What does שָׁבַע (šābaʿ) mean in the Bible?
שָׁבַע (šābaʿ): Swearing binds oneself through ritual sevenfold repetition, encoding covenantal obligation into speech act.
Hebrew · H7650
שָׁבַע
To seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times)
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שָׁבַע H7650
Pronunciation šābaʿ
What does שָׁבַע (šābaʿ) mean in the Bible?
שָׁבַע (šābaʿ): Swearing binds oneself through ritual sevenfold repetition, encoding covenantal obligation into speech act.
Full entry for שָׁבַע (H7650) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7650?
The BSB source-word alignment has 186 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include swore (15), swear (13), I swore (11), He swore (10), I have sworn (9).
Where does שָׁבַע (šābaʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 21:23. Its strongest book concentrations include Deuteronomy (33), Genesis (19), Joshua (16), Jeremiah (14).
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 swore 15× Genesis 31:53, Deuteronomy 1:8, Deuteronomy 9:5, Deuteronomy 11:9
swear 13× Genesis 21:23, Genesis 47:31, Leviticus 19:12, Numbers 5:21
I swore 11× Genesis 26:3, Numbers 14:23, Numbers 32:11, Deuteronomy 1:35
He swore 10× Exodus 13:5, Exodus 13:11, Deuteronomy 6:10, Deuteronomy 7:8
I have sworn 9× Genesis 22:16, 1 Samuel 3:14, Psalms 89:3, Psalms 89:35
has sworn 7× Psalms 110:4, Isaiah 14:24, Isaiah 62:8, Jeremiah 51:14
swore an oath 5× Joshua 9:15, 2 Samuel 19:23, 1 Kings 1:29, Psalms 132:11
and swore an oath 4× Genesis 24:9, Genesis 26:31, Deuteronomy 1:34, 1 Samuel 19:6
had sworn 4× Deuteronomy 2:14, Joshua 5:6, Judges 2:15, Judges 21:18
I adjure 4× Song Of Solomon 2:7, Song Of Solomon 3:5, Song Of Solomon 5:8, Song Of Solomon 8:4
He had sworn 3× Deuteronomy 6:23, Joshua 21:43, Joshua 21:44
make you swear 3× 1 Kings 2:42, 1 Kings 22:16, 2 Chronicles 18:15
You swore 3× Exodus 32:13, Deuteronomy 26:15, Micah 7:20
and take your oaths 2× Deuteronomy 6:13, Deuteronomy 10:20
had sworn an oath 2× Joshua 9:18, Judges 21:1
have sworn 2× Judges 21:7, 1 Samuel 20:42
he has sworn 2× Leviticus 6:5, Deuteronomy 28:9
I swore to give 2× Deuteronomy 31:23, Deuteronomy 34:4
made me swear an oath 2× Genesis 24:37, Genesis 50:5
swears 2× Leviticus 5:4, Numbers 30:2
take an oath 2× Genesis 50:25, Ezra 10:5
took an oath 2× 2 Samuel 3:35, 2 Kings 25:24
vowed 2× Joshua 5:6, 1 Samuel 20:3
who swear 2× Psalms 63:11, Isaiah 48:1
you made us swear 2× Joshua 2:17, Joshua 2:20
. . . 1× Exodus 13:19
[and] swear 1× Jeremiah 12:16
and 1× Malachi 3:5
and curse me 1× Psalms 102:8
and He swore 1× Deuteronomy 4:21
and He swore an oath 1× Numbers 32:10
and I will have you swear 1× Genesis 24:3
and if you can swear 1× Jeremiah 4:2
and perjury 1× Jeremiah 7:9
and put them under oath 1× 2 Kings 11:4
and required [of the nobles and officials] an oath that they 1× Nehemiah 5:12
and swear 1× Zephaniah 1:5
and swear allegiance 1× Isaiah 19:18
and swears 1× Leviticus 6:3
and sworn 1× Jeremiah 5:7
And they took the oath 1× Ezra 10:5
and whoever takes an oath 1× Isaiah 65:16
as it is for the one who makes a vow 1× Ecclesiastes 9:2
but also swear 1× Zephaniah 1:5
charge us so 1× Song Of Solomon 5:9
gave his oath 1× 1 Samuel 24:22
had made him swear 1× 2 Chronicles 36:13
had taken an oath concerning them 1× 2 Samuel 21:2
has sworn to him 1× 2 Samuel 3:9
have sworn an oath 1× Joshua 9:19
he made you swear [to do] 1× Genesis 50:6
He promised on oath 1× Genesis 50:24
he swore an oath 1× Psalms 132:2
He swore to give 1× Numbers 14:16
He swore to them by oath 1× Deuteronomy 4:31
his vow 1× 1 Samuel 20:17
I had promised 1× Judges 2:1
I pledged Myself 1× Ezekiel 16:8
I promised 1× Exodus 33:1
I swear 1× 2 Samuel 19:7
I swore on oath 1× Psalms 95:11
I swore to give them 1× Deuteronomy 31:21
invoked this solemn oath 1× Joshua 6:26
is to put the woman under oath 1× Numbers 5:19
oath 1× Psalms 15:4
of him who swears 1× Zechariah 5:4
of them swore an oath 1× Genesis 21:31
of those who have sworn 1× Ezekiel 21:23
perjurer 1× Zechariah 5:3
promised me on oath 1× Genesis 24:7
saying 1× 1 Samuel 14:28
So [Esau] swore 1× Genesis 25:33
So Joseph swore 1× Genesis 47:31
swear a solemn oath 1× Exodus 13:19
swear by them 1× Joshua 23:7
swear it. 1× Genesis 21:24
swear on oath 1× Hosea 4:15
Swear to me first 1× Genesis 25:33
swore [to give] 1× Deuteronomy 8:1
swore to me 1× Joshua 14:9
Then I made them take an oath 1× Nehemiah 13:25
then I swear 1× Jeremiah 22:5
they are swearing falsely 1× Jeremiah 5:2
they had sworn 1× 2 Chronicles 15:15
They took an oath 1× 2 Chronicles 15:14
Those who swear 1× Amos 8:14
to swear 1× Jeremiah 12:16
we swore 1× Joshua 9:20
will swear 1× Isaiah 65:16
will swear [allegiance] 1× Isaiah 45:23
with a solemn oath 1× 1 Samuel 14:28
with the oath 1× 1 Samuel 14:27
You had sworn 1× Jeremiah 32:22
you promised 1× Joshua 6:22
You swore to give 1× Numbers 11:12
your God swore 1× Deuteronomy 6:18
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 21:23 הִשָּׁ֨בְעָה to swear Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular Genesis 21:24 אִשָּׁבֵֽעַ׃ to swear it. Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common singular Genesis 21:31 נִשְׁבְּע֖וּ to of them swore an oath Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural Genesis 22:16 נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי to I have sworn Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular Genesis 24:3 וְאַשְׁבִּ֣יעֲךָ֔ to and I will have you swear Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | second person masculine singular Genesis 24:7 נִֽשְׁבַּֽע־ to promised me on oath Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 24:9 וַיִּשָּׁ֣בַֽע to and swore an oath Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 24:37 וַיַּשְׁבִּעֵ֥נִי to made me swear an oath Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular Genesis 25:33 הִשָּׁ֤בְעָה to Swear to me first Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular Genesis 25:33 וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע to So [Esau] swore Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 21:23
Aligned rows 186
Books represented 27
Genesis 19 Exodus 6 Leviticus 4 Numbers 8 Deuteronomy 33 Joshua 16 Judges 6 1 Samuel 12 2 Samuel 6 1 Kings 10 2 Kings 2 2 Chronicles 4 Ezra 2 Nehemiah 2 Psalms 12 Ecclesiastes 1 Song Of Solomon 5 Isaiah 10 Jeremiah 14 Ezekiel 2 Daniel 1 Hosea 1 Amos 4 Micah 1 Zephaniah 2 Zechariah 2 Malachi 1
Source forms
נִשְׁבַּ֥ע 10x niš·ba‘ Exodus 13:11, Deuteronomy 2:14, Deuteronomy 6:18, Deuteronomy 7:13
נִשְׁבַּ֖ע 7x niš·ba‘ Deuteronomy 4:31, Deuteronomy 6:23, Deuteronomy 7:12, Deuteronomy 13:17
נִשְׁבַּ֧ע 6x niš·ba‘ Deuteronomy 6:10, Deuteronomy 11:21, Deuteronomy 26:3, Deuteronomy 28:11
נִשְׁבַּ֤ע 5x niš·ba‘ Exodus 13:5, Deuteronomy 9:5, Joshua 5:6, 2 Samuel 3:9
וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע 4x way·yiš·šā·ḇa‘ Genesis 25:33, Genesis 47:31, Numbers 32:10, Daniel 12:7
וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע 4x way·yiš·šā·ḇa‘ 1 Samuel 20:3, 2 Samuel 3:35, 2 Kings 25:24, Jeremiah 40:9
נִשְׁבַּ֨ע 4x niš·ba‘ Deuteronomy 11:9, Deuteronomy 30:20, Joshua 5:6, Amos 4:2
נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי 4x niš·ba‘·tî Genesis 22:16, Genesis 26:3, Numbers 14:23, 1 Samuel 3:14
Parsing patterns
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 44x Genesis 24:7, Genesis 50:24, Exodus 13:5, Exodus 13:11
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular 27x Genesis 22:16, Genesis 26:3, Exodus 33:1, Numbers 14:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 20x Genesis 24:9, Genesis 25:33, Genesis 31:53, Genesis 47:31
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singular 8x Exodus 32:13, Numbers 11:12, Deuteronomy 26:15, 1 Kings 1:13
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural 7x Genesis 21:31, Joshua 9:18, Judges 21:18, 2 Samuel 21:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 5x Genesis 26:31, Joshua 9:15, 2 Chronicles 15:14, Ezra 10:5
Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular 5x Genesis 21:23, Genesis 25:33, Genesis 47:31, 1 Samuel 24:21
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular 4x Psalms 63:11, Ecclesiastes 9:2, Zechariah 5:3, Zechariah 5:4
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Swearing binds oneself through ritual sevenfold repetition, encoding covenantal obligation into speech act.
Strong's H7650
Lexical occurrences 186 verses Word forms 2 forms 116 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Genesis 21:22-34 Source Gloss
to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Swearing binds oneself through ritual sevenfold repetition, encoding covenantal obligation into speech act.
to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times) BDB: swear Usage: adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for 7646), take an oath, × straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.
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 2 Aligned forms 116
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 106×
Perfect 2Sam 3:9 · Amos 4:2 · Amos 6:8 · Amos 8:7 · Deut 1:8 · Deut 2:14 · Deut 4:31 · Deut 6:10 · Deut 6:18 · Deut 6:23 · Deut 7:8 · Deut 7:12 · Deut 7:13 · Deut 8:1 · Deut 8:18 · Deut 9:5 92×
Imperfect Deut 6:13 · Deut 10:20 · Isa 45:23 · Lev 5:4 · Isa 65:16 · Lev 5:24 · Gen 21:24 · Jer 5:2 · Lev 19:12 9×
Sequential imperfect Josh 2:12 · Judg 15:12 2×
Jussive 1Kgs 1:51 · Hos 4:15 2×
Infinitive absolute Num 30:3 1×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 9×
Perfect Song 2:7 · Song 3:5 · Song 5:8 · Song 8:4 · 1Sam 14:28 · Exod 13:19 6×
Infinitive absolute 1Sam 14:28 · Exod 13:19 2×
Imperfect Josh 23:7 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Covenant oath between Abimelech and Abraham, formal binding agreement
Servant adjured by oath to secure a wife for Isaac from Abraham's kindred
Joseph sworn by oath to fulfill his father Jacob's final request for burial
Legal prohibition against swearing falsely by God's name in law and covenant
Prophetic declaration where God swears by himself in covenant promise and oath
Showing 5 selected witnesses from 186 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
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