שְׁרֹשִׁי (she.ro.shu)
she.ro.shu
banishment
A:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun shĕrōshî refers to uprooting or banishment, appearing only once in the Hebrew Bible at Ezra 7:26. The word derives from the root for "root," evoking the image of a tree torn from the ground. In this context, it describes the legal consequence for those who refuse to obey the king’s decree.
This single occurrence carries significant political weight. Ezra 7:26 states that anyone failing to comply with the law of God and the king shall have their property confiscated and be banished. The term emphasizes a complete removal from one’s place, much like an uprooted plant cannot survive in its original soil.
Translators typically render this word as "banishment" or "destruction," highlighting the finality of the punishment. It serves as a stark warning in the Persian imperial correspondence, underscoring the severe consequences of defying royal authority backed by divine law.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word shĕrōshî appears only once in Scripture, found in Ezra 7:26. It describes a severe penalty for disobeying royal and divine law. The imagery is striking: it means uprooting, like a tree torn from the ground. In this context, banishment meant complete removal from one’s community and property.
For believers today, this rare word reminds us of the seriousness of obedience. It shows that God’s laws carry weight in the world. We are called to live with integrity, respecting authorities while holding fast to our faith. This passage encourages us to value our standing in God’s kingdom above all earthly security.
May we find our roots deep in Christ, secure against any shifting of worldly powers.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ banishment1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לִ/שְׁרֹשִׁ֔י1×
Key Verses
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Ezra 7:26
Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
This verse uses shĕrōshî to list banishment as one of four severe penalties for defying the combined law of God and the king.