שֵׂט (set)
set
rebellion
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun set describes a person or action that has swerved from the path, resulting in rebellion. It comes from a root meaning to turn aside or deviate, capturing the idea of leaving a straight course for a crooked one. In Scripture, this word paints rebellion not just as defiance, but as a loss of direction and stability.
It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times in poetic texts that highlight the instability of the rebel. In Psalm 101:4, it describes those with a perverse heart who turn aside to deceit. Similarly, Hosea 7:2 uses it to depict people whose rebellious deeds constantly swerve away from God’s standards.
The imagery is physical and immediate: a traveler stumbling off the road or an arrow missing its mark. This concrete sense helps explain why translators often choose "rebel" or "swerver." The word emphasizes the erratic nature of sin, showing it as a departure from integrity rather than merely a single act of disobedience.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word set paints rebellion as a loss of direction rather than just simple defiance. It describes someone who has swerved off the straight path, leaving stability for instability. This imagery helps us see that sin often begins with a subtle deviation from integrity, leading to erratic behavior and deceit.
In Psalm 101:4, this word highlights those whose hearts turn aside to falsehood. Hosea 7:2 uses it to show how persistent rebellion leads to destruction. Understanding this term reminds us that staying close to God requires constant vigilance against the small turns that lead us away from His path.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- swerving deeds1×
- rebels1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שֵׂטִ֖ים1×
- סֵטִ֥ים1×