What does סָבִיב (‘ên yhwh) mean in the Bible?
סָבִיב (‘ên yhwh): Spatial encirclement used both literally (surrounding area) and figuratively (enemies, divine protection encompassing people)
Hebrew · H5439
סָבִיב
(As noun) a circle , neighbour , or environs ; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around
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סָבִיב H5439
Pronunciation ‘ên yhwh
What does סָבִיב (‘ên yhwh) mean in the Bible?
סָבִיב (‘ên yhwh): Spatial encirclement used both literally (surrounding area) and figuratively (enemies, divine protection encompassing people)
Full entry for סָבִיב (H5439) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5439?
The BSB source-word alignment has 335 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include around (55), . . . (32), all around (27), on every side (24), around you (14).
Where does סָבִיב (‘ên yhwh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 23:17. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (112), Exodus (31), Jeremiah (27), 1 Kings (19).
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 around 55× Exodus 7:24, Exodus 16:13, Exodus 27:17, Exodus 37:12
. . . 32× Genesis 23:17, Numbers 3:26, Numbers 4:26, 1 Samuel 31:9
all around 27× Numbers 11:32, Judges 2:14, 1 Kings 7:36, 2 Kings 6:17
on every side 24× Numbers 35:4, Joshua 21:44, Judges 8:34, 1 Samuel 12:11
around you 14× Leviticus 25:44, Deuteronomy 6:14, Deuteronomy 12:10, Deuteronomy 13:7
on all sides 12× Leviticus 1:5, Leviticus 1:11, Leviticus 3:2, Leviticus 3:8
around it 11× Genesis 41:48, Exodus 25:11, Exodus 25:24, Exodus 25:25
all 10× Exodus 37:26, Leviticus 16:18, Jeremiah 52:4, Ezekiel 8:10
the surrounding 10× Genesis 35:5, Exodus 40:8, 1 Kings 4:31, 2 Kings 17:15
around him 8× 1 Samuel 26:5, 1 Samuel 26:7, 2 Samuel 7:1, 2 Samuel 22:12
around them 8× Leviticus 25:31, Numbers 16:34, Joshua 23:1, Judges 2:12
surrounding 6× Numbers 32:33, Joshua 19:8, 2 Kings 11:11, 2 Chronicles 23:10
- 4× 1 Kings 6:5, 1 Kings 7:23, 2 Chronicles 4:2, Ezekiel 43:17
all around her 4× Jeremiah 6:3, Jeremiah 50:29, Ezekiel 5:5, Ezekiel 32:25
all sides 4× Exodus 29:16, Exodus 29:20, Leviticus 9:12, Leviticus 9:18
is on every side 4× Jeremiah 6:25, Jeremiah 20:10, Jeremiah 46:5, Jeremiah 49:29
around us 3× Numbers 22:4, Deuteronomy 17:14, Daniel 9:16
alternating 2× Exodus 28:34, Exodus 39:26
and its surrounding 2× 1 Chronicles 6:55, Zechariah 7:7
and the places around 2× Jeremiah 17:26, Ezekiel 34:26
encircled 2× 1 Kings 7:24, 2 Chronicles 4:3
from all around 2× Ezekiel 16:37, Ezekiel 39:17
from every side 2× Jeremiah 51:2, Ezekiel 23:22
had surrounded 2× 2 Kings 25:4, Jeremiah 52:7
its surrounding 2× Exodus 38:31, Ezekiel 43:12
of the surrounding 2× Numbers 3:37, Numbers 4:32
on 2× Exodus 25:25, Exodus 37:12
to those around us 2× Psalms 44:13, Psalms 79:4
vvv 2× Ezekiel 40:14, Ezekiel 40:30
who surround Him 2× Psalms 89:7, Jeremiah 48:17
[long] 1× Ezekiel 42:16
[sitting] around 1× Psalms 128:3
{you} surrounding 1× Joel 3:11
all [four] 1× Leviticus 8:15
all around Him 1× Ezekiel 1:28
all around it 1× 2 Kings 25:1
all around the city 1× Ezekiel 5:2
all around them 1× Ezekiel 32:26
all the way around 1× 2 Samuel 5:9
all the way around the lower 1× Exodus 28:33
all those around you 1× Ezekiel 16:57
and all 1× Exodus 30:3
and all around 1× Ezekiel 43:20
and around 1× 2 Samuel 24:6
and for the surrounding 1× Exodus 38:20
and the cities surrounding 1× Jeremiah 33:13
are all around her 1× Ezekiel 32:22
around [it] 1× Ezekiel 41:8
around [the inner court] 1× Ezekiel 40:30
around [the mountain] 1× Exodus 19:12
Around [the opening] 1× Exodus 28:32
around her 1× Ezekiel 5:6
around me 1× Psalms 27:6
band 1× 1 Kings 7:35
because the structure surrounding 1× Ezekiel 41:7
circling 1× Jeremiah 12:9
completely 1× Leviticus 14:41
course 1× Ecclesiastes 1:6
encircling 1× 1 Kings 7:20
escorted 1× Song Of Solomon 3:7
every side 1× 2 Chronicles 14:7
everything around it 1× Lamentations 2:3
for the surrounding 1× Exodus 38:31
freely 1× Psalms 12:8
from 1× Numbers 16:24
from everywhere 1× Ezekiel 16:33
her surrounding 1× Jeremiah 1:15
in the areas surrounding 1× Jeremiah 32:44
in which 1× 1 Kings 6:5
It enveloped them 1× Isaiah 42:25
its own surrounding 1× Joshua 21:42
Meanwhile 1× Numbers 16:27
of each 1× Ezekiel 41:5
outside [your walls] 1× Ezekiel 5:12
rages around Him 1× Psalms 50:3
ringed 1× Job 41:14
stationed around 1× 1 Chronicles 9:27
surround 1× Psalms 125:2
surround Him 1× Psalms 97:2
surround you 1× Job 22:10
surrounded 1× 2 Chronicles 17:10
surrounded Him 1× Ezekiel 1:27
surrounds 1× Psalms 125:2
surrounds You 1× Psalms 89:8
that his neighbors 1× Lamentations 1:17
the inside 1× Ezekiel 46:23
the neighboring 1× Deuteronomy 21:2
the neighboring lands 1× Psalms 76:11
The perimeter 1× Ezekiel 48:35
the surrounding wall 1× 1 Chronicles 11:8
their neighbors 1× Ezra 1:6
their surrounding 1× 1 Chronicles 4:33
them 1× Exodus 28:33
They surround her 1× Jeremiah 4:17
those around her 1× Ezekiel 16:57
those around you 1× Jeremiah 46:14
was surrounded by 1× 1 Kings 7:12
went over to 1× 1 Samuel 14:21
were around me 1× Job 29:5
will surround 1× Amos 3:11
with its surrounding 1× Joshua 21:11
Would You now turn 1× Job 10:8
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 23:17 סָבִֽיב׃ to . . . Adverb Genesis 35:5 סְבִיבֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם to the surrounding Adverb | third person masculine plural Genesis 41:48 סְבִיבֹתֶ֖יהָ to around it Adverb | third person feminine singular Exodus 7:24 סְבִיבֹ֥ת to around Adverb Exodus 16:13 סָבִ֖יב to around Adverb Exodus 19:12 סָבִ֣יב to around [the mountain] Adverb Exodus 25:11 סָבִֽיב׃ to around it Adverb Exodus 25:24 סָבִֽיב׃ to around it Adverb Exodus 25:25 סָבִ֑יב to around it Adverb Exodus 25:25 סָבִֽיב׃ to on Adverb
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 23:17
Aligned rows 335
Books represented 28
Genesis 3 Exodus 31 Leviticus 15 Numbers 18 Deuteronomy 6 Joshua 7 Judges 6 1 Samuel 6 2 Samuel 4 1 Kings 19 2 Kings 8 1 Chronicles 9 2 Chronicles 14 Ezra 1 Nehemiah 4 Job 8 Psalms 19 Ecclesiastes 1 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 3 Jeremiah 27 Lamentations 3 Ezekiel 112 Daniel 1 Joel 2 Amos 1 Nahum 1 Zechariah 5
Source forms
סָבִֽיב׃ 53x sā·ḇîḇ Genesis 23:17, Exodus 25:11, Exodus 25:24, Exodus 25:25
סָבִ֑יב 35x sā·ḇîḇ Exodus 25:25, Exodus 28:33, Exodus 37:12, Exodus 39:26
סָבִ֔יב 20x sā·ḇîḇ Exodus 38:31, Exodus 39:25, Leviticus 1:5, Leviticus 25:31
סָבִ֖יב 18x sā·ḇîḇ Exodus 16:13, Exodus 30:3, Exodus 37:26, Exodus 38:16
סָבִ֣יב׀ 15x sā·ḇîḇ 1 Samuel 14:47, Ezekiel 37:2, Ezekiel 40:5, Ezekiel 40:16
סָבִיב֙ 14x sā·ḇîḇ Exodus 27:17, Exodus 40:33, Leviticus 8:15, Numbers 1:53
סָבִ֗יב 10x sā·ḇîḇ 1 Samuel 31:9, 1 Kings 7:12, 1 Kings 7:23, 2 Kings 11:8
מִסָּבִ֔יב 9x mis·sā·ḇîḇ Numbers 16:24, Joshua 21:44, Judges 2:14, 1 Samuel 12:11
Parsing patterns
Adverb 227x Genesis 23:17, Exodus 7:24, Exodus 16:13, Exodus 19:12
Preposition-m | Adverb 41x Numbers 16:24, Numbers 16:27, Deuteronomy 12:10, Deuteronomy 25:19
Adverb | third person masculine singular 16x 1 Samuel 26:5, 1 Samuel 26:7, 2 Samuel 22:12, Psalms 18:11
Adverb | third person feminine singular 9x Genesis 41:48, Joshua 21:11, Joshua 21:42, 1 Chronicles 6:55
Adverb | second person masculine plural 7x Leviticus 25:44, Deuteronomy 6:14, Deuteronomy 13:7, Ezekiel 5:7
Adverb | third person masculine plural 7x Genesis 35:5, Numbers 16:34, Numbers 35:2, Judges 2:12
Conjunctive waw | Adverb 5x Numbers 1:50, 2 Samuel 24:6, 1 Chronicles 9:27, Ezekiel 34:26
Adverb | first person common plural 4x Numbers 22:4, Nehemiah 5:17, Nehemiah 6:16, Daniel 9:16
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Spatial encirclement used both literally (surrounding area) and figuratively (enemies, divine protection encompassing people)
Source Gloss
(as noun) a circle , neighbour , or environs ; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Spatial encirclement used both literally (surrounding area) and figuratively (enemies, divine protection encompassing people)
(as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around BDB: circuit Usage: (place, round) about, circuit, compass, on every side.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
The eye of the LORD; refers to God's active, personal, and protective providential care
Showing 1 selected witness from 337 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
סָבִיב is built from this root:
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