What does סָחַר (sāḥar) mean in the Bible?
סָחַר (sāḥar): Movement with purpose—circling territory as merchant or heart palpitating in urgent repetition.
Hebrew · H5503
סָחַר
To travel round (specifically as a pedlar); intensively, to palpitate
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סָחַרH5503
Pronunciationsāḥar
What does סָחַר (sāḥar) mean in the Bible?
סָחַר (sāḥar): Movement with purpose—circling territory as merchant or heart palpitating in urgent repetition.
Full entry for סָחַר (H5503) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5503?
The BSB source-word alignment has 21 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include merchants (2), traders (2), and the merchants (1), and trade (1), and traded (1).
Where does סָחַר (sāḥar) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 23:16. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (7), Genesis (5), Isaiah (3), 2 Chronicles (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itmerchants2×1 Kings 10:28, 2 Chronicles 1:16
traders2×Genesis 37:28, Isaiah 23:8
and the merchants1×Ezekiel 38:13
and trade1×Genesis 34:21
and traded1×Isaiah 47:15
and traders1×2 Chronicles 9:14
and you can trade1×Genesis 42:34
like the merchant1×Proverbs 31:14
move about freely1×Genesis 34:10
of the merchants1×Genesis 23:16
pounds1×Psalms 38:10
Those who trade1×Ezekiel 27:36
traded with you1×Ezekiel 27:18
trading1×Ezekiel 27:21
travel1×Jeremiah 14:18
was your customer1×Ezekiel 27:16
were your customers1×Ezekiel 27:21
you merchants1×Isaiah 23:2
your merchant1×Ezekiel 27:12
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 23:16לַסֹּחֵֽר׃toof the merchantsPreposition-l, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularGenesis 34:10וּסְחָר֔וּהָtomove about freelyConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural | third person feminine singularGenesis 34:21וְיִסְחֲר֣וּtoand tradeConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluralGenesis 37:28סֹֽחֲרִ֗יםtotradersVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralGenesis 42:34תִּסְחָֽרוּ׃toand you can tradeVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural1 Kings 10:28סֹחֲרֵ֣יtomerchantsVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct2 Chronicles 1:16סֹחֲרֵ֣יtomerchantsVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct2 Chronicles 9:14וְהַסֹּחֲרִ֖יםtoand tradersConjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralPsalms 38:10סְ֭חַרְחַרtopoundsVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularProverbs 31:14סוֹחֵ֑רtolike the merchantVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 23:16
Aligned rows21
Books represented8
Genesis51 Kings12 Chronicles2Psalms1Proverbs1Isaiah3Jeremiah1Ezekiel7
Source forms
סֹחֲרֵ֣י3xsō·ḥă·rê1 Kings 10:28, 2 Chronicles 1:16, Ezekiel 27:21
סֹחַרְתֵּ֖ךְ2xsō·ḥar·têḵEzekiel 27:12, Ezekiel 27:16
וְהַסֹּחֲרִ֖ים1xwə·has·sō·ḥă·rîm2 Chronicles 9:14
וְיִסְחֲר֣וּ1xwə·yis·ḥă·rūGenesis 34:21
וּסְחָר֔וּהָ1xū·sə·ḥā·rū·hāGenesis 34:10
וְסֹחֲרֵ֨י1xwə·sō·ḥă·rêEzekiel 38:13
לַסֹּחֵֽר׃1xlas·sō·ḥêrGenesis 23:16
סוֹחֵ֑ר1xsō·w·ḥêrProverbs 31:14
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular3xEzekiel 27:12, Ezekiel 27:16, Ezekiel 27:18
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct3x1 Kings 10:28, 2 Chronicles 1:16, Ezekiel 27:21
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural2xGenesis 37:28, Ezekiel 27:36
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular2xIsaiah 47:15, Ezekiel 27:21
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural1xGenesis 34:21
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural | third person feminine singular1xGenesis 34:10
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct1xEzekiel 38:13
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural1x2 Chronicles 9:14
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Movement with purpose—circling territory as merchant or heart palpitating in urgent repetition.
Source Gloss
to travel round (specifically as a pedlar); intensively, to palpitate
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Movement with purpose—circling territory as merchant or heart palpitating in urgent repetition.
to travel round (specifically as a pedlar); intensively, to palpitate BDB: go around Usage: go about, merchant(-man), occupy with, pant, trade, traffick.
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 groups2Aligned forms10
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense9×
Participle active1Kgs 10:28 · 2Chr 1:16 · Ezek 27:21 · Ezek 27:36 · Gen 37:28 · Isa 23:2 · Prov 31:147×
ImperfectGen 42:341×
PerfectJer 14:181×
Pael1×
PerfectPs 38:111×
Word Origins
סָחַר 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.