שַׂגִּיא
𐤔𐤂𐤉𐤀
saggîyʼ
H7689 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Extremely great, exceedingly large, surpassingly mighty; used to describe persons or things of remarkable magnitude, power, or excellence. In many contexts, it serves an intensifying function, marking something as not merely great but outstanding, immense, or preeminent, especially in poetic or hyperbolic descriptions.
Semantic Range
exceedingly great, extremely mighty, surpassingly excellent, abundant (in number or degree), very much, superb, extraordinarily distinguished
Root / Etymology
From the root שָׂגָא (שׂ-ג-א), which conveys the sense of rising high, growing great, or being exalted. שַׂגִּיא is an intensive adjective form reflecting extreme greatness or might. While the root relates broadly to rising or increasing (physically or metaphorically), the adjective תַגִּיא specializes to describe greatness in strength, size, or quality.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שַׂגִּיא appears primarily in poetic or elevated biblical passages, especially in late biblical Hebrew (e.g., Daniel, Ezra). It often modifies nouns to express extreme greatness—such as 'exceedingly great army' or 'innumerable hosts.' The term can refer to both quantitative and qualitative excess; it may be applied to objects, peoples, or even abstract qualities. In post-exilic and Aramaic-influenced texts, שַׂגִּיא becomes more common as a superlative, while older texts often use other roots such as רַב or גָּדוֹל for basic greatness. English translations often render it as 'exceeding,' 'great,' or 'mighty,' but these can flatten the poetic intensity the term conveys in Hebrew. In Aramaic, a cognate adjective is very frequent and is sometimes borrowed into late books of the Hebrew Bible.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׂגָא; (superlatively) mighty; excellent, great.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׂגא (ś-g-ʾ) — rise high, be exalted, increase
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7679 | שָׂגָא | one who makes great |
| H7680 | שְׂגָא | he will increase |
| H7690 | שַׂגִּיא | great, abundant |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7689-01 |
שַׂ֭גִּיא | sagi | HAamsa |
exalted | surpassingly great | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences