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Hebrew · H7723

שָׁוְא

Evil (as destructive ), literally ( ruin ) or morally (especially guile ); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain )

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שָׁוְא H7723

What does שָׁוְא mean in the Bible?

שָׁוְא is a Hebrew word meaning "evil (as destructive ), literally ( ruin ) or morally (especially guile ); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain )".

Full entry for שָׁוְא (H7723) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does שָׁוְא mean in the Bible?

שָׁוְא is a Hebrew word meaning "evil (as destructive ), literally ( ruin ) or morally (especially guile ); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain )".

How does the BSB render H7723?

The BSB source-word alignment has 53 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include in vain (10), falsehood (4), a false (3), false (3), false visions (3).

Where does שָׁוְא appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 20:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (15), Ezekiel (9), Job (6), Jeremiah (5).

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
in vain 10× Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11, Psalms 127:1, Psalms 127:2
falsehood 4× Job 31:5, Psalms 41:6, Psalms 144:8, Psalms 144:11
a false 3× Exodus 23:1, Ezekiel 13:7, Ezekiel 21:23
false 3× Deuteronomy 5:20, Ezekiel 12:24, Zechariah 10:2
false visions 3× Ezekiel 13:6, Ezekiel 13:9, Ezekiel 13:23
is worthless 2× Psalms 60:11, Psalms 108:12
were empty 2× Lamentations 2:14
. . . 1× Psalms 31:6
[Your name] in vain 1× Psalms 139:20
by false 1× Ezekiel 22:28
deceitful 1× Psalms 26:4
emptiness 1× Job 15:31
from worthless things 1× Psalms 119:37
futility 1× Psalms 89:47
in emptiness 1× Job 15:31
It is futile 1× Malachi 3:14
Keep falsehood 1× Proverbs 30:8
lies 1× Isaiah 59:4
of deceit 1× Isaiah 5:18
of destruction 1× Isaiah 30:28
of futility 1× Job 7:3
the deceit 1× Job 11:11
They lie 1× Psalms 12:2
to an idol 1× Psalms 24:4
to empty pleas 1× Job 35:13
to nothing 1× Hosea 12:11
to worthless idols 1× Jeremiah 18:15
vain 1× Psalms 127:1
vain words 1× Ezekiel 13:8
while they offer false 1× Ezekiel 21:29
with false 1× Hosea 10:4
worthless 1× Jonah 2:8
your worthless 1× Isaiah 1:13
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 20:7 לַשָּׁ֑וְא to in vain Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 20:7 לַשָּֽׁוְא׃פ to in vain Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 23:1 שָׁ֑וְא to a false Noun - masculine singular Deuteronomy 5:11 לַשָּׁ֑וְא to in vain Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular Deuteronomy 5:11 לַשָּֽׁוְא׃ס to in vain Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular Deuteronomy 5:20 שָֽׁוְא׃ס to false Noun - masculine singular Job 7:3 שָׁ֑וְא to of futility Noun - masculine singular Job 11:11 שָׁ֑וְא to the deceit Noun - masculine singular Job 15:31 בַּשּׁוֹ to in emptiness Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Job 15:31 שָׁ֝֗וְא to emptiness Noun - masculine singular
Usage map

A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.

First aligned row Exodus 20:7
Aligned rows 53
Books represented 13
Exodus 3 Deuteronomy 3 Job 6 Psalms 15 Proverbs 1 Isaiah 4 Jeremiah 5 Lamentations 2 Ezekiel 9 Hosea 2 Jonah 1 Zechariah 1 Malachi 1
Source forms
שָׁ֑וְא 11x šāw Exodus 23:1, Job 7:3, Job 11:11, Job 31:5
שָׁ֔וְא 5x šāw Isaiah 1:13, Isaiah 59:4, Ezekiel 13:8, Ezekiel 21:29
שָׁ֖וְא 4x šāw Lamentations 2:14, Ezekiel 12:24, Hosea 10:4, Malachi 3:14
שָׁ֤וְא׀ 4x šāw Psalms 12:2, Psalms 127:1, Proverbs 30:8
לַשָּׁ֣וְא 3x laš·šāw Psalms 24:4, Psalms 139:20, Jeremiah 18:15
לַשָּׁוְא֙ 3x laš·šāw Jeremiah 2:30, Jeremiah 6:29, Jeremiah 46:11
שָׁוְא֙ 3x šāw Ezekiel 13:6, Ezekiel 13:7, Ezekiel 21:23
וְ֝שָׁ֗וְא 2x wə·šāw Psalms 60:11, Psalms 108:12
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 37x Exodus 23:1, Deuteronomy 5:20, Job 7:3, Job 11:11
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular 11x Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11, Psalms 24:4, Psalms 139:20
Article | Noun - masculine singular 2x Isaiah 5:18, Zechariah 10:2
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular 2x Psalms 60:11, Psalms 108:12
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular 1x Job 15:31
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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain

Full license details