שָׁבָב
𐤔𐤁𐤁
shâbâb
H7616 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A piece broken off, fragment, or ruin; refers to something shattered, broken in pieces, or remnants of destruction, especially architectural fragments or debris left after collapse.
Semantic Range
fragment, broken-off piece, ruin (as rubble), sherd, debris, architectural remains, shattered structure
Root / Etymology
Root: שָׁבַב (sh-b-b), though unused, is inferred from the attested noun. The root is associated with the idea of breaking, shattering, or causing to split. The noun שָׁבָב refers specifically to that which is broken off—i.e., a fragment or ruin—but the exact verb form is not in use in the Hebrew Bible.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׁבָב occurs infrequently in Biblical Hebrew, found only in the plural form שְׁבָבִים in certain texts (e.g., Isaiah 49:19, Malachi 1:4). The term is used to denote ruins or piles of debris left after destruction, most commonly of buildings or towns. It is distinct from more general terms for 'ruin' (e.g., חָרְבָה, חרבה) because it emphasizes broken fragments or rubble rather than the abstract state of being ruined. In post-biblical Hebrew, its use is further limited and often supplanted by related terms. English translations sometimes render it as 'ruins,' 'heaps,' or 'fragments,' but this may understate the physicality and concreteness of actual pieces of broken material. Its usage does not convey concepts of 'ruin' as a moral or metaphorical state, but refers concretely to the tangible remnants of destruction. In later translation traditions, 'ruins' or 'desolate places' are sometimes used, but do not always capture the sense of physical fragmentation at the root of the term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to break up; a fragment, i.e. ruin; broken in pieces.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁבב (sh-b-b) — to break, to smash, to shatter
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7616-01 |
שְׁבָבִ֣ים | shevavim | HNcmpa |
shattered things | shattered fragments | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7616-01 |
Hosea 8:6 | שְׁבָבִ֣ים | shevavim | HNcmpa |
shattered things | shattered fragments |