### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **sâṭâh**, represented by `{{H7847}}`, is a primitive root that means **to deviate from duty; decline, go aside, turn**. It appears a total of **6 times** in **6 unique verses**, highlighting specific moments of departure from a correct path or relationship. Its meaning centers on the act of turning away from an established standard or covenant.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H7847}}` carries both a literal and a deeply relational meaning. The most prominent context is in the "law of jealousies" found in the book of Numbers. Here, the phrase "goeth aside" is used repeatedly to describe a wife who is suspected of being unfaithful to her husband ([[Numbers 5:12]], [[Numbers 5:29]]). This act of "going aside" is explicitly linked with committing a trespass [[Numbers 5:12]] and becoming defiled [[Numbers 5:20]]. In Proverbs, the term is used in a moral sense, warning a person not to let their heart **decline** toward the ways of a forbidden woman [[Proverbs 7:25]] and to **turn** from the path of the wicked [[Proverbs 4:15]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the consequences and nature of "going aside":
* `{{H4603}}` **mâʻal** (to act covertly, i.e. treacherously; transgress): This word is used alongside `{{H7847}}` to define a wife's deviation as a "trespass" against her husband, indicating a treacherous breach of trust [[Numbers 5:12]].
* `{{H2930}}` **ṭâmêʼ** (to be foul...defile): The act of going aside leads directly to a state of being "defiled." This term emphasizes that deviating from one's duty results in moral and ceremonial contamination [[Numbers 5:20]].
* `{{H8582}}` **tâʻâh** (to...stray): Used in parallel with `{{H7847}}`, this word reinforces the idea of moral wandering. A warning is given not to let the heart "decline" `{{H7847}}` or "go not astray" `{{H8582}}`, framing deviation as a form of getting lost from the right path [[Proverbs 7:25]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7847}}` is centered on the concepts of faithfulness, duty, and purity.
* **Covenantal Unfaithfulness:** The primary application in Numbers establishes "going aside" as the definitive term for breaking a covenant, specifically the marital bond. It describes the action that instigates the "law of jealousies" `{{H7068}}`, treating the deviation as a serious trespass ([[Numbers 5:12]], [[Numbers 5:29]]).
* **Moral Deviation:** Proverbs extends the concept from a specific legal case to a general principle of moral living. One must actively **turn** from evil [[Proverbs 4:15]] and guard the heart from declining into sin [[Proverbs 7:25]], illustrating a personal responsibility to stay on the path of wisdom.
* **Deviation and Defilement:** The word consistently links the act of turning aside with a state of impurity. In Numbers, a woman who has "gone aside" is considered defiled and subject to uncleanness `{{H2932}}`, showing that a breach of duty has spiritual and physical consequences [[Numbers 5:19-20]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7847}}` is a potent term for the act of deviation. Though used sparingly, it powerfully illustrates the critical moment of turning away from a prescribed duty. Whether in the legal context of marital faithfulness in Numbers or the moral warnings in Proverbs, **sâṭâh** defines the initial step that constitutes a trespass, leads to defilement, and breaks a sacred trust. It captures the essential idea of straying from the path of righteousness and covenant.
TRV