What does שָׁנַן (šānan) mean in the Bible?
שָׁנַן (šānan): Sharp-pointed action moving from literal piercing to figurative deep inculcation; teaching that penetrates and fixes itself firmly in the mind.
Hebrew · H8150
שָׁנַן
To point (transitive or intransitive); intensively, to pierce ; figuratively, to inculcate
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שָׁנַןH8150
Pronunciationšānan
What does שָׁנַן (šānan) mean in the Bible?
שָׁנַן (šānan): Sharp-pointed action moving from literal piercing to figurative deep inculcation; teaching that penetrates and fixes itself firmly in the mind.
Full entry for שָׁנַן (H8150) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8150?
The BSB source-word alignment has 9 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and I was pierced (1), And you shall teach them diligently (1), are sharpened (1), I sharpen (1), or sharp (1).
Where does שָׁנַן (šānan) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 6:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (5), Deuteronomy (2), Isaiah (1), Proverbs (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 Itand I was pierced1×Psalms 73:21
And you shall teach them diligently1×Deuteronomy 6:7
are sharpened1×Isaiah 5:28
I sharpen1×Deuteronomy 32:41
or sharp1×Proverbs 25:18
pierce1×Psalms 45:5
Sharp1×Psalms 120:4
sharpen1×Psalms 64:3
They sharpen1×Psalms 140:3
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 6:7וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣םtoAnd you shall teach them diligentlyConjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralDeuteronomy 32:41שַׁנּוֹתִי֙toI sharpenVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularPsalms 45:5שְׁנ֫וּנִ֥יםtopierceVerb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine pluralPsalms 64:3שָׁנְנ֣וּtosharpenVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralPsalms 73:21אֶשְׁתּוֹנָֽן׃toand I was piercedVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect - first person common singularPsalms 120:4שְׁנוּנִ֑יםtoSharpVerb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine pluralPsalms 140:3שָֽׁנֲנ֣וּtoThey sharpenVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralProverbs 25:18שָׁנ֑וּןtoor sharpVerb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularIsaiah 5:28שְׁנוּנִ֔יםtoare sharpenedVerb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowDeuteronomy 6:7
Aligned rows9
Books represented4
Deuteronomy2Psalms5Proverbs1Isaiah1
Source forms
אֶשְׁתּוֹנָֽן׃1x’eš·tō·w·nānPsalms 73:21
וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם1xwə·šin·nan·tāmDeuteronomy 6:7
שָׁנ֑וּן1xšā·nūnProverbs 25:18
שְׁנ֫וּנִ֥ים1xšə·nū·nîmPsalms 45:5
שְׁנוּנִ֑ים1xšə·nū·nîmPsalms 120:4
שְׁנוּנִ֔ים1xšə·nū·nîmIsaiah 5:28
שַׁנּוֹתִי֙1xšan·nō·w·ṯîDeuteronomy 32:41
שָׁנְנ֣וּ1xšā·nə·nūPsalms 64:3
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural3xPsalms 45:5, Psalms 120:4, Isaiah 5:28
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural2xPsalms 64:3, Psalms 140:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural1xDeuteronomy 6:7
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - first person common singular1xPsalms 73:21
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular1xDeuteronomy 32:41
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular1xProverbs 25:18
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Sharp-pointed action moving from literal piercing to figurative deep inculcation; teaching that penetrates and fixes itself firmly in the mind.
Strong'sH8150
Lexical occurrences9 versesWord forms2 forms8 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkProverbs 25:18Source Gloss
to point (transitive or intransitive); intensively, to pierce ; figuratively, to inculcate
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Sharp-pointed action moving from literal piercing to figurative deep inculcation; teaching that penetrates and fixes itself firmly in the mind.
to point (transitive or intransitive); intensively, to pierce; figuratively, to inculcate BDB: whet Usage: prick, sharp(-en), teach diligently, whet.
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 forms8
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense7×
Participle passiveIsa 5:28 · Prov 25:18 · Ps 45:6 · Ps 120:44×
PerfectPs 64:4 · Ps 140:4 · Deut 32:413×
Hithpolel1×
ImperfectPs 73:211×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
figuratively describing a false witness as a weapon that pierces or wounds
Showing 1 selected witness from 9 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׁנַן is a primitive root - no further derivation.