What does שָׁאַר (šĕʾār) mean in the Bible?
שָׁאַר (šĕʾār): Means "remain" by metaphor of swelling/overflowing; theologically crucial for "remnant"—God's preserved surplus after judgment
Hebrew · H7604
שָׁאַר
Properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make ) redundant
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שָׁאַר H7604
Pronunciation šĕʾār
What does שָׁאַר (šĕʾār) mean in the Bible?
שָׁאַר (šĕʾār): Means "remain" by metaphor of swelling/overflowing; theologically crucial for "remnant"—God's preserved surplus after judgment
Full entry for שָׁאַר (H7604) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7604?
The BSB source-word alignment has 133 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include remained (11), leaving (8), left (7), was left (7), remain (6).
Where does שָׁאַר (šĕʾār) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 7:23. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (18), 2 Kings (17), Joshua (17), Deuteronomy (9).
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 remained 11× Genesis 7:23, Exodus 8:31, Exodus 10:19, Joshua 8:22
leaving 8× Joshua 10:28, Joshua 10:30, Joshua 10:33, Joshua 10:39
left 7× Genesis 47:18, Exodus 10:5, Deuteronomy 28:55, 2 Kings 13:7
was left 7× Deuteronomy 3:3, Joshua 8:17, Ruth 1:3, Ruth 1:5
remain 6× Leviticus 25:52, 2 Kings 7:13, Job 21:34, Isaiah 11:16
- 5× 2 Kings 10:21, 2 Kings 25:22, Isaiah 11:11, Jeremiah 8:3
leave 5× Numbers 9:12, 1 Kings 15:29, 1 Kings 16:11, Jeremiah 49:9
. . . 4× 1 Samuel 16:11, 2 Kings 7:13, Jeremiah 8:3, Jeremiah 52:15
who remained 4× 2 Kings 10:11, 2 Kings 10:17, 2 Kings 25:11, Jeremiah 41:10
is left 3× Genesis 42:38, Isaiah 24:12, Haggai 2:3
left behind 3× 2 Kings 25:12, Jeremiah 39:10, Jeremiah 52:16
And the surviving 2× 2 Kings 19:30, Isaiah 37:31
remaining 2× Joshua 23:4, Jeremiah 34:7
survive 2× 1 Samuel 25:22, Isaiah 24:6
survived 2× Exodus 14:28, Nehemiah 1:3
that remain 2× Joshua 23:7, Joshua 23:12
those remaining 2× 2 Chronicles 34:21, Jeremiah 24:8
was left alone 2× Ezekiel 9:8, Daniel 10:8
[Joshua] left 1× Joshua 10:37
and had remained 1× Joshua 13:12
and he who remains 1× Ezekiel 6:12
and leave 1× Joel 2:14
and let those who remain 1× Zechariah 11:9
and those who survive 1× Ezekiel 17:21
are left 1× 2 Kings 7:13
As for those of you who survive 1× Leviticus 26:36
But I will leave 1× Zephaniah 3:12
but the survivors 1× Genesis 14:10
did any survive 1× Joshua 11:22
even the survivors 1× Deuteronomy 7:20
except for those 1× Exodus 8:9
had remained 1× Deuteronomy 3:11
had survived 1× Nehemiah 1:2
has left behind 1× Exodus 10:12
he had left behind 1× 2 Kings 25:22
however, had remained 1× Numbers 11:26
man was left 1× Judges 4:16
my one remaining 1× 2 Samuel 14:7
Nevertheless, I have reserved 1× 1 Kings 19:18
not sparing anyone 1× Joshua 11:14
of us remain 1× Jeremiah 42:2
remains 1× Joshua 13:1
remnant was left 1× Numbers 21:35
spared 1× 2 Kings 10:14
survivor 1× Ezra 1:4
that remains 1× Joshua 13:2
the other 1× Genesis 32:8
the remaining 1× Zechariah 12:14
The remnant 1× Nehemiah 1:3
the remnant I preserve 1× Jeremiah 50:20
the rest 1× 1 Chronicles 13:2
the survivors 1× 1 Samuel 11:11
Then the rest [of the people] 1× Deuteronomy 19:20
They left 1× Judges 6:4
They will leave 1× Deuteronomy 28:51
they will remain 1× Exodus 8:11
those of you who remain 1× 2 Chronicles 30:6
Those of you who survive 1× Leviticus 26:39
to preserve 1× Ezra 9:8
We left 1× Deuteronomy 2:34
we remain 1× Ezra 9:15
were left 1× 1 Samuel 11:11
what was kept back 1× 1 Samuel 9:24
while the rest 1× Leviticus 5:9
who had remained 1× Jeremiah 39:9
who remain 1× Jeremiah 38:4
who survive 1× Jeremiah 21:7
who were left 1× Jeremiah 40:6
Whoever remains 1× Isaiah 4:3
will be left 1× Deuteronomy 28:62
will be left behind 1× Exodus 10:26
will become a remnant 1× Zechariah 9:7
will remain 1× Isaiah 17:6
will survive 1× Deuteronomy 4:27
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 7:23 וַיִשָּׁ֧אֶר to remained Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 14:10 וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים to but the survivors Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural Genesis 32:8 הַנִּשְׁאָ֖ר to the other Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular Genesis 42:38 נִשְׁאָ֗ר to is left Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular Genesis 47:18 נִשְׁאַר֙ to left Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 8:9 תִּשָּׁאַֽרְנָה׃ to except for those Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural Exodus 8:11 תִּשָּׁאַֽרְנָה׃ to they will remain Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural Exodus 8:31 נִשְׁאַ֖ר to remained Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 10:5 הַנִּשְׁאֶ֤רֶת to left Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular Exodus 10:12 הִשְׁאִ֖יר to has left behind Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 7:23
Aligned rows 133
Books represented 27
Genesis 5 Exodus 8 Leviticus 4 Numbers 3 Deuteronomy 9 Joshua 17 Judges 3 Ruth 2 1 Samuel 7 2 Samuel 1 1 Kings 4 2 Kings 17 1 Chronicles 1 2 Chronicles 3 Ezra 3 Nehemiah 3 Job 1 Isaiah 8 Jeremiah 18 Ezekiel 4 Daniel 3 Joel 1 Amos 2 Obadiah 1 Zephaniah 1 Haggai 1 Zechariah 3
Source forms
הִשְׁאִֽיר־ 7x hiš·’îr- Numbers 21:35, Deuteronomy 3:3, Deuteronomy 28:55, Joshua 8:22
הִשְׁאִ֖יר 5x hiš·’îr Exodus 10:12, Joshua 10:28, Joshua 10:39, Joshua 10:40
הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים 4x han·niš·’ā·rîm 2 Kings 25:11, Jeremiah 39:9, Jeremiah 41:10, Jeremiah 52:15
נִשְׁאַ֥ר 4x niš·’ar Exodus 14:28, 1 Samuel 5:4, 2 Kings 10:21, Isaiah 24:12
הַנִּשְׁאָר֙ 3x han·niš·’ār 1 Samuel 9:24, 2 Kings 25:22, 2 Chronicles 34:21
הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֥ים 3x han·niš·’ā·rîm Joshua 23:4, Joshua 23:7, Joshua 23:12
הַנִּשְׁאָרִים֙ 3x han·niš·’ā·rîm 1 Samuel 11:11, Jeremiah 8:3, Jeremiah 24:8
הִשְׁאִ֥יר 3x hiš·’îr Joshua 10:30, 1 Kings 16:11, 2 Kings 10:14
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular 22x Exodus 10:12, Numbers 21:35, Deuteronomy 3:3, Deuteronomy 28:55
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural 21x Deuteronomy 7:20, Joshua 23:4, Joshua 23:7, Joshua 23:12
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 18x Genesis 47:18, Exodus 8:31, Exodus 10:19, Exodus 14:28
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural 9x Joshua 11:22, Judges 7:3, 1 Samuel 11:11, 2 Kings 7:13
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular 7x Genesis 32:8, 1 Samuel 9:24, 2 Kings 25:22, 2 Chronicles 34:21
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular 5x Exodus 10:5, Joshua 13:2, 2 Kings 19:30, 2 Chronicles 30:6
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural 5x Genesis 14:10, Leviticus 26:36, Leviticus 26:39, Deuteronomy 19:20
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 4x Numbers 9:12, Judges 6:4, Jeremiah 49:9, Obadiah 1:5
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Means "remain" by metaphor of swelling/overflowing; theologically crucial for "remnant"—God's preserved surplus after judgment
Strong's H7604
Lexical occurrences 133 verses Word forms 3 forms 76 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 37:21-35 Source Gloss
properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make ) redundant
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Means "remain" by metaphor of swelling/overflowing; theologically crucial for "remnant"—God's preserved surplus after judgment
properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make) redundant BDB: remain Usage: leave, (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest.
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 3 Aligned forms 76
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 34×
Perfect 1Kgs 15:29 · 1Kgs 16:11 · 2Kgs 3:25 · 2Kgs 10:11 · 2Kgs 10:14 · 2Kgs 13:7 · 2Kgs 25:12 · 2Kgs 25:22 · Deut 3:3 · Deut 28:55 · Exod 10:12 · Jer 39:10 · Jer 52:16 · Josh 8:22 · Josh 10:28 · Josh 10:30 24×
Imperfect Jer 49:9 · Judg 6:4 · Num 9:12 · Obad 1:5 · 1Sam 25:22 · Jer 50:20 · Amos 5:3 · Deut 28:51 9×
Cohortative 1Sam 14:36 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 41×
Perfect 1Kgs 22:47 · 1Sam 5:4 · 2Chr 21:17 · 2Kgs 10:21 · 2Kgs 17:18 · 2Kgs 24:14 · Dan 10:8 · Deut 3:11 · Exod 8:27 · Exod 10:19 · Exod 14:28 · Gen 47:18 · Isa 24:12 · Job 21:34 · Josh 8:17 · Josh 13:12 34×
Imperfect Exod 8:5 · Exod 8:7 · Isa 11:11 · Isa 11:16 · Exod 10:26 · Ezek 36:36 6×
Participle active Gen 42:38 1×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 1×
Perfect 1Sam 16:11 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Remaining portion.
Showing 1 selected witness from 133 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׁאַר is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Affirms preserved continuity within covenant history. Isaiah 37:21-35
Canonical Themes
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