שְׁאֵרִית (she.e.rit)
she.e.rit
remnant
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 54 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun she’erit refers to what remains after a process of reduction, whether that is a physical residue or a surviving group of people. It denotes a remainder, a leftover portion, or descendants who continue after a loss. In the Old Testament, this word appears fifty-four times, with significant usage in Jeremiah and Isaiah, often describing those left behind after judgment or exile.
A key nuance is its frequent association with survival against odds. The sources highlight its use for survivors of slaughter or disaster, as seen when Jeremiah speaks of the few who escape destruction (Jeremiah 11:23). It also appears in poetic contexts to describe the "remainder of wrath," indicating a final, extreme outpouring of divine anger that is held back or limited (Psalm 76:10). This usage suggests that even judgment has a boundary, leaving something intact.
Theological weight attaches to this concept because the remnant is often the vehicle for God’s future promise. Rather than viewing the survivors as merely tragic leftovers, biblical texts frequently portray them as the seed of restoration. When Isaiah promises that a remnant will return (Isaiah 10:21), he points to a faithful core through which God’s purposes continue. The word thus bridges the reality of loss with the hope of continuity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word she’erit reminds us that loss is not always the end of the story. In the Old Testament, it describes those who survive disaster or exile. This is not just a statistical leftover. It is a group chosen to carry hope forward when everything else seems gone.
God often uses this remnant to show His faithfulness. Even when judgment falls, He preserves a seed for restoration. Isaiah promises that a remnant will return, pointing to a faithful core through which God’s purposes continue. This truth offers comfort in our own seasons of difficulty.
You may feel like you are the one left behind. Yet this word suggests that survival is part of a larger plan. God uses the few to bless the many. Genesis 45:7 shows Joseph telling his brothers that God sent him to preserve a remnant. Your life, however small it seems, can be part of that continuing story.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 54 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] remnant of25×
- a remnant6×
- the/ remnant4×
- to/ [the] remnant of3×
- [the] rest of3×
- O remnant of3×
- and/ a remnant2×
- the/ remainder1×
- into/ a remnant1×
- and/ remnant/ your1×
- and/ remnant/ their1×
- and/ for/ [the] remainder of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שְׁאֵרִ֣ית15×
- שְׁאֵרִ֥ית6×
- שְׁאֵרִ֖ית5×
- שְׁאֵרִ֤ית3×
- שְׁאֵרִ֔ית3×
- שְׁאֵרִֽית\׃2×
- שְׁאֵרִ֨ית2×
- לִ/שְׁאֵרִ֖ית2×
- הַ/שְּׁאֵרִ֖ית2×
- שְׁאֵרִית֙1×
- שְׁאֵרִ֛ית1×
- לִ/שְׁאֵרִ֣ית1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 45:7
God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance.
This verse links the remnant directly to God’s intentional plan for preservation and deliverance rather than random survival.
-
Isaiah 37:32
For out of Jerusalem a remnant will go out, and survivors will escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.’
This occurrence highlights that the remnant escapes not by military strength but by the zeal of Yahweh, emphasizing divine protection.
-
Jeremiah 23:3
“I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they will be fruitful and multiply.
Here the remnant is gathered from scattered nations to be fruitful, showing restoration after dispersion.
-
Jeremiah 31:7
For Yahweh says, “Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout for the chief of the nations. Publish, praise, and say, ‘Yahweh, save your people, the remnant of Israel!’
The remnant is called God’s people with a call to gladness, shifting the tone from despair to celebration of survival.