Word Study for H5498 (סָחַב) | Strong's Concordance

çâchab /saw-khab'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto trail along

KJV usagedraw (out), tear.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çâchab — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word çâchab, represented by H5498, is a primitive root meaning to trail along; draw (out), tear. It appears only 5 times across 5 unique verses, but its usage consistently conveys a sense of forceful, often violent, dragging or removal. The word depicts an action of overwhelming power, resulting in humiliation or destruction for the object being acted upon.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical contexts, H5498 is almost exclusively used to describe severe judgment or total conquest. As part of a divine curse, God appoints dogs to tear the people Jeremiah 15:3. It is used to describe the utter disgrace of a king who will be drawn and cast out of Jerusalem like an animal carcass Jeremiah 22:19. In a military context, it describes a plan to draw an entire city into a river with ropes until not a single stone is left 2 Samuel 17:13. In parallel prophecies against Edom and Babylon, the term illustrates their complete downfall, where even "the least of the flock" will draw them out of their habitations (Jeremiah 49:20, Jeremiah 50:45).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words appear alongside H5498 to intensify the imagery of destruction and judgment:

H2026 hârag (to smite with deadly intent; destroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), [idiom] surely): This word is paired with çâchab in a list of four divine punishments, where slaying precedes being torn by dogs Jeremiah 15:3.
H7993 shâlak (to throw out, down or away (literally or figuratively)): This action completes the motion of H5498 in the prophecy against Jehoiakim, who is first drawn and then cast forth from the city Jeremiah 22:19.
H398 ʼâkal (to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite): In the list of judgments, being torn by dogs is followed by being devoured by birds and beasts, highlighting a complete and gruesome destruction Jeremiah 15:3.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5498 is concentrated in its depiction of divine retribution and its consequences.

Instrument of Divine Judgment: The word is a tool in the language of the prophets, particularly Jeremiah, to paint a vivid picture of the consequences of disobedience. God's judgment is not passive but an active, forceful removal and tearing apart of the unfaithful Jeremiah 15:3.
Symbol of Utter Humiliation: To be "drawn" or "torn" is to be stripped of all dignity and control. The imagery of being dragged like a carcass or pulled from one's home by a weak force illustrates a state of profound dishonor and helplessness before a higher power (Jeremiah 22:19, Jeremiah 49:20).
Irresistible Force: Whether used literally for a military siege or prophetically for the fall of nations, H5498 signifies an overpowering and inescapable action that brings about a decreed end (2 Samuel 17:13, Jeremiah 50:45).

Summary

In summary, while infrequent, H5498 is a potent verb in the Hebrew scriptures. It is more than just "to pull" or "to drag"; it is a word of finality and force. It consistently illustrates themes of judgment, conquest, and humiliation, demonstrating how a physical action can serve as a powerful metaphor for the inescapable and severe consequences of defying God.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 5 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

יִסְחָבוּ
סָחַבְנוּ
סָחוֹב
סְחֹב

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 5 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Jeremiah (4 verses); never once in the other 37.

2 Samuel

Jeremiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.