סָחַב (sa.chav)
sa.chav
to drag
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb sâchab means to drag or haul something heavy. It appears five times in the Old Testament, primarily in Jeremiah and 2 Samuel. The word conveys physical effort, suggesting that the object being moved is burdensome or resistant.
In 2 Samuel 12:30, it describes dragging the crown from the Ammonite king’s head. In Jeremiah, it often depicts nations being dragged into captivity or idols being hauled by people. The imagery is one of force and weight, not gentle guidance.
This word stands in contrast to verbs for carrying light loads or walking freely. It emphasizes the difficulty of the task and the power required to move what resists. Translators usually render it as “drag” or “haul,” capturing the sense of strain and resistance inherent in the action.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word sâchab describes the heavy, difficult act of dragging something that resists movement. It is not a gentle carrying but a forceful hauling that requires significant effort. In the Old Testament, this imagery often appears in contexts of judgment or captivity, where people or objects are pulled against their will into hardship.
For your faith, this word highlights the contrast between human resistance and divine sovereignty. While we may feel like burdens being dragged through difficult seasons, Scripture reminds us that God remains the ultimate authority over history. Even when circumstances feel heavy and forced, His purposes stand firm.
Reflecting on verses like 2 Samuel 17:13, where a city is dragged into a river, we see the seriousness of consequences. Yet this weight also invites us to examine what we are holding onto. Are there burdens we resist letting go of? Trusting God means allowing Him to guide us through the heavy moments with grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- people will drag away/ them2×
- to/ drag away1×
- people will drag1×
- and/ we will drag1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יִסְחָבוּ/ם֙2×
- סָח֣וֹב1×
- לִ/סְחֹ֑ב1×
- וְ/סָחַ֤בְנוּ1×
Key Verses
-
II Samuel 17:13
Moreover, if he has gone into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there isn’t one small stone found there.”
This verse uses sâchab to depict the total destruction of a fortified city, emphasizing the inescapable power of the attacking army.
-
Jeremiah 22:19
He will be buried with the burial of a donkey, drawn and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”
Here the word describes the dishonorable burial of King Jehoiakim, showing how dragging signifies shame and rejection by God.
-
Jeremiah 49:20
Therefore hear the counsel of Yahweh, that he has taken against Edom, and his purposes that he has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they will drag them away, the little ones of the flock. Surely he will make their habitation desolate over them.
The prophet uses this term to illustrate Edom’s defeat, where even the weakest members of the flock are forcibly removed from safety.