### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **sâgâh**, represented by `{{H7685}}`, is a primitive root meaning to **enlarge** or **increase**, often in an upward or figurative sense. It appears **5 times** across **4 unique verses** in the Bible, where it is used to describe concepts of growth, prosperity, and multiplication.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H7685}}` illustrates different kinds of growth. It is used to describe the future prosperity that follows a small beginning [[Job 8:7]] and the material gain of the ungodly who **increase** in riches [[Psalms 73:12]]. The term is also used in natural imagery, such as the righteous who will **grow** like a cedar in Lebanon [[Psalms 92:12]]. In the book of Job, it appears twice in a rhetorical question to make a point about nature's laws: a flag cannot **grow** without water [[Job 8:11]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a broader context for the concept of growth:
* `{{H1342}}` **gâʼâh** (grow up, increase): This primitive root, meaning to mount up or rise, is used alongside `{{H7685}}` in [[Job 8:11]] to question whether a rush can **grow up** without mire, underscoring the physical requirements for growth.
* `{{H6524}}` **pârach** (flourish): Meaning to break forth like a bud or bloom, this word appears in parallel with `{{H7685}}` in [[Psalms 92:12]], where the righteous **flourish** like a palm tree and **grow** like a cedar, connecting increase with visible, vibrant life.
* `{{H2428}}` **chayil** (riches, strength, substance): This word for wealth or resources is directly linked to `{{H7685}}` in [[Psalms 73:12]], where the ungodly **increase** in **riches**, specifying a material form of enlargement.
* `{{H319}}` **ʼachărîyth** (latter end, future): This term is contrasted with a small beginning in [[Job 8:7]], where one's **latter end** is promised to **increase** greatly, framing growth as a process over time with a future outcome.
### Theological Significance
The theological application of `{{H7685}}` presents a study in contrasts and principles.
* **Dual Application of Growth:** The word is applied to both the righteous and the wicked. The righteous **grow** like a strong cedar [[Psalms 92:12]], signifying stability and honor. In contrast, the ungodly also **increase** in worldly riches, a prosperity that the psalmist observes [[Psalms 73:12]].
* **Conditional Increase:** The use of `{{H7685}}` in [[Job 8:11]] establishes a foundational principle: growth is dependent on a source. Just as a marsh plant cannot **grow** without water, the concept implies that all forms of increase, whether physical or spiritual, require necessary conditions to be met.
* **From Small to Great:** The promise in [[Job 8:7]] that a small beginning can lead to a great **increase** highlights a theme of divine potential and restoration. It suggests that one's current state is not indicative of their final outcome.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7685}}` **sâgâh** is more than a simple term for enlargement. It is a dynamic word that scripture uses to explore growth in multiple dimensions: the natural world, material wealth, and the figurative stature of both the righteous and the ungodly. Through its limited but potent usage, it illustrates key theological principles about the sources of prosperity, the passage of time, and the different paths of increase available to mankind.
TRV