Word Study for H7649 (שָׂבֵעַ)

sâbêaʻ /saw-bay'-ah/ Ask about this word

Meaningsatiated (in a pleasant or disagreeable sense)

KJV usagefull (of), satisfied (with).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of sâbêaʻ — 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 sâbêaʻ, represented by H7649, means to be satiated or full. It appears 10 times in 10 unique verses and can be used in both a pleasant and a disagreeable sense. The word describes a state of being completely filled, whether with a long life, God's favor, or with trouble and confusion.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7649 is frequently used to describe a long and complete life. The patriarchs Abraham and Isaac are both described as dying "old and full of days" (Genesis 25:8, Genesis 35:29), a description also applied to Job and David (Job 42:17, 1 Chronicles 29:28). In a spiritual context, Naphtali is blessed to be "satisfied with favour" Deuteronomy 33:23, and the one who fears the Lord "shall abide satisfied" Proverbs 19:23. Conversely, the term can carry a negative weight, as when Job states that man is "full of trouble" Job 14:1 or that he himself is "full of confusion" Job 10:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the dual nature of being "full":

H7457 râʻêb (hungry): This word serves as a direct contrast to being full. The reversal of fortune is highlighted when "they that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased" 1 Samuel 2:5.
H2205 zâqên (old): This term is consistently linked with a life of fullness. Abraham died as "an old man, and full of years" Genesis 25:8, connecting the state of being full to a long, complete life.
H7522 râtsôwn (favour): This points to the source of positive satisfaction. In a blessing, Naphtali is described as "satisfied with favour," linking his fullness directly to God's good pleasure Deuteronomy 33:23.
H1293 Bᵉrâkâh (blessing): Similar to favour, this term defines the substance of positive satiation. The tribe of Naphtali is not only satisfied with favor but also "full with the blessing of the LORD" Deuteronomy 33:23.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7649 is seen in its contrasting applications.

A Complete Life: The description of righteous figures like Abraham, David, and Job dying "full of days" frames a long life as a state of completion and blessing, often accompanied by riches and honour 1 Chronicles 29:28.
The Source of Satisfaction: Scripture distinguishes between different kinds of fullness. True satisfaction comes from the fear of the LORD Proverbs 19:23 and His favour Deuteronomy 33:23. In contrast, one can also be full of negative things like trouble or confusion, showing that the substance of the fullness is what matters (Job 14:1, Job 10:15).
The Danger of Complacency: The state of being full can lead to pride. The proverb that "the full soul loatheth an honeycomb" Proverbs 27:7 serves as a caution, while the song of Hannah illustrates that God can humble those who are full and elevate the hungry 1 Samuel 2:5.

Summary

In summary, H7649 is a dynamic term that communicates more than simple fullness. It captures a spectrum from a blessed, complete life to a state of being overwhelmed by suffering. It serves as a powerful reminder that while one can be full of many things, only a life filled with the fear and blessing of the Lord is truly satisfied.

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 an adjective across 10 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.

שְׂבַע
שָׂבֵעַ
שְׂבֵעִים
שְׂבֵעָה

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 10 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Job (3 verses); never once in the other 33.

Genesis

Deuteronomy

1 Samuel

1 Chronicles

Job

Proverbs

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.