English · KJV
H5637

סָרַר

çârar /saw-rar'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto turn away, i.e. (morally) be refractory
KJV usagebacksliding, rebellious, revolter(-ing), slide back, stubborn, withdrew.
Idioms & phrasesidiom away

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çârar — 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 çârar, represented by H5637, is a primitive root meaning to turn away or, morally, to be refractory. Appearing 17 times across 16 unique verses, it carries strong connotations of stubbornness and defiance. Its definitions include being rebellious, a revolter, backsliding, and to have withdrew.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

Biblically, H5637 describes a deliberate turning away from God's authority and guidance. It is used to characterize a "stubborn and rebellious son" who will not obey his parents (Deuteronomy 21:18, Deuteronomy 21:20). On a national level, it depicts Israel as a "backsliding heifer" Hosea 4:16 and its leaders as "rebellious princes" who are companions of thieves Isaiah 1:23. The term is also used to describe a physical act of defiance, as seen in the phrase "withdrew the shoulder" Nehemiah 9:29 or "pulled away the shoulder" Zechariah 7:11, signifying a refusal to bear a commanded responsibility.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the nature of rebellion:

  • H4784 mârâh (rebellious): Frequently paired with H5637, this term emphasizes a bitter and disobedient resistance to authority, as seen in the description of a "stubborn and rebellious son" Deuteronomy 21:18.
  • H5493 çûwr (turn off): This word describes the action of turning away or departing. In Jeremiah 5:23, the people are described as having a "revolting and a rebellious heart" and have "revolted and gone."
  • H3802 kâthêph (shoulder): This word is used metaphorically to illustrate the physical act of rebellion. Those who refuse God's law are described as having "withdrew the shoulder" Nehemiah 9:29.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5637 is significant, highlighting the moral choice to reject divine order.

  • Rejection of Divine Counsel: Rebellion is characterized as taking counsel, but not from the LORD, and seeking a covering, but not of His spirit Isaiah 30:1. This indicates a preference for human thoughts over God's ways Isaiah 65:2.
  • A Stubborn Heart and Spirit: The word is linked to a heart that is not set aright and a spirit that is not steadfast with God Psalms 78:8. In Jeremiah, the people have a "revolting and a rebellious heart" Jeremiah 5:23.
  • Consequences of Rebellion: Those who are rebellious face negative consequences. God pronounces "Woe to the rebellious children" Isaiah 30:1, and the rebellious are said to "dwell in a dry land" Psalms 68:6, while God's power is shown in not letting the rebellious exalt themselves Psalms 66:7.

Summary

In summary, H5637 denotes more than simple disobedience; it captures a profound state of moral refusal and turning away. It is used to describe the stubbornness of individuals, the corruption of leaders, and the backsliding of an entire nation. From the defiant son to the "backsliding heifer" Hosea 4:16, the word illustrates a deliberate and hardened rejection of God's authority, which invariably leads to judgment and desolation.

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 17 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.

  • סוֹרְרִים
  • סוֹרֵר
  • סֹרָרֶת
  • סָרַר

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H4784 מָרָה a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) bitter (or unpleasant); (figuratively) to rebel (or resist; causatively, to H5493 סוּר or שׂוּר; (Hosea 9:12), a primitive root; to turn off (literal or figurative); be(-head), bring, call back, decline, dep H3802 כָּתֵף from an unused root meaning to clothe; the shoulder (proper, i.e. upper end of the arm; as being the spot where the garm

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 16 verses across 8 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (4 verses); never once in the other 31.

2
Deuteronomy
1
Nehemiah
4
Psalms
1
Proverbs
3
Isaiah
2
Jeremiah
2
Hosea
1
Zechariah

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.