שָׂרָה
𐤔𐤓𐤄
sârâh
H8280 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To contend, to exert oneself in struggle, to persevere and ultimately prevail, often in contexts involving intense effort or conflict—whether physical, spiritual, or social. In some rare cases, to exercise power as one who prevails, or to govern with authority derived from overcoming. The primary sense is that of persevering or prevailing through resistance.
Semantic Range
to contend in struggle, to persevere, to prevail, to overcome resistance, to exercise authority (rare or derived sense)
Root / Etymology
Root שׂרה (שׂ־ר־ה), with the core sense of 'to struggle, contend, persevere.' The lexeme שָׂרָה as a verb is rare and debated, but it is closely linked to the noun שַׂר (sar, chieftain, leader), suggesting a semantic development from 'one who contends/prevails' to 'one who has authority.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שָׂרָה appears primarily in Genesis 32:29, describing Jacob's struggle with an unnamed divine being: וַתּוּכָל כִּי־שָׂרִיתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל ('for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed'). This single instance shaped the later understanding of the term and its association with prevailing or having power. The related noun שַׂר denotes a prince or chieftain, but the verb occurs infrequently. Over time, the sense of 'to prevail through struggle' came to inform the naming of Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל), meaning 'he contends with God' or 'God contends.' English translations that render the verb as 'to have power as a prince' reflect later interpretive traditions, not the primary lexical sense in early biblical usage. Unlike other Hebrew terms for power such as גבר ('to be strong') or משל ('to rule'), שָׂרָה emphasizes the process of struggling and overcoming rather than inherent might or formal rule. The personal name שָׂרָה (Sarah) shares the root but is not the verbal form and, in biblical context, means 'princess.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to prevail; have power (as a prince).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׂרר (ś-r-r) — to rule, to govern, to act as leader, to have power
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5493 | סוּר | Princess |
| H5620 | סַר | Princess |
| H5627 | סָרָה | Princess |
| H8269 | שַׂר | the ruler |
| H8272 | שַׁרְאֶצֶר | ruling-chief |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8280-02 |
שָׂרִ֧יתָ | sarita | HVqp2ms |
you have striven | you persevered and prevailed | 1 |
H8280-01 |
שָׂרָ֥ה | sarah | HVqp3ms |
he-prince'd | Princess | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8280-02 |
Genesis 32:29 | שָׂרִ֧יתָ | sarita | HVqp2ms |
you have striven | you persevered and prevailed |
H8280-01 |
Hosea 12:4 | שָׂרָ֥ה | sarah | HVqp3ms |
he-prince'd | Princess |