שְׁרֵא
𐤔𐤓𐤀
shᵉrêʼ
H8271 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
(Aramaic) To loosen, untie, release, set free; to begin, commence (an action or process); to dwell, settle, reside. Used both in concrete contexts, such as freeing or unbinding (literal or figurative), and more abstract senses such as initiating something or taking up residence. In various passages, the sense ranges from the physical act of unbinding or separating, to starting or undertaking an activity, or establishing oneself in a location.
Semantic Range
to loose, to set free, to unbind; to begin, to commence; to dwell, to settle, to reside; to dissolve, to untangle
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁ־ר־א (שְׁרֵא), related to שֵׁרוּת (Aramaic noun 'freedom, release'). The core root meaning is 'to loosen, untie, dissolve'. Derived meanings include 'to begin' (by the idea of loosening the restraint to start something) and 'to dwell' or 'settle' (possibly by the notion of unhindered residing). Cognate with several Semitic roots carrying the sense of letting go or releasing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שְׁרֵא appears only in the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible, notably in Daniel and Ezra. Its primary contextual use relates to the untying or releasing of fetters or burdens, but it frequently appears in idiomatic constructions to imply beginning a process or dwelling in a place (e.g., Daniel 2:36, 6:19), meaning 'to start'. The semantic extension from 'freeing' to 'beginning' is typical in Semitic languages, as starting something often implies removing a prior restraint. When used in the sense of 'dwell', it suggests settling freely in a location. English translations may use 'begin', 'commence', 'dwell', or 'loose', but often the underlying Aramaic nuance is broader or idiomatically distinct from Hebrew שָׁרָה or יָשַׁב. In later Aramaic, the root is regularly used for 'to begin' or 'to reside', attesting to its ongoing semantic range.
Translation Consistency
Most occurrences and the primary SILEX sense focus on unbinding/releasing (loosen, untie, set free). "Loose" is a natural, concise verb that covers the typical concrete and figurative senses (loose/untie/release); rarer senses like "begin" or "dwell" will be handled contextually.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) a root corresponding to that of שֵׁרוּת; to free, separate; figuratively, to unravel, commence; by implication (of unloading beasts) to reside; begin, dissolve, dwell, loose.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁרא (š-r-ʾ) — to loosen, to untie, to release, to dissolve
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8271-06 |
וְ/שָׁרִ֣יו | veshariv | AC/Vpp3mp |
and their associates | and they set free | and they began | 1 |
H8271-01 |
לְ/מִשְׁרֵ֑א | lemishere | AR/Vqc |
to untie | to loosen | to untie | 1 |
H8271-02 |
מִשְׁתָּרַ֔יִן | mishetarayin | AVMsmpa |
were loosed | the ones being released | were loosed | 1 |
H8271-05 |
וּ/מְשָׁרֵ֣א | umeshare | AC/Vprmpc |
and-solving | and the ones unbinding | and solving | 1 |
H8271-03 |
שְׁרַ֨יִן֙ | sherayin | AVQsmpa |
loose | the loosened ones | loosed | 1 |
H8271-04 |
שְׁרֵֽא | shere | AVqsmsa |
dwells | the released one | dwells | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8271-04 |
Daniel 2:22 | שְׁרֵֽא | shere | AVqsmsa |
dwells | the released one | dwells |
H8271-03 |
Daniel 3:25 | שְׁרַ֨יִן֙ | sherayin | AVQsmpa |
loose | the loosened ones | loosed |
H8271-02 |
Daniel 5:6 | מִשְׁתָּרַ֔יִן | mishetarayin | AVMsmpa |
were loosed | the ones being released | were loosed |
H8271-05 |
Daniel 5:12 | וּ/מְשָׁרֵ֣א | umeshare | AC/Vprmpc |
and-solving | and the ones unbinding | and solving |
H8271-01 |
Daniel 5:16 | לְ/מִשְׁרֵ֑א | lemishere | AR/Vqc |
to untie | to loosen | to untie |
H8271-06 |
Ezra 5:2 | וְ/שָׁרִ֣יו | veshariv | AC/Vpp3mp |
and their associates | and they set free | and they began |