### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **sârîyd**, represented by `{{H8300}}`, means **a survivor** or **remnant**. Derived from the root word `{{H8277}}` `sârad`, it carries the sense of being left over, alive, or remaining after a catastrophic event. It appears **28 times** across **28 unique verses**, often highlighting the stark outcome of divine judgment or military conquest.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H8300}}` is frequently used to describe the totality of destruction. During Israel's conquest of Canaan, the phrase "he left none remaining `{{H8300}}`" is a recurring statement of complete victory as commanded by God [[Joshua 10:40]]. This same finality is prophesied against the house of Esau, where there shall "not be any remaining `{{H8300}}`" [[Obadiah 1:18]]. Conversely, the term also represents a seed of hope. Isaiah speaks of a "very small remnant `{{H8300}}`" left by the Lord, without which Israel would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah [[Isaiah 1:9]]. Similarly, Jeremiah describes "the people which were left `{{H8300}}` of the sword" as finding grace in the wilderness [[Jeremiah 31:2]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a fuller picture of what it means to survive or be left behind:
* `{{H8277}}` **sârad**: As the primitive root of `sârîyd`, this word means "to escape or survive; remain." It appears alongside its derivative in the account of Israel's victory where "the rest `{{H8300}}` which remained `{{H8277}}`" fled into fortified cities [[Joshua 10:20]].
* `{{H7604}}` **shâʼar**: This word means "to leave, (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest." It is often used in conjunction with `sârîyd` to emphasize absolute annihilation, as when Jehu's slaughter of Ahab's house "left him none remaining `{{H8300}}`" [[2 Kings 10:11]].
* `{{H6412}}` **pâlîyṭ**: This term for a "refugee" or one who has "escaped" highlights the action of fleeing from destruction. In Jeremiah's prophecy, it is declared that the remnant in Egypt shall neither "escape `{{H6412}}` or remain `{{H8300}}`" [[Jeremiah 44:14]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H8300}}` is significant and twofold, expressing both utter judgment and profound mercy.
* **Sovereignty in Judgment:** The term is a powerful marker of God's authority to bring about complete destruction. Whether through Israel's armies or prophetic declarations, the fate of having "none remaining `{{H8300}}`" demonstrates the consequence of opposition to God's will ([[Deuteronomy 2:34]], [[Numbers 24:19]]).
* **The Hope of a Remnant:** The concept of a "remnant `{{H8300}}`" is central to God's covenant faithfulness. It is not by chance that some survive; rather, God purposefully leaves a remnant [[Isaiah 1:9]]. This group represents the continuation of His promises.
* **A Called and Delivered People:** The remnant is more than a group of survivors; they are divinely chosen. In Joel, deliverance is promised for the "remnant `{{H8300}}` whom the LORD shall call `{{H7121}}`," connecting survival directly to God's sovereign call and salvation.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H8300}}` `sârîyd` is a word of sharp contrasts. It can signify the grim finality of judgment, where no one is left alive, or it can point to the enduring hope of a remnant, preserved by God's grace and for His purposes. The word powerfully illustrates the biblical themes of divine sovereignty over life and death, judgment and the merciful preservation of a people called by His name.
TRV