Word Study for H7786 (שׂוּר) | Strong's Concordance

sûwr /soor/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningproperly, to vanquish; by implication, to rule (causatively, crown)

KJV usagemake princes, have power, reign. See סוּר.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of sûwr — 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 sûwr, represented by H7786, is a primitive root primarily meaning to vanquish or rule. Its definition extends to the concepts of making princes, having power, and reigning. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses, indicating a specific but significant application in scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The uses of H7786 illustrate its range from political to personal power. It describes a straightforward political reign, as when Abimelech had reigned over Israel for three years Judges 9:22. It is also used to describe the act of appointing unauthorized leaders, as when the people "have made princes, and I knew it not" Hosea 8:4. In a unique context, the word is applied to Jacob's spiritual struggle, where he "had power over the angel, and prevailed" Hosea 12:4, highlighting the word's connection to vanquishing an opponent.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of H7786 and its implications:

H4427 mâlak (to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty): This word is used in parallel with H7786 to describe the appointing of illegitimate rulers, as seen when the people "have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes" Hosea 8:4.
H3201 yâkôl (to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might); be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer): This term is paired with H7786 to describe Jacob's success in his struggle with the angel, where he had power and prevailed Hosea 12:4.
H3045 yâdaʻ (to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing)): This word provides crucial context for the use of H7786 in Hosea, where God states that the people made princes, "and I knew it not," signifying an act done without divine approval Hosea 8:4.
H2603 chânan (properly, to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow): In the account of Jacob's struggle, after he had power H7786, he wept and made supplication to the angel, showing that his power was followed by humility Hosea 12:4.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7786 is centered on the nature and source of authority.

Human vs. Divine Authority: The word is used to draw a sharp contrast between power that is seized by humans and authority that is granted by God. The act of making princes H7786 without God's knowledge is presented as a transgression Hosea 8:4.
Power in Spiritual Struggle: In the account of Jacob, H7786 is used to define the power one can have in a direct encounter with the divine. It signifies the ability to persevere and prevail in a spiritual contest Hosea 12:4.
The Consequence of Illegitimate Rule: The context of Hosea 8:4 shows that when people use their power to make princes H7786 in defiance of God, it leads to idolatry and eventual judgment, where they will "be cut off" H3772.

Summary

In summary, H7786 is a potent term for power and rule. Though used sparingly, it effectively distinguishes between a simple political reign, the appointment of rulers, and the power to vanquish in a personal struggle. Its primary theological contribution is to question the source of power, contrasting human-derived authority with that which is divinely ordained and highlighting the dire consequences of unsanctioned rule.

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 verb across 3 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.

יָּשַׂר
הֵשִׂירוּ

Related Words

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.

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 3 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Hosea (2 verses); never once in the other 37.

Judges

Hosea

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.