שׂוּשׂ

sûws /soos/ Ask about this word
Meaningor שִׂישׂ; a primitive root; to be bright, i.e. cheerful
KJV usagebe glad, joy, make mirth, rejoice.
Idioms & phrasesidiom greatly
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Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word sûws, represented by H7797, is a primitive root defined as "to be bright, i.e. cheerful; be glad, [idiom] greatly, joy, make mirth, rejoice." It appears 27 times across 24 unique verses in the Bible. This term captures a deep sense of joy and gladness, often in response to God's actions or as an attribute of God Himself.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7797 is used to express joy from various sources. God is depicted as rejoicing over His people to do them good, as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride (Isaiah 62:5, Jeremiah 32:41). Conversely, it is also used to describe God rejoicing over the disobedient to bring them to nought as a consequence of the covenant Deuteronomy 28:63. People are called to rejoice in God's salvation Psalms 35:9, His word Psalms 119:162, and His testimonies Psalms 119:14. The term is even used metaphorically, as when the wilderness is said to "be glad" Isaiah 35:1, and sarcastically, when enemies rejoice over another's trouble Lamentations 1:21.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of rejoicing:

  • H8055 sâmach (to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome): This word is frequently paired with H7797 to create a fuller picture of gladness. Those who seek God are to "rejoice H7797 and be glad H8055 in thee" (Psalms 40:16, Psalms 70:4).
  • H1523 gîyl (properly, to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), i.e. usually rejoice): Often used alongside H7797 to express an exuberant, active joy. In Isaiah 61:10, the speaker will "greatly rejoice H7797" in the Lord, and his soul "shall be joyful H1523" in God.
  • H4885 mâsôws (delight, concretely (the cause or object) or abstractly (the feeling); joy, mirth, rejoice): Derived from sûws, this noun often describes the state of joy itself. In Isaiah 66:10, believers are called to "rejoice H7797 for joy H4885 with her [Jerusalem]".

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7797 is significant, particularly in how it describes the character of God and the ideal response of His people.

  • Divine Joy: The word is distinct in its application to God. The Lord Himself rejoices over His people with joy and plants them in the land with His whole heart and soul Jeremiah 32:41. This joy is a core part of His loving relationship with them Zephaniah 3:17.
  • Joy in God's Character and Works: For the believer, joy is not a circumstantial emotion but is rooted in God. The psalmist rejoices in God's salvation Psalms 35:9, His word Psalms 119:162, and His ways Isaiah 64:5. This joy is a response to who God is and what He has done.
  • Covenantal Consequences: Joy is linked to the covenant relationship. God's rejoicing over His people is conditioned on their obedience, as He promises to "again rejoice H7797 over thee for good, as he rejoiced H7797 over thy fathers" Deuteronomy 30:9. The opposite is also true, as He will rejoice over their destruction if they disobey Deuteronomy 28:63.

Summary

In summary, H7797 is far more than a simple word for happiness. It describes a profound gladness that is central to the biblical understanding of God's relationship with His people. It encompasses the joy God takes in His creation and covenant community, the righteous response of believers to His salvation and truth, and even the solemn reality of joy as a metric for divine judgment. The word illustrates a joy that is deeply relational and theological in nature.

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 27 occurrences, inflected in 17 grammatical forms.

  • Qal Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 4×
  • Qal Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 4×
  • Qal Consecutive Perfect 1st Singular common gender 2×
  • Qal Imperative 2nd Plural Masculine 2×
  • Qal Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 2×
  • Qal Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Conjunction+Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Qal Conjunction+Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Qal Consecutive Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Qal Imperative 2nd Singular Feminine 1×
  • Qal Imperfect 1st Plural common gender 1×
  • Qal Imperfect 1st Singular common gender 1×

+ 5 rarer forms

Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine
Feminine grammatical gender.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
1st
First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd
Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Imperative
A command or entreaty.
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Qal
The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Consecutive Perfect
Perfect with vav — continues a sequence into the future.
Conjunction+Imperfect
Imperfect joined by a simple "and".
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).

Theographic Context

Biblical Distribution

Appears in 24 verses across 8 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (8 verses).

2
Deuteronomy
2
Job
7
Psalms
8
Isaiah
1
Jeremiah
2
Lamentations
1
Ezekiel
1
Zephaniah

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