English · KJV
H7692

שִׁגָּיוֹן

shiggâyôwn /shig-gaw-yone'/ Ask about this word
Rootor שִׁגָּיֹנָה · from שָׁגָה
Meaningproperly, aberration, i.e. (technically) a dithyramb or rambling poem
KJV usageShiggaion, Shigionoth.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shiggâyôwn — 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 shiggâyôwn, represented by H7692, is a technical term for a dithyramb or rambling poem. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. The base definition suggests an aberration, which is expressed technically in a poetic form. The word appears as Shiggaion in its singular form and Shigionoth in its plural.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The term H7692 appears as a musical or literary direction in the titles of two biblical passages. In Psalms, it is introduced as a "Shiggaion of David," which he sang unto the LORD in a time of distress, asking to be saved and delivered Psalms 7:1. In Habakkuk, the plural form "Shigionoth" is used in the title of a prayer from the prophet Habakkuk 3:1. In both instances, it designates a specific kind of passionate, perhaps wandering or ecstatic, composition directed to God.

Related Words & Concepts

The context of H7692 connects it to other key terms of worship and deliverance:

  • H7891 shîyr (to sing): A primitive root meaning to sing. The Shiggaion of David is explicitly identified as a piece that he sang unto the LORD, connecting H7692 directly to musical expression Psalms 7:1.
  • H8605 tᵉphillâh (prayer): This word for prayer or supplication directly describes the form of Habakkuk's Shigionoth, identifying it as "A prayer of Habakkuk" Habakkuk 3:1.
  • H3467 yâshaʻ (to be safe, save): Meaning to free or succor, this root word for salvation is a central theme in David's Shiggaion, where he cries out to the LORD to save him from his persecutors Psalms 7:1.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7692 lies in the type of worship it represents. It points to a form of communication with God that is deeply personal and emotionally charged.

  • Passionate Expression: The definition "rambling poem" suggests a form of worship that is not strictly structured, allowing for raw emotional or spiritual expression directed to God.
  • Cry for Deliverance: Its use in Psalms 7:1 connects this poetic form directly to cries for divine intervention. The Shiggaion is a vessel for pleas to save H3467 and deliver H5337 in the face of persecution.
  • Prophetic Prayer: Its association with "A prayer H8605 of Habakkuk the prophet" Habakkuk 3:1 shows it is also a form suitable for profound prophetic utterances and supplication.

Summary

In summary, H7692 shiggâyôwn identifies a specific, rare genre of biblical literature. Though appearing only twice, it designates a highly emotional and passionate composition, described as a "rambling poem" or song. It serves as a vehicle for raw expressions of faith, whether as a cry for deliverance from persecution Psalms 7:1 or as a profound prophetic prayer Habakkuk 3:1, demonstrating a form of worship characterized by fervent and personal appeal to 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 noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

  • שִׁגְיֹנוֹת
  • שִׁגָּיוֹן

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.

H7891 שִׁיר or (the original form) שׁוּר; (1 Samuel 18:6), a primitive root (rather identical with שׁוּר through the idea of strolli H8605 תְּפִלָּה from פָּלַל; intercession, supplication; by implication, a hymn; prayer. H3467 יָשַׁע a primitive root; properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor; H5337 נָצַל a primitive root; to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense; [idiom] at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, [idi

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms and Habakkuk (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Psalms
1
Habakkuk

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.