What does שָׁרַץ (šāraṣ) mean in the Bible?
שָׁרַץ (šāraṣ): Movement from creeping/wriggling to abundant proliferation; connotes teeming, fertile multiplication in natural or ceremonial contexts.
Hebrew · H8317
שָׁרַץ
To wriggle , i.e. (by implication) swarm or abound
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שָׁרַץH8317
Pronunciationšāraṣ
What does שָׁרַץ (šāraṣ) mean in the Bible?
שָׁרַץ (šāraṣ): Movement from creeping/wriggling to abundant proliferation; connotes teeming, fertile multiplication in natural or ceremonial contexts.
Full entry for שָׁרַץ (H8317) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8317?
The BSB source-word alignment has 14 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (2), teemed (2), that moves (2), and increased rapidly (1), so that they can spread out (1).
Where does שָׁרַץ (šāraṣ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 1:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (5), Leviticus (5), Exodus (2), Ezekiel (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 It. . .2×Genesis 7:21, Leviticus 11:43
teemed2×Genesis 1:21, Psalms 105:30
that moves2×Leviticus 11:41, Leviticus 11:42
and increased rapidly1×Exodus 1:7
so that they can spread out1×Genesis 8:17
spread out1×Genesis 9:7
swarms1×Ezekiel 47:9
teem1×Genesis 1:20
that crawl1×Leviticus 11:46
that move1×Leviticus 11:29
will teem1×Exodus 8:3
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 1:20יִשְׁרְצ֣וּtoteemVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralGenesis 1:21שָׁרְצ֨וּtoteemedVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralGenesis 7:21הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץto. . .Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularGenesis 8:17וְשָֽׁרְצ֣וּtoso that they can spread outConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralGenesis 9:7שִׁרְצ֥וּtospread outVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralExodus 1:7וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּtoand increased rapidlyConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralExodus 8:3וְשָׁרַ֣ץtowill teemConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularLeviticus 11:29הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץtothat moveArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularLeviticus 11:41הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץtothat movesArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularLeviticus 11:42הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץtothat movesArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 1:20
Aligned rows14
Books represented5
Genesis5Exodus2Leviticus5Psalms1Ezekiel1
Source forms
הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ4xhaš·šō·rêṣGenesis 7:21, Leviticus 11:29, Leviticus 11:41, Leviticus 11:42
הַשֹּׁרֵ֑ץ1xhaš·šō·rêṣLeviticus 11:43
הַשֹּׁרֶ֥צֶת1xhaš·šō·re·ṣeṯLeviticus 11:46
וַֽיִּשְׁרְצ֛וּ1xway·yiš·rə·ṣūExodus 1:7
וְשָׁרַ֣ץ1xwə·šā·raṣExodus 8:3
וְשָֽׁרְצ֣וּ1xwə·šā·rə·ṣūGenesis 8:17
יִשְׁרֹ֡ץ1xyiš·rōṣEzekiel 47:9
יִשְׁרְצ֣וּ1xyiš·rə·ṣūGenesis 1:20
Parsing patterns
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular5xGenesis 7:21, Leviticus 11:29, Leviticus 11:41, Leviticus 11:42
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular1xLeviticus 11:46
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural1xGenesis 8:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular1xExodus 8:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1xExodus 1:7
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural1xGenesis 9:7
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural1xGenesis 1:20
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular1xEzekiel 47:9
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Movement from creeping/wriggling to abundant proliferation; connotes teeming, fertile multiplication in natural or ceremonial contexts.
Strong'sH8317
Lexical occurrences14 versesWord forms1 form5 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkGenesis 1:20-23Source Gloss
to wriggle , i.e. (by implication) swarm or abound
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Movement from creeping/wriggling to abundant proliferation; connotes teeming, fertile multiplication in natural or ceremonial contexts.
to wriggle, i.e. (by implication) swarm or abound BDB: swarm Usage: breed (bring forth, increase) abundantly (in abundance), creep, move.
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 groups1Aligned forms5
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense5×
ImperfectEzek 47:9 · Gen 1:202×
PerfectGen 1:21 · Ps 105:302×
Sequential imperfectGen 9:71×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Waters teeming with living creatures in creation account
Israelites multiplying and breeding abundantly in Egypt
Creeping animals that swarm as unclean creatures under law
Animals brought forth to breed abundantly after flood
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 14 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׁרַץ 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.