שׁוּט (shut)
shut
to rove; to row
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 11 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb shut describes a restless, uncontrolled movement, meaning to rove about or go to and fro. It appears eleven times in the Old Testament, primarily in Job and Jeremiah, where it captures the anxiety of searching without direction. In these contexts, the word conveys a sense of wandering that is driven by distress rather than purposeful travel.
The sources note a distinct secondary meaning: to row a boat. This specific usage appears in passages like Psalm 48:7, where winds scatter ships as if they were tossed on the sea. The connection between roaming on land and churning on water suggests a shared image of chaotic, aimless motion.
Its forms emphasize speed and eagerness. The stem polel indicates going quickly to and fro, while hithpolel implies running back and forth. This linguistic intensity highlights the urgency of the subjects involved, whether they are people seeking help in despair or ships battling stormy waters.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When life feels like a storm with no clear direction, it is easy to feel as though we are running in circles. The Hebrew word shut captures this restless motion, describing a frantic search that lacks purpose. We see this in Job and Jeremiah, where characters wander in distress, hoping for an answer that does not come immediately. This imagery reminds us that our anxiety often stems from a desire for control when the path ahead is obscured.
Yet there is comfort in knowing that God sees this restlessness. In Zechariah and 2 Chronicles, the same word describes Yahweh’s eyes running back and forth across the earth. Unlike human wandering driven by fear, God’s movement is purposeful. He actively seeks those whose hearts are aligned with Him. His gaze is not chaotic but attentive, covering every corner of the world to offer strength.
Even when we feel scattered, we are never outside the scope of divine care. The same intensity that drives our panic is mirrored in God’s vigilant love. He does not wander aimlessly; He watches over us with intention. This offers a quiet hope: our search for meaning is met by a God who is already present, watching, and ready to support those who seek Him with sincere hearts.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 11 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they will rove about2×
- from/ roving about2×
- [are] roving about2×
- they went about1×
- rove about1×
- go about1×
- and/ they went about1×
- and/ run to and fro1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שׁוֹטְט֞וּ1×
- שֽׁוּט\־1×
- שָׁטוּ֩1×
- מִ/שֻּׁ֣ט1×
- מִ/שּׁ֣וּט1×
- מְשׁוֹטְטִ֖ים1×
- מְשֹׁטְט֤וֹת1×
- יְשֽׁוֹטְט֛וּ1×
- יְשֹׁטְט֥וּ1×
- וַ/יָּשֻׁ֖טוּ1×
- וְ/הִתְשׁוֹטַ֖טְנָה1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 5:1
“Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in its wide places, if you can find a man, if there is anyone who does justly, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her.
This verse uses the word to describe a desperate search for righteousness in Jerusalem, highlighting the intensity of seeking truth amidst widespread corruption.
-
II Chronicles 16:9
For Yahweh’s eyes run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.”
Here the term describes God’s eyes moving across the earth, emphasizing His active and purposeful surveillance to support those with perfect hearts.
-
Job 1:7
Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”
Satan uses this word to describe his restless patrol of the earth, illustrating a form of movement driven by malicious intent rather than divine purpose.
-
Zechariah 4:10
Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”
The text links this motion to God’s eyes watching over Zerubbabel’s work, assuring that even small beginnings are under divine observation.