### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **shârats**, represented by `{{H8317}}`, is a primitive root used to describe a wriggling or swarming motion. It conveys the idea of something that swarms, abounds, or breeds and increases abundantly. This term, which appears **16 times** in **14 unique verses**, is often associated with teeming, active life, whether in water or on land.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H8317}}` is used to describe key moments of creation and population growth. During creation, God commands the waters to "bring forth abundantly" `{{H8317}}` with living creatures [[Genesis 1:20-21]]. After the flood, Noah's family and the animals are instructed to "breed abundantly" `{{H8317}}` and multiply on the earth ([[Genesis 8:17]], [[Genesis 9:7]]). The word is also used to describe the rapid population growth of the Israelites in Egypt, who "increased abundantly" `{{H8317}}` [[Exodus 1:7]]. Conversely, it can illustrate an overwhelming force, such as when the land of Egypt "brought forth" `{{H8317}}` frogs during the plague [[Psalms 105:30]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help define the scope of swarming and abundant life:
* `{{H8318}}` **sherets** (creep[-ing thing], move[-ing creature]): This is the noun form of `{{H8317}}`, referring to the "active mass of minute animals" themselves. It is used for the "moving creature" from the waters in creation [[Genesis 1:20]] and the "creeping things" on the earth [[Leviticus 11:29]].
* `{{H7430}}` **râmas** (creep, move): A similar verb meaning to glide or crawl, often used in parallel with `{{H8317}}` to describe the movement of land animals and creeping things [[Genesis 7:21]].
* `{{H6509}}` **pârâh** (be fruitful, grow, increase): Often appears alongside `{{H8317}}` in divine commands to be "fruitful" and multiply, signifying a blessing of growth ([[Genesis 8:17]], [[Exodus 1:7]]).
* `{{H7235}}` **râbâh** (increase, multiply): Another term used to emphasize abundance, frequently paired with `{{H8317}}` to describe the multiplication of Israel [[Exodus 1:7]] or the command to populate the earth [[Genesis 9:7]].
* `{{H2416}}` **chay** (life, living thing): This word describes the state of the creatures that `{{H8317}}` brings forth, such as the "moving creature that hath life" [[Genesis 1:20]].
* `{{H5315}}` **nephesh** (creature, soul, life): This term denotes a "breathing creature" and is used to describe the kind of life with which the waters were to swarm [[Genesis 1:20]].
### Theological Significance
The use of `{{H8317}}` carries significant thematic weight, particularly concerning divine power and purity.
* **The Blessing of Abundance:** The word is fundamentally tied to God's creative power and his blessing of fertility. It is part of the initial mandate for life to fill the waters [[Genesis 1:20]] and the earth [[Genesis 8:17]], and it describes the fulfillment of God's promise to Israel [[Exodus 1:7]].
* **Life from the Waters:** A recurring theme is teeming life emerging from water. This is seen positively in the creation account [[Genesis 1:20]] and in Ezekiel's vision of a life-giving river from the temple [[Ezekiel 47:9]], and negatively in the plague of frogs emerging from the Nile [[Exodus 8:3]].
* **Distinction and Purity:** While abundance is often a blessing, `{{H8317}}` is also used to define creatures that "creep" upon the earth, which are designated as an abomination or unclean under Levitical law ([[Leviticus 11:41]], [[Leviticus 11:43]]). This creates a distinction between the blessed, teeming life of the sea and certain forms of swarming creatures on land.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H8317}}` **shârats** is a dynamic word that captures the essence of swarming, teeming, and abundant life. It represents both a foundational aspect of God's creative blessing and a descriptor for creatures that are to be set apart under the law. From the blessed abundance of creation to the overwhelming swarms of judgment, the word illustrates how the same concept of teeming life can have vastly different meanings depending on its context.
TRV