סָבַל (sa.val)
sa.val
to bear
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb sabal describes the physical act of bearing a load or burden, often with a sense of weight and effort. In its basic Qal form, it simply means to carry something heavy, but the sources highlight a darker nuance: dragging oneself along under that weight. This usage appears in Lamentations 1:3, where Zion drags herself into captivity, illustrating how the word captures not just the presence of a burden, but the exhausting struggle to move forward with it.
While it can refer to carrying physical goods, its most significant theological appearances focus on suffering and endurance. In Isaiah, particularly in passages like 53:4, the term is used to describe bearing griefs or sorrows. Here, the image shifts from a simple package to an emotional or spiritual weight that presses down on the soul. The word conveys the tangible pressure of pain, making it a powerful descriptor for human suffering.
Translators often render sabal as "bear," "carry," or "endure," depending on context. Its rarity in Scripture—appearing only eight times—gives each instance significant weight. Unlike words that might imply voluntary service, sabal emphasizes the heaviness of the load and the strain it places on the bearer. This makes it a fitting term for describing the Messiah’s role in Isaiah 53, where he takes on the burdens of others.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word sabal captures the heavy, physical strain of carrying a load that threatens to pull you down. It is not merely transporting an object; it is the exhausting effort of moving forward while weighed down by something immense. In our own lives, we often feel this pressure when grief, guilt, or anxiety presses against our spirits. The word reminds us that some burdens are real and difficult, demanding endurance rather than simple dismissal.
Yet there is profound comfort in knowing that God does not ask us to carry what He has promised to bear. In Isaiah 46:4, He assures us that even in old age, He will carry and deliver us. This divine strength meets us in our weakness, offering rest when our own shoulders ache under the weight of life’s demands.
When we look to Isaiah 53:4, we see the ultimate example of this bearing. The Messiah took on our sicknesses and carried our sorrows, absorbing the pain that would otherwise crush us. This truth invites us to bring our heaviest loads to Him, trusting that He is strong enough to hold them for us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- I will carry2×
- we have borne1×
- to/ carry a load1×
- they carry/ it1×
- so/ it may drag itself along1×
- he will bear1×
- he carried/ them1×
- [will be] loaded1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סָבָֽלְנוּ\׃1×
- סְבָלָ֑/ם1×
- מְֽסֻבָּ֫לִ֥ים1×
- לִ/סְבֹּ֔ל1×
- יִסְבֹּֽל\׃1×
- יִסְבְּלֻ֜/הוּ1×
- וְ/יִסְתַּבֵּ֣ל1×
- אֶסְבֹּ֖ל1×
- אֶסְבֹּ֑ל1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 53:4
Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.
This verse defines the word’s deepest theological meaning by showing the Messiah actively taking on the physical and emotional weight of human suffering.
-
Isaiah 46:4
Even to old age I am he, and even to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear. Yes, I will carry, and will deliver.
Here the term shifts from human struggle to divine promise, emphasizing God’s personal commitment to carry His people through their entire lives.
-
Lamentations 5:7
Our fathers sinned, and are no more. We have borne their iniquities.
This occurrence highlights the painful reality of inheriting the consequences of previous generations, illustrating the heavy burden of collective guilt.