שָׂשׂוֹן (sa.s.von)
sa.s.von
rejoicing
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 19 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun saśôn denotes a high intensity of joy, best translated as exultation or jubilant rejoicing. It goes beyond simple contentment to describe a loud, outward expression of delight that often bursts forth in celebration. In the biblical text, this word captures the emotional peak of communal or personal victory and divine blessing.
Its usage is particularly prominent in the prophetic books of Isaiah and Jeremiah, as well as in the Psalms. For instance, Isaiah uses it to describe the future restoration of Zion, where the city will be a source of joy (Isaiah 65:18). Similarly, Jeremiah speaks of the wedding feast as a time of saśôn, highlighting its connection to major life celebrations and God’s covenantal faithfulness.
The word is closely related to the verb sas, which means to rejoice or be glad. While sas describes the action, saśôn names the resulting state or atmosphere of exultation. Translators often render it as "gladness" or "rejoicing," but the Hebrew carries a sense of energetic, uncontainable happiness that reflects the goodness of God’s actions in history.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word saśôn points to a joy so full that it cannot stay inside. It is not just quiet contentment but an outward burst of delight, often seen in communal celebration or personal victory. When Scripture uses this term, it describes a moment where God’s goodness breaks through, lifting the heart into active praise.
In Jeremiah 15:16, the prophet says God’s words were “the rejoicing of my heart.” This shows that true joy is rooted in knowing God and receiving His truth. It is not dependent on perfect circumstances but on the reliability of His promises. Even when life is hard, this deep-seated joy remains because it comes from Him.
Isaiah 61:3 offers a powerful image of this joy as a “garland” replacing ashes. This suggests that God does not ignore our grief but transforms it into something beautiful and celebratory. We can trust that He brings light to our darkest seasons, turning mourning into a reason for thanksgiving.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 19 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- joy11×
- with/ joy2×
- and/ joy2×
- into/ joy1×
- [are] [the] joy of1×
- <into>/ joy1×
- <into>/ a joy1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שָׂשׂוֹן֙5×
- שָׂשׂ֤וֹן3×
- שָׂשׂ֣וֹן1×
- שָׂשׂ֞וֹן1×
- שָׂשׂ֖וֹן1×
- שְׂשׂ֖וֹן1×
- לְ/שָׂשׂוֹן֙1×
- לְ/שָׂשׂ֣וֹן1×
- לְ/שָׂשׂ֖וֹן1×
- וְ/שָׂשׂוֹן֙1×
- וְ/שָׂשֹׂ֖ן1×
- בְּ/שָׂשׂ֑וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by your name, Yahweh, God of Armies.
This verse shows that God’s words themselves are the source of deep, personal rejoicing for the prophet.
-
Isaiah 61:3
to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, that he may be glorified.
Here saśôn is depicted as a garment of joy given to replace mourning, highlighting God’s restorative power.
-
Esther 8:16
The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor.
The Jews experienced saśôn after their deliverance, showing how divine intervention leads to communal celebration.
-
Jeremiah 31:13
Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, the young men and the old together; for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
God promises to turn mourning into this kind of joy, emphasizing His role in restoring happiness to His people.