סָתַר (sa.tar)
sa.tar
to hide
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 59 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb satar means to hide or conceal, often with a sense of covering something up completely. It appears frequently in the Psalms and Prophets, where it describes both physical hiding places and spiritual realities. In Job 3:23, for instance, the text speaks of a man whose way is hidden from him, illustrating a state of confusion or divine concealment that leaves one unable to see an escape route.
This word carries a nuanced range of meaning depending on its grammatical form. The Piel stem emphasizes careful hiding, as seen in Isaiah 16:3, where Moab is urged to hide the outcasts, implying protection and shelter rather than mere secrecy. Conversely, the Niphal form often describes things being hidden from human perception, such as repentance or divine presence, highlighting a gap between God’s actions and human understanding.
A particularly significant usage occurs in Deuteronomy 29:29, which distinguishes between secret things belonging to God and revealed things given to humanity. This verse underscores a theological boundary: while satar can describe God hiding His plans or judgments, it also reminds readers that some matters remain beyond human reach, reserved for divine knowledge alone.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word satar describes the act of hiding, whether it is a person seeking shelter from danger or God concealing His plans from human eyes. In the Psalms and narratives, this verb captures moments of fear, protection, and divine mystery. When David hid in the fields, he sought safety from Saul. When Job asked to be hidden in Sheol, he longed for rest from suffering. These stories show that hiding is not always an act of shame; sometimes it is a necessary response to a threatening world or a deep emotional pain.
For your faith life, this word offers comfort in two ways. First, it reminds us that God sees what is hidden. In Deuteronomy 29:29, we learn that secret things belong to the Lord, but revealed things are given to us for obedience. We do not need to know every hidden detail of our future. Second, it assures us that God’s presence remains even when He seems distant. When Scripture speaks of God hiding His face, it often describes a season of testing rather than permanent abandonment. You can trust that your struggles are known, even when the path forward is unclear.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 59 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you hide4×
- I hid3×
- it is hidden2×
- hiding himself2×
- he hides himself2×
- I will hide2×
- you will hide/ me1×
- you will conceal/ me1×
- you will be hidden1×
- you hid yourself1×
- will he hide himself1×
- will he hide1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נִסְתְּר֖וּ2×
- הַסְתֵּ֣ר2×
- תַּסְתֵּ֬ר1×
- תַּסְתֵּ֥ר1×
- תַּסְתֵּ֣ר1×
- תַּסְתִּירֵֽ/נִי\׃1×
- תַּסְתִּ֥יר1×
- תַּ֭סְתִּירֵ/נִי1×
- תִּסָּ֣תְר֔וּ1×
- תִּסְתַּתָּֽר\׃\ \ס1×
- תַסְתִּ֑יר1×
- סַתְּרִי֙1×
Key Verses
-
Job 3:23
Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
Here the word illustrates profound confusion and despair, describing a life where the way forward seems completely obscured by God's hand.
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I Samuel 20:5
David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.
David uses this action to describe his tactical retreat from Saul, showing how hiding can be a practical means of survival in unjust circumstances.
-
Exodus 3:6
Moreover he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
Moses hides his face out of reverence and fear when encountering God, highlighting the human response to divine holiness.