Word Study for H8185 (שַׂעֲרָה)

saʻărâh /sah-ar-aw'/ Ask about this word

Meaninghairiness

KJV usagehair.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of saʻărâh — 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 saʻărâh, represented by H8185, refers literally to hair. It appears just 7 times in 7 unique verses, but it is used to convey concepts of immense scale and minute detail. While its base meaning is simple, it functions primarily as a powerful metaphor for value, quantity, and precision.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H8185 is used in several distinct ways. It frequently appears in oaths of absolute protection, as when King Solomon promises that "not an hair of him fall to the earth" 1 Kings 1:52, a pledge also made for Jonathan 1 Samuel 14:45 and the son of the woman of Tekoa 2 Samuel 14:11. Conversely, it is used to express an overwhelming quantity, as in the Psalms where the psalmist's iniquities Psalms 40:12 and enemies Psalms 69:4 are "more than the hairs of mine head". It also sets a standard for extreme precision, describing warriors who could sling stones "at an hair breadth, and not miss" Judges 20:16. Finally, it describes a visceral reaction to a spiritual event, where Job states "the hair of my flesh stood up" Job 4:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which saʻărâh is found:

H5307 nâphal (to fall): This word is consistently paired with H8185 in promises of total protection. The oath that a hair will not fall to the ground signifies that no harm whatsoever will come to the individual, illustrating complete safety (1 Samuel 14:45, 2 Samuel 14:11).
H776 'erets (the earth, ground, land): This term designates the destination where something that has fallen comes to rest. In the context of the oath, the promise that a hair will not fall to the earth emphasizes the totality of the preservation being offered 1 Kings 1:52.
H8045 shâmad (to desolate; destroy): This term for destruction is used when a woman fears her son will be killed, prompting the king's promise that not one hair will fall 2 Samuel 14:11. This starkly contrasts the concept of utter destruction with the promise of absolute preservation.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of H8185 is demonstrated through its metaphorical applications.

Symbol of Total Preservation: The idiom "not one hair shall fall" serves as a powerful guarantee of divine or royal protection. It signifies that a person is so completely guarded that even the most trivial part of them is safe from harm (1 Samuel 14:45, 1 Kings 1:52).
Metaphor for Innumerable Quantity: The hairs of the head are used as a standard for something that cannot be counted. This is used in the Psalms to express the overwhelming weight of sin and the vast number of one's enemies, conveying a sense of being completely surrounded (Psalms 40:12, Psalms 69:4).
Standard of Unfailing Precision: To target something as small as a single hair represents the highest degree of skill. This description elevates the proficiency of the Benjamite slingers to a legendary level of accuracy Judges 20:16.

Summary

In summary, H8185 is much more than a simple word for hair. It is a versatile and potent symbol in the biblical text. It illustrates a spectrum of ideas, from the smallest unit of value in an oath of protection to an impossibly large number when describing affliction. Through this word, scripture uses a common physical object to articulate profound concepts of safety, distress, and extraordinary skill.

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 noun across 7 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

שַּׂעֲרַת
שַּׂעֲרוֹת
שַּׂעֲרָה

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 7 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (2 verses); never once in the other 33.

Judges

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

Job

Psalms

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.