שְׁבָא
𐤔𐤁𐤀
Sheva
H7614 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Sheba: the name of several individuals and groups, as well as a geographic region in the southern Arabian Peninsula (or, in some contexts, associated with northeastern Africa). In the Hebrew Bible, שְׁבָא (Sheba) refers either to (1) a descendant, or tribe, usually considered to be in southwest Arabia; (2) a tribal group from the Hamitic genealogies; or (3) a land/kingdom noted for wealth and trade, famous especially for the Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon. The term can also denote inhabitants of these places—Sabeans.
Semantic Range
a personal name (male ancestor), a tribal name or clan, a people-group, a kingdom or land in southern Arabia, occasionally used for its inhabitants (Sabeans), associated with wealth and trade, rare possible extension to northeast African locale
Root / Etymology
Etymology uncertain. שְׁבָא is typically considered a loan, likely from South Arabian (Saba’), where Saba’ was a major ancient kingdom. It appears unrelated to clearly-attested Hebrew roots with the same consonants. It is not derived from שָׁבַע (shavaʿ, 'to swear') or שֶׁבַע (shevaʿ, 'seven').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical genealogies, Sheba appears multiple times: as a son of Raamah (a descendant of Cush) in Genesis 10:7 and 1 Chronicles 1:9, as a son of Joktan (a descendant of Shem) in Genesis 10:28 and 1 Chronicles 1:22, and as a son of Jokshan (a descendant of Abraham through Keturah) in Genesis 25:3 and 1 Chronicles 1:32. The kingdom/land of Sheba (notably visited King Solomon according to 1 Kings 10 and 2 Chronicles 9) is historically identified with Saba’ in southwest Arabia, famed for incense and trade. In post-biblical and later interpretations Sheba was sometimes mistakenly identified as 'Ethiopia,' based on ancient associations between southern Arabia and northeast Africa; however, in the biblical context the primary referent is South Arabian. English translations like 'Sabeans' reflect a term for the people or region but do not clarify the possible distinctions between the genealogical uses and the kingdom. The Queen of Sheba narrative is particularly significant in discussions of ancient Israelite and Arabian commerce and diplomacy.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of foreign origin; Sheba, the name of three early progenitors of tribes and of an Ethiopian district; Sheba, Sabeans.
Bantu Hebrew
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שׁבא (š-b-ʾ) — proper name (Sheba), ancestral name, tribal name, southern Arabian kingdom
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7615 | שְׁבָאִי | to the Shebaites |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7614-02 |
שְׁבָ֥א | sheva | HNp |
Sheba | Sheba | 21 |
H7614-01 |
מִ/שְּׁבָ֣א | misheva | HR/Np |
from Sheba | from Sheba | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
23 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7614-02 |
Genesis 10:7 | שְׁבָ֥א | sheva | HNp |
Sheba | Sheba |
H7614-02 |
Genesis 10:28 | שְׁבָֽא | sheva | HNp |
Sheba | Sheba |
H7614-02 |
Genesis 25:3 | שְׁבָ֖א | sheva | HNp |
Sheba | Sheba |
H7614-02 |
1 Kings 10:1 | שְׁבָ֗א | sheva | HNp |
of-Sheba | Sheba |
H7614-02 |
1 Kings 10:4 | שְׁבָ֔א | sheva | HNp |
of Sheba | Sheba |
H7614-02 |
1 Kings 10:10 | שְׁבָ֖א | sheva | HNp |
of Sheba | Sheba |
H7614-02 |
1 Kings 10:13 | שְׁבָ֗א | sheva | HNp |
Sheba | Sheba |
H7614-01 |
Isaiah 60:6 | מִ/שְּׁבָ֣א | misheva | HR/Np |
from Sheba | from Sheba |
H7614-01 |
Jeremiah 6:20 | מִ/שְּׁבָ֣א | misheva | HR/Np |
from Sheba | from Sheba |
H7614-02 |
Ezekiel 27:22 | שְׁבָא֙ | sheva | HNp |
Sheba | Sheba |