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יָשַׁב

𐤉𐤔𐤁

yâshab

H3427 verb

SILEX Entry

Root יָשַׁב to sit, to stay, to reside, to dwell

Definition

To sit, to remain, to dwell; most commonly, to take up residence in a place, inhabit, or to settle. Frequently used in both literal and figurative contexts: literally to sit, to take a seat, and more often in extended sense, of dwelling or residing in a location, either temporarily or permanently. Also used for continuing in a condition or position. In the causative stem, to cause to settle or dwell, to establish (often of populations or cities). Rarely, to marry in the sense of 'taking up home' (especially in the context of men marrying, i.e., settling with a wife).

Semantic Range

to sit down, to be seated, to remain, to dwell, to inhabit, to reside, to settle (oneself or others), to continue, to stay, to establish (inhabitants or settlements), to marry (rare, in sense of settling with a wife), to hold office (figurative, e.g. sit in judgment), to be in ambush (to lie in wait)

Root / Etymology

Root: י-ש-ב (y-sh-b). The root meaning is 'to sit,' with basic sense of settling oneself down. From this, meanings develop into a wide semantic field encompassing both physical action (to sit) and more abstract ideas of inhabiting or establishment (dwelling, residing).

Historical & Contextual Notes

יָשַׁב figures as one of the principal verbs for the concept of dwelling or residing in Biblical Hebrew, appearing across all strata of the Hebrew Bible. In earliest narratives, it often indicates nomadic encampment or temporary habitation, later coming to describe more permanent settlement (e.g., of cities, people in the land). In legal and political contexts, it may signify holding office or governing (e.g., 'sitting in the gate' as a judge/elder). In poetic or prophetic contexts, it sometimes conveys remaining in a condition (e.g., desolation, blessing). The causative form (hiphil) is frequently used for causing settlement—either resettling populations (e.g., the return from exile, Joshua’s conquest)—or establishing people/groups in a place. Comparatively, שָׁכַן (shakan) also means 'to dwell' but often with a connotation of presence or indwelling, especially of the divine. יָשַׁב typically carries a less sacred, more general nuance. English 'dwell' or 'inhabit' often captures the core meaning, but the nuance of remaining, continuing, or settling can be lost in translation, and the use for 'marrying' (esp. as 'settling with a wife') is uncommon and context-specific, generally absent in later periods. Post-biblical Hebrew sometimes restricts meanings further. Late biblical and post-exilic uses reflect more sedentary life and administrative developments.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ישב (y-sh-b) — to sit, to stay, to reside, to dwell

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3143 יוֹשִׁבְיָה Yahweh causes to dwell
H3428 יֶשֶׁבְאָב Dwelling-of-a-Father
H3429 יֹשֵׁב בַּשֶּׁבֶת in the seat
H3430 יִשְׁבּוֹ בְּנֹב Dweller-in-Nob
H4186 מוֹשָׁב in their dwelling-places

Word Forms

151 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3427-142 יֹשְׁבֵ֣י yoshevey HVqrmpc inhabitants of dwellers of 141
H3427-139 יֹשֵׁ֥ב yoshev HVqrmsc inhabitant dwelling-one of 138
H3427-84 וַ/יֵּ֥שֶׁב vayeshev HC/Vqw3ms and dwelt and he sat/dwelt 96
H3427-85 וַ/יֵּ֥שְׁבוּ vayeshevu HC/Vqw3mp and dwelt and they settled 55
H3427-19 הַ/יֹּשְׁבִ֖ים hayoshevim HTd/Vqrmpa who dwell the ones dwelling 35
H3427-135 יֵֽשֶׁב yeshev HVqj3ms shall sit may he dwell 32
H3427-29 לָ/שֶׁ֣בֶת lashevet HR/Vqc to dwell to sit, to dwell 31
H3427-132 יָשְׁב֖וּ yashevu HVqp3cp dwelt they dwelt 31
H3427-144 יֹשְׁבִ֥ים yoshevim HVqrmpa were sitting the ones dwelling 30
H3427-15 הַ/יֹּשֵׁ֖ב hayoshev HTd/Vqrmsa who dwelt the one dwelling 28

Occurrences in Scripture

1092 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3427-84 Genesis 4:16 וַ/יֵּ֥שֶׁב vayeshev HC/Vqw3ms dwelt and he sat/dwelt
H3427-139 Genesis 4:20 יֹשֵׁ֥ב yoshev HVqrmsc those who dwell dwelling-one of
H3427-85 Genesis 11:2 וַ/יֵּ֥שְׁבוּ vayeshevu HC/Vqw3mp and they settled and they settled
H3427-85 Genesis 11:31 וַ/יֵּ֥שְׁבוּ vayeshevu HC/Vqw3mp and they settled and they settled
H3427-29 Genesis 13:6 לָ/שֶׁ֣בֶת lashevet HR/Vqc to dwell to sit, to dwell
H3427-29 Genesis 13:6 לָ/שֶׁ֥בֶת lashevet-2 HR/Vqc to dwell to sit, to dwell
H3427-139 Genesis 13:7 יֹשֵׁ֥ב yoshev HVqrmsa dwelled dwelling-one of
H3427-125 Genesis 13:12 יָשַׁ֣ב yashav HVqp3ms dwelled he sat
H3427-125 Genesis 13:12 יָשַׁב֙ yashav-2 HVqp3ms dwelled he sat
H3427-84 Genesis 13:18 וַ/יֵּ֛שֶׁב vayeshev HC/Vqw3ms and dwelt and he sat/dwelt
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