סָרַר (sa.rar)
sa.rar
to rebel
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 14 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb sarar describes a deep-seated stubbornness or rebellion, often depicting a person who refuses to yield or submit to authority. It appears fourteen times in the Old Testament, with significant usage in Isaiah, Hosea, and Psalms. The word captures more than simple disobedience; it implies a refractory spirit that resists correction or guidance.
In its most common form, sarar conveys the idea of being stiff-necked or unyielding. It is frequently used to describe Israel’s persistent refusal to follow God’s laws despite repeated warnings. For instance, in Hosea 8:1, the people are depicted as rebels against God’s ordinances, highlighting a pattern of behavior that goes beyond isolated mistakes to become a defining character trait.
Lexical sources note that sarar can also function as a noun, referring to a "stubborn" or "rebel" person. This usage emphasizes the identity formed by persistent defiance. The term carries a sense of moral hardness, suggesting that rebellion is not just an action but a state of being that alienates individuals from divine instruction and community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sarar describes a deep-seated stubbornness, a refusal to yield even when correction is offered. It captures more than simple disobedience; it implies a refractory spirit that resists guidance. In the Old Testament, this term often depicts Israel’s persistent refusal to follow God’s laws despite repeated warnings. It suggests a moral hardness where rebellion becomes a defining character trait rather than an isolated mistake.
For your faith, understanding this word highlights the seriousness of turning away from divine instruction. Yet, it also reveals the patience of God, who continues to reach out even to those who have stiffened their necks. Recognizing our own tendencies toward stubbornness can lead us to humility, allowing grace to soften our hearts and restore our relationship with Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- stubborn6×
- the/ rebellious [people]1×
- rebels1×
- rebellious1×
- it is stubborn1×
- and/ rebellious1×
- [who are] rebellious1×
- [is] stubborn1×
- [are] rebels1×
- [are] rebellious1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סוֹרֵ֣ר3×
- סוֹרֶ֔רֶת1×
- סוֹרֵ֪ר1×
- סוֹרֵ֑ר1×
- סוֹרְרִ֗ים1×
- סֽוֹרְרִים֙1×
- סֽוֹרְרִ֔ים1×
- סֹרָ֑רֶת1×
- סֹרְרִֽים\׃1×
- סֹֽרֵרָ֔ה1×
- סָרַ֖ר1×
- וְ/סֹרָ֑רֶת1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 65:2
I have spread out my hands all day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts;
This verse shows God’s persistent outreach, spreading out His hands all day to a people who actively choose to walk in their own thoughts.
-
Deuteronomy 21:18
If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and though they chasten him, will not listen to them,
Here the term defines a son who completely ignores parental authority and correction, illustrating the breakdown of familial order through refusal to listen.
-
Jeremiah 5:23
“But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart. They have revolted and gone.
The prophet identifies a 'rebellious heart' as the root cause of the people’s revolt, showing that external actions stem from an internal state of defiance.