### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **שָׁוָה** (shâvâh), represented by `{{H7738}}`, is a primitive root meaning **to destroy**. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible, where it is used idiomatically to refer to **substance**. This extreme rarity makes its single appearance in the book of Job particularly significant.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole instance of `{{H7738}}` is found in Job's lament in [[Job 30:22]]. In his suffering, Job cries out to God, "Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance." Here, the word contributes to the concept of "substance" being dissolved. The verse powerfully depicts a man feeling completely unmade by divine power, with his very being, or "substance" `{{H8454}}`, being destroyed by forces he cannot control.
### Related Words & Concepts
The unique context of `{{H7738}}` is enriched by the words used alongside it in [[Job 30:22]]:
* `{{H5375}}` **nâsâʼ** (to lift): This word, used to describe Job being "lifted up" to the wind, has a wide range of applications, from physically lifting something up [[Isaiah 51:6]] to God pardoning iniquity [[Micah 7:18]] or being described as "lofty" [[Isaiah 57:15]].
* `{{H4127}}` **mûwg** (to melt, dissolve): This word describes the action taken against Job's substance. It is a term of profound undoing, used elsewhere to describe mountains that "melt" [[Nahum 1:5]] and inhabitants of a land who "faint" or "melt away" in terror ([[Joshua 2:9]], [[Exodus 15:15]]).
* `{{H8454}}` **tûwshîyâh** (substance, sound wisdom): This is the word for the "substance" that is destroyed. Beyond a physical sense, it can mean "enterprise" [[Job 5:12]] or "sound wisdom" [[Proverbs 2:7]], suggesting Job felt his life's work and wisdom were being erased.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7738}}` is derived entirely from its singular, powerful use in the context of suffering.
* **The Fragility of Human Existence:** The use of a word meaning "to destroy" to describe the dissolution of Job's "substance" `{{H8454}}` underscores the biblical theme of human frailty. It illustrates that everything a person is or has built can be completely unmade.
* **The Overwhelming Power of God:** The imagery in [[Job 30:22]] portrays God's power as an elemental force. Job is lifted (`nâsâʼ`) by the wind (`rûwach`) and his substance is dissolved (`mûwg`), painting a picture of absolute divine sovereignty over human life.
* **A Portrait of Despair:** As part of Job's lament, the verse gives voice to profound suffering. The use of `{{H7738}}` expresses the feeling of being actively and thoroughly dismantled by God, capturing the depth of the afflicted person's cry.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7738}}` is a highly specific term whose meaning is almost entirely defined by its lone appearance in [[Job 30:22]]. While its base definition is "to destroy," it functions idiomatically to convey the total dissolution of a person's substance. Its presence in Job's cry of anguish provides one of Scripture's most vivid images of human vulnerability and the overwhelming nature of divine power as experienced from the depths of suffering.
TRV