What does שָׁבָה (šābāh) mean in the Bible?
שָׁבָה (šābāh): Forcible removal from homeland; denotes coercive displacement of entire populations, often divine judgment for covenant violation
Hebrew · H7617
שָׁבָה
To transport into captivity
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שָׁבָהH7617
Pronunciationšābāh
What does שָׁבָה (šābāh) mean in the Bible?
שָׁבָה (šābāh): Forcible removal from homeland; denotes coercive displacement of entire populations, often divine judgment for covenant violation
Full entry for שָׁבָה (H7617) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7617?
The BSB source-word alignment has 47 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of their captors (4), took them captive (3), and carried off (2), as captives (2), captives (2).
Where does שָׁבָה (šābāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 14:14. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Chronicles (12), 1 Kings (6), Jeremiah (6), 1 Samuel (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itof their captors4×1 Kings 8:47, 1 Kings 8:50, 2 Chronicles 30:9, Isaiah 14:2
took them captive3×1 Kings 8:48, 2 Chronicles 6:38, Jeremiah 41:10
and carried off2×2 Chronicles 14:15, 2 Chronicles 21:17
as captives2×1 Kings 8:46, 2 Chronicles 6:36
captives2×2 Chronicles 28:8, Isaiah 14:2
they were taken2×1 Kings 8:47, 2 Chronicles 6:37
who takes them2×1 Kings 8:46, 2 Chronicles 6:36
. . .1×Psalms 68:18
also captured1×2 Chronicles 25:12
and captured1×Numbers 21:1
and carried away1×2 Chronicles 28:17
and had taken1×2 Kings 5:2
and take [their gods] as captives1×Jeremiah 43:12
and took1×2 Chronicles 28:5
and you take them1×Deuteronomy 21:10
captured1×Numbers 31:9
carried off1×Obadiah 1:11
had been captured1×Genesis 14:14
had been taken captive1×1 Samuel 30:5
had taken captive1×Jeremiah 41:14
has been taken captive1×Jeremiah 13:17
like captives1×Genesis 31:26
our captors1×Psalms 137:3
stolen1×Exodus 22:10
taken captive1×1 Samuel 30:3
takes you captive1×Numbers 24:22
their captors1×Jeremiah 50:33
They carried off1×Genesis 34:29
They had taken captive1×1 Samuel 30:2
they have been carried captive1×Ezekiel 6:9
They seized1×1 Chronicles 5:21
to the captives1×Isaiah 61:1
took captive1×Jeremiah 41:10
who held them captive1×Psalms 106:46
you have captured1×2 Kings 6:22
you took1×2 Chronicles 28:11
your captives1×Judges 5:12
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 14:14נִשְׁבָּ֖הtohad been capturedVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 31:26כִּשְׁבֻי֖וֹתtolike captivesPreposition-k | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural constructGenesis 34:29שָׁב֖וּtoThey carried offVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralExodus 22:10נִשְׁבָּ֖הtostolenVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularNumbers 21:1וַיִּ֥שְׁבְּ׀toand capturedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularNumbers 24:22תִּשְׁבֶּֽךָּ׃totakes you captiveVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine singularNumbers 31:9וַיִּשְׁבּ֧וּtocapturedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralDeuteronomy 21:10וְשָׁבִ֥יתָtoand you take themConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularJudges 5:12וּֽשֲׁבֵ֥הtoyour captivesConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular1 Samuel 30:2וַיִּשְׁבּ֨וּtoThey had taken captiveConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 14:14
Aligned rows47
Books represented15
Genesis3Exodus1Numbers3Deuteronomy1Judges11 Samuel31 Kings62 Kings21 Chronicles12 Chronicles12Psalms3Isaiah3Jeremiah6Ezekiel1Obadiah1
Source forms
נִשְׁבָּ֖ה3xniš·bāhGenesis 14:14, Exodus 22:10, Jeremiah 13:17
נִשְׁבּוּ־3xniš·bū-1 Kings 8:47, 2 Chronicles 6:37, Ezekiel 6:9
שֹֽׁבֵיהֶם֙3xšō·ḇê·hem1 Kings 8:46, 1 Kings 8:47, Jeremiah 50:33
וַיִּשְׁבּ֨וּ2xway·yiš·bū1 Samuel 30:2, 2 Chronicles 14:15
שָׁב֣וּ2xšā·ḇū1 Kings 8:48, 2 Chronicles 6:38
וַיִּ֥שְׁבְּ׀1xway·yišbNumbers 21:1
וַיִּ֣שְׁבְּ׀1xway·yišbJeremiah 41:10
וַיִּשְׁבּ֧וּ1xway·yiš·būNumbers 31:9
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural9xNumbers 31:9, 1 Samuel 30:2, 2 Kings 5:2, 1 Chronicles 5:21
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural7x1 Kings 8:46, 1 Kings 8:47, 1 Kings 8:50, 2 Chronicles 6:36
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural5x1 Samuel 30:3, 1 Samuel 30:5, 1 Kings 8:47, 2 Chronicles 6:37
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural4xGenesis 34:29, 1 Kings 8:48, 2 Chronicles 6:38, 2 Chronicles 25:12
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular3xGenesis 14:14, Exodus 22:10, Jeremiah 13:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural2x1 Kings 8:46, 2 Chronicles 6:36
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular2xNumbers 21:1, Jeremiah 41:10
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular2x2 Kings 6:22, Psalms 68:18
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Forcible removal from homeland; denotes coercive displacement of entire populations, often divine judgment for covenant violation
Strong'sH7617
Lexical occurrences47 versesWord forms2 forms18 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkJeremiah 41:4-10Source Gloss
to transport into captivity
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Forcible removal from homeland; denotes coercive displacement of entire populations, often divine judgment for covenant violation
to transport into captivity BDB: take captive Usage: (bring away, carry, carry away, lead, lead away, take) captive(-s), drive (take) away.
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 forms18
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action8×
Perfect1Kgs 8:47 · 1Sam 30:3 · 1Sam 30:5 · 2Chr 6:37 · Ezek 6:9 · Exod 22:9 · Gen 14:14 · Jer 13:178×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense10×
Perfect1Kgs 8:48 · 2Chr 6:38 · 2Chr 25:12 · Gen 34:29 · 2Kgs 6:22 · Ps 68:19 · 2Chr 28:11 · Jer 41:148×
Participle activeIsa 14:21×
Infinitive constructObad 1:111×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
forcibly removing people into captivity, transporting a group as prisoners
recovery or pursuit of those transported into captivity by force
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 47 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׁבָה 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.