שׁוֹבָב (sho.vav)
sho.vav
turning back
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective shovav describes a person or nation that is stubbornly turning away from God. It conveys the image of someone who actively resists correction, choosing to return to old habits rather than follow divine instruction. This word appears in only four verses, primarily in Jeremiah and Isaiah, highlighting specific moments of spiritual rebellion.
Its root relates to the verb shuv, meaning "to turn," but shovav adds a sense of persistent, deliberate motion away from the right path. It is not merely a momentary lapse but a entrenched attitude of refusal. In Jeremiah 3:22, God calls Israel back, addressing them as those who are "backsliding" or stubbornly turning away, emphasizing their need for genuine repentance rather than empty words.
Translators often render shovav as "backsliding," "apostate," or "recusant." The term carries a heavy theological weight, depicting a relationship broken by consistent defiance. It underscores the seriousness of turning away from covenant faithfulness and the urgent need for restoration.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word shovav describes a stubborn turning away, an active resistance to correction that keeps us stuck in old patterns. It is not just a momentary mistake but a hardened heart that prefers familiar sin over divine guidance. This Hebrew term appears only four times in Scripture, primarily in Jeremiah and Isaiah, highlighting the seriousness of spiritual rebellion.
Yet even when we are described as backsliding children, God’s response is not abandonment but invitation. In Jeremiah 3:22, He calls us to return with the promise of healing. This word reminds us that while our tendency may be to drift away, God’s grace is stronger than our defiance. He does not leave us in our stubbornness but reaches out to restore what we have broken.
This truth offers hope for anyone feeling trapped by repeated failures. The path back begins with honest acknowledgment of where we have turned away. God invites us to come back not because we are perfect, but because He is faithful to heal and restore those who seek Him with sincerity.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- backsliding2×
- they have led away/ them1×
- apostate1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שׁוֹבָבִים֙1×
- שׁוֹבָבִ֔ים1×
- שׁוֹבָ֖ב1×
- שֽׁוֹבְב֑וּ/ם1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 3:22
Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding. “Behold, we have come to you; for you are Yahweh our God.
This verse directly addresses the backsliding condition with a promise of healing, showing God's response to stubborn rebellion is restoration rather than rejection.
-
Jeremiah 3:14
“Return, backsliding children,” says Yahweh, “for I am a husband to you. I will take one of you from a city, and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.
Here God calls backsliding children to return, using marital language to emphasize His commitment to restore the broken relationship despite their persistent turning away.
-
Isaiah 57:17
I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness and struck him. I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
This occurrence illustrates how persistent sin leads to further backsliding, showing the self-perpetuating nature of a heart that refuses correction.