 Nahum 1
Source forms
בְסֹֽבְאֵי־ 1x ḇə·sō·ḇə·’ê- Proverbs 23:20
וְנִסְבְּאָ֣ה 1x wə·nis·bə·’āh Isaiah 56:12
וְסֹבֵֽא׃ 1x wə·sō·ḇê Deuteronomy 21:20
סֹבֵ֣א 1x sō·ḇê Proverbs 23:21
סְבוּאִ֑ים 1x sə·ḇū·’îm Nahum 1:10
סוֹבָאִים 1x sō·ḇå̄·ʾīm Ezekiel 23:42
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural 1x Isaiah 56:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1x Deuteronomy 21:20
Noun - masculine plural 1x Ezekiel 23:42
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct 1x Proverbs 23:20
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 1x Proverbs 23:21
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural 1x Nahum 1:10
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To drink to excess and lose self-control; metaphorically, to be saturated or overwhelmed by something
Strong's H5433
Lexical occurrences 6 verses Word forms 1 form 4 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 23:19-21 Source Gloss
to quaff to satiety, i.e. become tipsy
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To drink to excess and lose self-control; metaphorically, to be saturated or overwhelmed by something
to quaff to satiety, i.e. become tipsy BDB: drunkards Usage: drunkard, fill self, Sabean, (wine-) bibber.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 1 Aligned forms 4
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 3×
Participle active Ezek 23:42 · Prov 23:21 2×
Participle passive Nah 1:10 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Warning against becoming a drunkard through excessive wine consumption
Showing 1 selected witness from 6 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
סָבָא is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain