שָׂגָא (sa.ga)
sa.ga
to grow great
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb śāgā means to grow great or increase in size and stature. In its basic form, it describes natural expansion, such as a plant growing tall. This concrete image of physical enlargement provides the foundation for its more abstract uses in Scripture.
Most often found in Job, the word appears in the Hiphil stem to mean making something great or magnifying it. When used this way, it carries the sense of lauding or exalting someone by increasing their honor or status. The sources note that this usage is closely related to its Aramaic equivalent, reflecting a shared Semitic root for growth and elevation.
With only two occurrences in the Hebrew Bible, śāgā remains a specialized term. Its presence in Job highlights themes of human limitation against divine power, where God’s ways are described as too great for human comprehension. The word captures both literal growth and the profound act of making something significant or worthy of praise.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word śāgā describes a process of growing great or increasing in stature. It moves from simple physical expansion to the deeper act of magnifying honor and status. When we encounter this term, we see a picture of something becoming significant through natural growth or deliberate exaltation.
In Job 36:24, this verb invites us to remember that we magnify God’s work when we sing about it. Our praise does not make Him greater in essence, but it acknowledges the vastness of His deeds. This recognition allows our faith to rest on the reality that He is already great, regardless of our understanding.
For your daily life, this word offers comfort. You do not need to force greatness upon yourself or your circumstances. Instead, you can focus on remembering and declaring the greatness of God. As you acknowledge His work, your perspective shifts from your own limitations to His expansive power.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you will magnify1×
- [he is] making great1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תַשְׂגִּ֣יא1×
- מַשְׂגִּ֣יא1×
Key Verses
-
Job 36:24
“Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung.
This verse uses the Hiphil stem to show how human remembrance and song actively magnify God's work, linking praise with the recognition of His greatness.
-
Job 12:23
He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
Here the related concept of enlarging nations highlights God’s sovereign control over history, showing that He alone determines the rise and fall of peoples.