What does שָׁאַב (šāʾab) mean in the Bible?
שָׁאַב (šāʾab): Drawing water, typically a woman's domestic labor, becomes metaphor for receiving God's salvation and blessing
Hebrew · H7579
שָׁאַב
To bale up water
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שָׁאַבH7579
Pronunciationšāʾab
What does שָׁאַב (šāʾab) mean in the Bible?
שָׁאַב (šāʾab): Drawing water, typically a woman's domestic labor, becomes metaphor for receiving God's salvation and blessing
Full entry for שָׁאַב (H7579) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7579?
The BSB source-word alignment has 19 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include carriers (3), to draw water (3), drew (2), to draw (2), and draw (1).
Where does שָׁאַב (šāʾab) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 24:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (8), Joshua (3), 1 Samuel (2), 1 Chronicles (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 Itcarriers3×Joshua 9:21, Joshua 9:23, Joshua 9:27
to draw water3×Genesis 24:11, Genesis 24:20, Genesis 24:43
drew2×2 Samuel 23:16, 1 Chronicles 11:18
to draw2×Genesis 24:13, 1 Samuel 9:11
and draw1×Deuteronomy 29:11
and drew water1×Genesis 24:45
and I will draw water1×Genesis 24:44
Draw1×Nahum 3:14
draw water1×Genesis 24:19
have filled1×Ruth 2:9
they drew1×1 Samuel 7:6
until she had drawn water1×Genesis 24:20
you will draw1×Isaiah 12:3
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 24:11הַשֹּׁאֲבֹֽת׃toto draw waterArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine pluralGenesis 24:13לִשְׁאֹ֥בtoto drawPreposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructGenesis 24:19אֶשְׁאָ֔בtodraw waterVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularGenesis 24:20לִשְׁאֹ֑בtoto draw waterPreposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructGenesis 24:20וַתִּשְׁאַ֖בtountil she had drawn waterConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularGenesis 24:43לִשְׁאֹ֔בtoto draw waterPreposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructGenesis 24:44אֶשְׁאָ֑בtoand I will draw waterVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularGenesis 24:45וַתִּשְׁאָ֑בtoand drew waterConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularDeuteronomy 29:11שֹׁאֵ֥בtoand drawVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructJoshua 9:21וְשֹֽׁאֲבֵי־tocarriersConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 24:11
Aligned rows19
Books represented9
Genesis8Deuteronomy1Joshua3Ruth11 Samuel22 Samuel11 Chronicles1Isaiah1Nahum1
Source forms
וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־3xway·yiš·’ă·ḇū-1 Samuel 7:6, 2 Samuel 23:16, 1 Chronicles 11:18
וְשֹֽׁאֲבֵי־2xwə·šō·’ă·ḇê-Joshua 9:21, Joshua 9:23
אֶשְׁאָ֔ב1x’eš·’āḇGenesis 24:19
אֶשְׁאָ֑ב1x’eš·’āḇGenesis 24:44
הַשֹּׁאֲבֹֽת׃1xhaš·šō·’ă·ḇōṯGenesis 24:11
וְשֹׁ֥אֲבֵי1xwə·šō·’ă·ḇêJoshua 9:27
וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם־1xū·šə·’aḇ·tem-Isaiah 12:3
וַתִּשְׁאַ֖ב1xwat·tiš·’aḇGenesis 24:20
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct4xGenesis 24:13, Genesis 24:20, Genesis 24:43, 1 Samuel 9:11
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural3x1 Samuel 7:6, 2 Samuel 23:16, 1 Chronicles 11:18
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct3xJoshua 9:21, Joshua 9:23, Joshua 9:27
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular2xGenesis 24:20, Genesis 24:45
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular2xGenesis 24:19, Genesis 24:44
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural1xGenesis 24:11
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural1xIsaiah 12:3
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular1xNahum 3:14
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Drawing water, typically a woman's domestic labor, becomes metaphor for receiving God's salvation and blessing
Source Gloss
to bale up water
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Drawing water, typically a woman's domestic labor, becomes metaphor for receiving God's salvation and blessing
to bale up water BDB: draw Usage: (woman to) draw(-er, water).
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 groups1Aligned forms4
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense4×
ImperfectGen 24:19 · Gen 24:442×
Participle activeDeut 29:101×
Sequential imperfectNah 3:141×
Word Origins
שָׁאַב 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.