What does סָתַר (sāṯar) mean in the Bible?
סָתַר (sāṯar): Hide through active covering; ranges from physical concealment to divine withdrawal or moral secrecy.
Hebrew · H5641
סָתַר
To hide (by covering), literally or figuratively
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סָתַר H5641
Pronunciation sāṯar
What does סָתַר (sāṯar) mean in the Bible?
סָתַר (sāṯar): Hide through active covering; ranges from physical concealment to divine withdrawal or moral secrecy.
Full entry for סָתַר (H5641) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5641?
The BSB source-word alignment has 81 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include hide (12), hiding (4), hidden (3), is hidden (3), to hide (3).
Where does סָתַר (sāṯar) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 4:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (23), Isaiah (14), Job (8), 1 Samuel (6).
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 hide 12× 1 Samuel 20:2, Job 13:20, Psalms 27:9, Psalms 51:9
hiding 4× Deuteronomy 7:20, 1 Samuel 23:19, 1 Samuel 26:1, Psalms 54:1
hidden 3× Psalms 22:24, Psalms 38:9, Jeremiah 16:17
is hidden 3× Job 3:23, Isaiah 40:27, Hosea 13:14
to hide 3× 2 Kings 11:2, Job 3:10, Isaiah 29:15
and hide 2× Deuteronomy 31:17, 1 Samuel 20:5
and take cover 2× Proverbs 22:3, Proverbs 27:12
do You hide 2× Job 13:24, Psalms 44:24
hid 2× Exodus 3:6, 1 Samuel 20:24
hide me 2× Psalms 17:8, Psalms 64:2
. . . 1× Deuteronomy 31:18
and conceal me 1× Job 14:13
and concealed 1× Job 28:21
and hid [My face] 1× Isaiah 57:17
and hidden 1× Isaiah 65:16
and hide yourself 1× 1 Kings 17:3
and I hid 1× Ezekiel 39:24
can hide 1× Job 34:22
from my hidden faults 1× Psalms 19:12
had hidden them 1× Jeremiah 36:26
have hidden 1× Isaiah 59:2
He hid Me 1× Isaiah 49:2
He hides 1× Psalms 10:11
He will conceal me 1× Psalms 27:5
He will hide 1× Micah 3:4
hide themselves 1× Proverbs 28:28
I could hide 1× Psalms 55:12
I have hidden 1× Jeremiah 33:5
I hid 1× Isaiah 54:8
I will be hidden 1× Genesis 4:14
I will hide 1× Deuteronomy 32:20
I will surely hide 1× Deuteronomy 31:18
is deprived 1× Psalms 19:6
is undetected 1× Numbers 5:13
must hide yourselves 1× Jeremiah 36:19
our hiding place 1× Isaiah 28:15
she hid Joash 1× 2 Chronicles 22:11
So I hid 1× Ezekiel 39:23
that is concealed 1× Proverbs 27:5
The secret [things belong] 1× Deuteronomy 29:29
they hide 1× Amos 9:3
to conceal 1× Proverbs 25:2
we are absent 1× Genesis 31:49
When He hides 1× Job 34:29
When You hid 1× Psalms 30:7
When You hide 1× Psalms 104:29
who hides Himself 1× Isaiah 45:15
who is hiding 1× Isaiah 8:17
Why do You hide 1× Psalms 88:14
will be hidden 1× Isaiah 29:14
will You hide 1× Psalms 13:1
Will You hide Yourself 1× Psalms 89:46
You have hidden 1× Isaiah 64:7
you hid 1× 1 Samuel 20:19
You hide them 1× Psalms 31:20
you will be sheltered 1× Zephaniah 2:3
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 4:14 אֶסָּתֵ֑ר to I will be hidden Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common singular Genesis 31:49 נִסָּתֵ֖ר to we are absent Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common plural Exodus 3:6 וַיַּסְתֵּ֤ר to hid Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Numbers 5:13 וְנִסְתְּרָ֖ה to is undetected Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular Deuteronomy 7:20 וְהַנִּסְתָּרִ֖ים to hiding Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural Deuteronomy 29:29 הַ֨נִּסְתָּרֹ֔ת to The secret [things belong] Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural Deuteronomy 31:17 וְהִסְתַּרְתִּ֨י to and hide Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Deuteronomy 31:18 הַסְתֵּ֨ר to I will surely hide Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute Deuteronomy 31:18 אַסְתִּ֤יר to . . . Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular Deuteronomy 32:20 אַסְתִּ֤ירָה to I will hide Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 4:14
Aligned rows 81
Books represented 18
Genesis 2 Exodus 1 Numbers 1 Deuteronomy 6 1 Samuel 6 1 Kings 1 2 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 1 Job 8 Psalms 23 Proverbs 5 Isaiah 14 Jeremiah 5 Ezekiel 3 Hosea 1 Amos 1 Micah 1 Zephaniah 1
Source forms
הַסְתֵּ֣ר 3x has·têr Psalms 51:9, Proverbs 25:2, Isaiah 57:17
וָאַסְתִּ֥ר 2x wā·’as·tir Ezekiel 39:23, Ezekiel 39:24
נִסְתָּֽרָה׃ 2x nis·tā·rāh Job 28:21, Psalms 38:9
נִסְתְּר֖וּ 2x nis·tə·rū Isaiah 65:16, Jeremiah 16:17
תַסְתִּ֑יר 2x ṯas·tîr Job 13:24, Psalms 44:24
תַּסְתִּ֖יר 2x tas·tîr Psalms 13:1, Psalms 88:14
תַּ֭סְתִּירֵנִי 2x tas·tî·rê·nî Job 14:13, Psalms 64:2
תַּסְתֵּ֬ר 2x tas·têr Psalms 27:9, Psalms 102:2
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 5x Job 13:24, Psalms 13:1, Psalms 44:24, Psalms 88:14
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular 5x Psalms 27:9, Psalms 69:17, Psalms 102:2, Psalms 119:19
Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular 4x 1 Samuel 23:19, 1 Samuel 26:1, Psalms 54:1, Isaiah 45:15
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular 4x Job 3:23, Job 28:21, Psalms 38:9, Isaiah 40:27
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular 3x Job 14:13, Psalms 17:8, Psalms 64:2
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular 3x Isaiah 50:6, Isaiah 54:8, Jeremiah 33:5
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 3x Proverbs 28:28, Jeremiah 23:24, Hosea 13:14
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular 2x Job 34:29, Micah 3:4
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Hide through active covering; ranges from physical concealment to divine withdrawal or moral secrecy.
Strong's H5641
Lexical occurrences 82 verses Word forms 5 forms 53 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 45:14-19 Source Gloss
to hide (by covering), literally or figuratively
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Hide through active covering; ranges from physical concealment to divine withdrawal or moral secrecy.
to hide (by covering), literally or figuratively BDB: hide Usage: be absent, keep close, conceal, hide (self), (keep) secret, × surely.
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 5 Aligned forms 53
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 26×
Imperfect Job 13:24 · Ps 13:2 · Ps 44:25 · Ps 88:15 · Ps 104:29 · Deut 31:18 · Ezek 39:29 · 1Sam 20:2 8×
Perfect Isa 50:6 · Isa 54:8 · Jer 33:5 · Isa 64:6 · Ps 30:8 · Ps 10:11 · Ps 22:25 · Isa 59:2 8×
Jussive Ps 27:9 · Ps 69:18 · Ps 102:3 · Ps 119:19 · Ps 143:7 5×
Infinitive absolute Deut 31:18 · Isa 57:17 2×
Sequential imperfect Prov 25:2 · Ps 51:11 2×
Cohortative Deut 32:20 1×
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 5×
Participle active 1Sam 23:19 · 1Sam 26:1 · Isa 45:15 · Ps 54:2 4×
Imperfect Isa 29:14 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 20×
Perfect Isa 40:27 · Job 3:23 · Job 28:21 · Ps 38:10 · Isa 65:16 · Jer 16:17 · 1Sam 20:19 · Isa 28:15 · Prov 27:12 9×
Imperfect Hos 13:14 · Jer 23:24 · Prov 28:28 · Gen 4:14 · Job 13:20 · Amos 9:3 · Gen 31:49 · Ps 89:47 · Zeph 2:3 9×
Sequential imperfect Jer 36:19 1×
Participle passive Ps 19:7 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 1×
Sequential imperfect Isa 16:3 1×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 1×
Participle passive Prov 27:5 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To conceal or hide.
He has hidden; concealed; specifically used of God 'hiding His face' in judgment or withdrawal
From hidden things; secret faults; sins that are concealed from the self or others
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 82 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
סָתַר is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Explains perceived hiddenness within divine sovereignty. Isaiah 45:14-19
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