What does שָׁעַן (shāʿan) mean in the Bible?
שָׁעַן (shāʿan): Physical leaning transitions to trusting reliance; denotes dependent weight-bearing on another's strength or support.
Hebrew · H8172
שָׁעַן
To support one's self
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שָׁעַן H8172
Pronunciation shāʿan
What does שָׁעַן (shāʿan) mean in the Bible?
שָׁעַן (shāʿan): Physical leaning transitions to trusting reliance; denotes dependent weight-bearing on another's strength or support.
Full entry for שָׁעַן (H8172) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8172?
The BSB source-word alignment has 22 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include - (1), . . . (1), and lean (1), and lie (1), and relying (1).
Where does שָׁעַן (shāʿan) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 18:4. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Chronicles (5), Isaiah (5), 2 Kings (3), Job (2).
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 - 1× 2 Chronicles 16:7
. . . 1× Job 24:23
and lean 1× Proverbs 3:5
and lie 1× Numbers 21:15
and relying 1× Isaiah 30:12
and rest 1× Genesis 18:4
Because you have relied 1× 2 Chronicles 16:7
depend 1× Isaiah 10:20
he leaned 1× 2 Kings 7:17
He leans 1× Job 8:15
leaned 1× 2 Kings 7:2
leaning 1× 2 Samuel 1:6
leans 1× 2 Kings 5:18
let him lean 1× Isaiah 50:10
rely 1× Isaiah 10:20
so I can lean 1× Judges 16:26
they relied 1× 2 Chronicles 13:18
we rely 1× 2 Chronicles 14:11
when they leaned 1× Ezekiel 29:7
who rely 1× Isaiah 31:1
Yet because you relied 1× 2 Chronicles 16:8
Yet they lean 1× Micah 3:11
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 18:4 וְהִֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ to and rest Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine plural Numbers 21:15 וְנִשְׁעַ֖ן to and lie Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Judges 16:26 וְאֶשָּׁעֵ֖ן to so I can lean Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular 2 Samuel 1:6 נִשְׁעָ֣ן to leaning Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular 2 Kings 5:18 נִשְׁעָ֣ן to leans Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular 2 Kings 7:2 נִשְׁעָ֨ן to leaned Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular 2 Kings 7:17 נִשְׁעָ֤ן to he leaned Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular 2 Chronicles 13:18 נִשְׁעֲנ֔וּ to they relied Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural 2 Chronicles 14:11 נִשְׁעַ֔נּוּ to we rely Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common plural 2 Chronicles 16:7 בְּהִשָּׁ֨עֶנְךָ֜ to Because you have relied Preposition-b | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 18:4
Aligned rows 22
Books represented 11
Genesis 1 Numbers 1 Judges 1 2 Samuel 1 2 Kings 3 2 Chronicles 5 Job 2 Proverbs 1 Isaiah 5 Ezekiel 1 Micah 1
Source forms
נִשְׁעָ֣ן 2x niš·‘ān 2 Samuel 1:6, 2 Kings 5:18
בְּהִשָּׁ֨עֶנְךָ֜ 1x bə·hiš·šā·‘en·ḵā 2 Chronicles 16:7
וְאֶשָּׁעֵ֖ן 1x wə·’eš·šā·‘ên Judges 16:26
וּבְהִשָּֽׁעֶנְךָ֥ 1x ū·ḇə·hiš·šā·‘en·ḵā 2 Chronicles 16:8
וּבְהִֽשָּׁעֲנָ֤ם 1x ū·ḇə·hiš·šā·‘ă·nām Ezekiel 29:7
וְהִֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ 1x wə·hiš·šā·‘ă·nū Genesis 18:4
וְיִשָּׁעֵ֑ן 1x wə·yiš·šā·‘ên Job 24:23
וְיִשָּׁעֵ֖ן 1x wə·yiš·šā·‘ên Isaiah 50:10
Parsing patterns
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular 4x 2 Samuel 1:6, 2 Kings 5:18, 2 Kings 7:2, 2 Kings 7:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x Job 24:23, Isaiah 50:10
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 2x Numbers 21:15, Isaiah 10:20
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Isaiah 31:1, Micah 3:11
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular 1x Judges 16:26
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural 1x Isaiah 30:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine plural 1x Genesis 18:4
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular 1x 2 Chronicles 16:8
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical leaning transitions to trusting reliance; denotes dependent weight-bearing on another's strength or support.
Strong's H8172
Lexical occurrences 22 verses Word forms 1 form 11 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 10:20-23 Source Gloss
to support one's self
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical leaning transitions to trusting reliance; denotes dependent weight-bearing on another's strength or support.
to support one's self BDB: lean Usage: lean, lie, rely, rest (on, self), stay.
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 1 Aligned forms 11
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 11×
Participle active 2Kgs 5:18 · 2Kgs 7:2 · 2Kgs 7:17 · 2Sam 1:6 4×
Imperfect Isa 31:1 · Mic 3:11 · Job 8:15 3×
Perfect 2Chr 13:18 · 2Chr 14:10 · 2Chr 16:7 3×
Jussive Prov 3:5 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To rely upon or depend on for support.
Showing 1 selected witness from 22 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׁעַן is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The shift from reliance on Assyria to reliance on the Lord defines authentic repentance. Isaiah 10:20-23
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