שׁוּר
𐤔𐤅𐤓
shûwr
H7788 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To travel about, wander, especially on foot; to make a circuit or journey; to go about for purposes such as trade, observation, or, in specific contexts, seeking sexual encounters (as with a prostitute). The term can convey both purposeful and aimless movement, and at times describes a repetitive or habitual action. In certain contexts, it may imply a figurative kind of movement such as inspection or seeking.
Semantic Range
to travel around, to go about, to wander, to journey, to make circuits, to traverse (esp. for trade or seeking), to wander for sexual solicitation (as of a prostitute), to go about on inspection
Root / Etymology
Root שׁוּר (שור), likely related to movement or turning/circling. While the primary sense is 'to travel about,' the root is also associated with other verbal forms in Hebrew (e.g., שׁור 'to behold, gaze'), but in this pi‘el/statistical verb form, the primary sense is locomotion — going around, traversing, or journeying.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שׁוּר appears primarily in poetic or rare prose contexts to describe itinerant or circuitous movement. Notably, in Genesis 42:34 and other passages, it refers to travel, often with a nuance of moving about for a specific reason rather than aimless wandering. In Proverbs 7:8 and 7:12, it takes on the specialized sense of wandering for sexual solicitation, highlighting characteristic behavior rather than merely directional movement. In post-exilic usage, the term becomes rare, with other verbs supplanting it for ordinary movement. Unlike הלך ('to go, walk') which denotes movement in general, שׁוּר emphasizes movement associated with trade, observation, or illicit activity. The English gloss 'to go' insufficiently captures its focus on purposeful or characteristic travel.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to turn, i.e. travel about (as a harlot or a merchant); go, singular See also שִׁיר.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שור (sh-w-r) — to turn, to travel about, to wander
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4884 | מְשׂוּרָה | in a measured vessel |
| H7789 | שׁוּר | I attentively observe him |
| H7790 | שׁוּר | in my ambushing foes |
| H7791 | שׁוּר | Encircling Wall |
| H7792 | שׁוּר | the encircling-walls |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7788-02 |
וַ/תָּשֻׁ֤רִי | vatashuri | HC/Vqw2fs |
and you went | and you wandered about | 1 |
H7788-01 |
שָׁרוֹתַ֖יִ/ךְ | sharotayikhe | HVqrfpc/Sp2fs |
your carriers | your wandering women | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7788-02 |
Isaiah 57:9 | וַ/תָּשֻׁ֤רִי | vatashuri | HC/Vqw2fs |
and you went | and you wandered about |
H7788-01 |
Ezekiel 27:25 | שָׁרוֹתַ֖יִ/ךְ | sharotayikhe | HVqrfpc/Sp2fs |
your carriers | your wandering women |