סֹ֫בֶא (so.ve)
so.ve
liquor
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun sove refers simply to a drink or liquid refreshment. In the Hebrew Bible it appears only twice, both times in prophetic literature where it stands as a concrete image for wine or fermented beverage (Isaiah 5:11; Hosea 4:18). It is not a technical term for ritual libations but rather a general word for what one consumes.
Its rarity makes its usage significant. When prophets employ sove, they often link the drink to social decay or spiritual unfaithfulness. The sources note that in these contexts, the consumption of liquor is associated with those who are "goers after whoredoms" (Hosea 4:18), suggesting that the drink symbolizes a lifestyle of excess and moral confusion rather than mere thirst.
Unlike words that distinguish between new wine, old wine, or specific types of grain products, sove is broad. It captures the physical reality of intoxication without specifying the fermentation process. Translators typically render it as "liquor" or "wine," keeping the focus on its effect: a substance that clouds judgment and leads people away from discernment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sove appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, referring simply to a drink or liquid refreshment. It is not a technical term for ritual offerings but a general word for what people consume. In prophetic literature, this common beverage becomes a powerful image for spiritual decay.
When prophets use sove, they often link it to social confusion and moral unfaithfulness. The drink symbolizes a lifestyle of excess that clouds judgment. It reminds us that our daily choices and habits shape our spiritual discernment. This word invites reflection on what truly sustains the soul versus what merely satisfies temporary desires.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- drink/ your1×
- drink/ their1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סָבְאָ֑/ם1×
- סָבְאֵ֖/ךְ1×
Key Verses
-
Hosea 4:18
Their drink has become sour. They play the prostitute continually. Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.
This verse connects the souring of drink with continual prostitution, showing how physical indulgence mirrors spiritual unfaithfulness.