שֶׁ֫בֶר (she.ver)
she.ver
breaking
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 38 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun shever describes a violent break, fracture, or shattering. Its core meaning is physical destruction, such as the cracking of a wall or the crushing of grain in a mill (Genesis 42:1; Isaiah 30:13). This tangible image of something being broken apart serves as the foundation for its broader uses in Scripture.
Beyond physical damage, the word frequently signifies ruin or affliction. It appears in Jeremiah to describe the deep hurt and distress felt by a nation under judgment (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:21). In these contexts, the "breaking" is not just structural but emotional and social, representing a state of devastation that leaves people vulnerable.
A distinct usage applies this concept to dreams. Judges 7:15 records Gideon interpreting a dream as a "break" or solution, showing how the idea of shattering an obstacle extends to revealing hidden meaning. Translators often render shever as destruction, breach, or affliction depending on whether the text focuses on physical collapse or personal suffering.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word shever describes a violent break or shattering. It captures the moment when something solid cracks under pressure, whether it is a wall collapsing or a person’s spirit breaking. In Scripture, this image moves from physical ruin to deep emotional pain, reminding us that suffering is real and often feels like our world has fallen apart.
Yet Isaiah 30:26 offers a striking contrast. The same word for breaking describes the fracture of God’s people, but here it is paired with healing. This suggests that even when we feel shattered by loss or failure, God sees the break and intends to bind it up. Our wounds do not have to be the end of the story.
When life feels unstable, this word invites us to bring our brokenness to God rather than hiding it. He does not ignore the fracture; He enters into it. We can trust that His care extends to every piece of our lives that feels damaged or incomplete.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 38 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ destruction7×
- destruction4×
- a fracture3×
- [the] fracture of3×
- [the] brokenness of3×
- a fracture of2×
- shattering1×
- ruin1×
- like/ [the] breaking of1×
- interpretation/ its1×
- in/ [the] brokenness of1×
- fracture/ your1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שֶׁ֖בֶר4×
- וְ/שֶׁ֥בֶר4×
- שֶׁ֥בֶר3×
- שֶׁ֤בֶר3×
- שֶׁ֣בֶר3×
- וָ/שֶׁ֖בֶר2×
- שָׁב֜וּר1×
- שָֽׁבֶר\׃1×
- שֶׁ֭בֶר1×
- שֶׁ֨בֶר1×
- שֶׁ֚בֶר1×
- שֶׁ֙בֶר֙1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 30:26
Moreover the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, in the day that Yahweh binds up the fracture of his people, and heals the wound they were struck with.
This verse uniquely pairs shever with healing, showing God’s intent to restore what has been fractured rather than merely punish it.
-
Jeremiah 8:21
For the hurt of the daughter of my people, I am hurt. I mourn. Dismay has taken hold of me.
Here the word shifts from physical collapse to deep personal grief, reflecting the prophet's own sorrow over his people's condition.
-
Isaiah 30:14
He will break it as a potter’s vessel is broken, breaking it in pieces without sparing, so that there won’t be found among the broken pieces a piece good enough to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.”
The imagery of a potter’s vessel being broken into unusable pieces emphasizes the completeness of judgment when repentance is rejected.
-
Jeremiah 6:14
They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.
The prophets are criticized for treating this deep spiritual fracture with superficial comfort, highlighting the need for honest confrontation of sin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does shever mean in the Bible?
How is shever different from other words for sin?
Where does this word appear in Isaiah?
Does shever always mean punishment?
Every Occurrence (38 verses across 8 books)
Leviticus 3 verses
or a man who has an injured foot, or an injured hand,
Leviticus 22:22You shall not offer what is blind, is injured, is maimed, has a wart, is festering, or has a running sore to Yahweh,…
Leviticus 24:20fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. It shall be done to him as he has injured someone.