### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **shûwchâh**, represented by `{{H7745}}`, primarily means a **pit** or **ditch**. Derived from a root meaning to sink down into a chasm, it appears **5 times** across **5 unique verses**. The word is used both literally to describe a feature of a landscape and figuratively to represent treachery, a snare, or moral ruin.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{H7745}}` is frequently used to illustrate a malicious trap. Jeremiah laments that his enemies have "digged a **pit** for my soul" [[Jeremiah 18:20]], a plot that also involved hiding snares for his feet [[Jeremiah 18:22]]. In the book of Proverbs, the word serves as a powerful metaphor for temptation and destruction, describing the mouth of a strange woman as a "deep **pit**" [[Proverbs 22:14]] and a whore as a "deep **ditch**" [[Proverbs 23:27]]. It is also used in a literal sense to characterize the wilderness as a dangerous and desolate "land of deserts and of **pits**" [[Jeremiah 2:6]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the concept of a pit as a trap or hazard:
* `{{H3738}}` **kârâh** (to dig; figuratively, to plot): This verb is directly associated with `{{H7745}}`, describing the action of creating the pit as a deliberate act of hostility ([[Jeremiah 18:20]], [[Jeremiah 18:22]]).
* `{{H6013}}` **ʻâmôq** (deep): This adjective emphasizes the inescapable nature of the pit, used in Proverbs to describe the moral danger posed by a strange woman [[Proverbs 22:14]] and a whore [[Proverbs 23:27]].
* `{{H7882}}` **shîychâh** (a pit-fall; pit): This closely related noun appears alongside `{{H7745}}`, reinforcing the idea of a deliberately set trap [[Jeremiah 18:22]].
* `{{H875}}` **bᵉʼêr** (a pit; especially a well): This word is used in parallel with `{{H7745}}` to compare a strange woman to a "narrow **pit**," highlighting the theme of entrapment [[Proverbs 23:27]].
### Theological Significance
The figurative weight of `{{H7745}}` is significant, symbolizing different forms of peril.
* **Malicious Entrapment:** The most common theme is that of a hidden danger set by enemies. The digging of a pit is a recurring image of a wicked plot against the righteous ([[Jeremiah 18:20]], [[Jeremiah 18:22]]).
* **Moral and Spiritual Ruin:** Proverbs employs `{{H7745}}` to warn against sexual immorality. The "deep **pit**" or "**ditch**" represents a path of ruin from which it is difficult to escape, especially for one who "is abhorred of the LORD" ([[Proverbs 22:14]], [[Proverbs 23:27]]).
* **Physical Desolation:** The word is used to paint a picture of God's guidance through an inhospitable wilderness, a "land of **pits**" which was a place of death and drought that no person would willingly pass through [[Jeremiah 2:6]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7745}}` conveys a potent sense of danger and entrapment. While it can refer to a literal chasm in the earth, its primary biblical function is metaphorical. It serves as a stark symbol of the plots laid by evil men, the destructive consequences of sin, and the desolate nature of a cursed or untamed land. The word **shûwchâh** thus illustrates how a physical object can represent profound spiritual and moral hazards.
TRV