5438. sibbah
Lexical Summary
sibbah: Cause, reason, turn of events, circuit

Original Word: סִבָּה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: cibbah
Pronunciation: sib-bah'
Phonetic Spelling: (sib-baw')
KJV: cause
NASB: turn
Word Origin: [from H5437 (סָבַב - surrounded)]

1. a (providential) turn (of affairs)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cause

From cabab; a (providential) turn (of affairs) -- cause.

see HEBREW cabab

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from sabab
Definition
a turn (of affairs)
NASB Translation
turn (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
סִבָּה noun feminine turn of affairs; — only absolute ׳הָֽיְתָה סִבָּה מַעִם י 1 Kings 12:15 it was a turn (an ordering) from ׳י (= נְסִבָּה q. v., in "" 2Chronicles 10:15).

Topical Lexicon
סִבָּה (Strong’s Hebrew 5438)

Occurrence and Context

The term appears a single time in Scripture, at 1 Kings 12:15, within the narrative that records the tragic division of the united monarchy after Solomon’s death. There it is rendered “turn of events” in the Berean Standard Bible:

“So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word that the LORD had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat” (1 Kings 12:15).

Divine Sovereignty in Political Upheaval

סִבָּה is used to point beyond mere human causation to the hidden orchestration of God’s will. While Rehoboam’s stubbornness and the people’s discontent seem sufficient explanations for the national rupture, the text reveals a deeper cause: the Lord’s deliberate purpose. Scripture frequently affirms God’s absolute rule over history (Psalm 115:3; Daniel 4:35), yet 1 Kings 12:15 offers a rare instance in which His unseen governance is explicitly labeled as “the cause.” The word thus becomes a linguistic marker of providence, illustrating that God is never a passive observer but the ultimate director of unfolding events.

Historical Setting in Israel’s Division

The single occurrence stands at a pivotal moment when the ten northern tribes break away under Jeroboam. Solomon’s idolatry had already invited divine judgment (1 Kings 11:9-13). Nevertheless, the immediate trigger appears humanly mundane: Rehoboam’s unwise policy. By designating the split as סִבָּה from the Lord, the text reassures readers that covenant history has not slipped from God’s hands. He disciplines a wayward nation yet preserves David’s line in Judah, keeping intact His messianic promises (2 Samuel 7:12-16).

Prophetic Word and Fulfillment

Ahijah the Shilonite had foretold the division years earlier (1 Kings 11:29-39). The narrator’s mention of סִבָּה connects that oracle to its fulfillment, underscoring the reliability of prophecy. The same dynamic appears elsewhere in Scripture: God speaks, events align, and His word stands proved true (Isaiah 55:10-11; Matthew 5:17-18). Thus, סִבָּה serves as a literary hinge tying prophecy to history, encouraging confidence in every divine promise, culminating in the Gospel.

Human Agency and Responsibility

While divine sovereignty is highlighted, human responsibility is not diminished. Rehoboam’s folly and Jeroboam’s ambition are freely chosen. The Old Testament often juxtaposes God’s rule with accountable human actions (Genesis 50:20; Acts 2:23). The unique use of סִבָּה therefore warns leaders and nations alike: personal decisions carry weight, yet they unfold within God’s larger redemptive script.

Ministry Implications

1. Pastoral reassurance: Church members facing bewildering circumstances may take comfort that even painful “turns of events” permit no randomness; God remains sovereignly purposeful (Romans 8:28).
2. Leadership caution: Rehoboam’s failure illustrates the peril of pride and harshness in governance, whether civil or ecclesial (1 Peter 5:1-3).
3. Prophetic preaching: The passage validates the enduring relevance of God’s spoken word; what He has said, He will surely accomplish (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Related Theological Motifs

• Providence: The unseen hand steering visible affairs (Proverbs 16:9).
• Judgment and mercy: Discipline upon idolatry balanced by preservation of David’s lineage (Lamentations 3:31-33).
• Covenant faithfulness: The Kingdom’s fracture does not fracture God’s oath; it moves salvation history toward the coming Son of David (Luke 1:31-33).

Suggested Homiletical Directions

• “When God Is the Cause”: exploring how divine purposes stand behind baffling turns.
• “The Split Kingdom and the Unsplit Promise”: assurance that God’s commitments outlast national crises.
• “Listening to Wise Counsel”: lessons from Rehoboam’s rejection of seasoned advisors.

In its lone appearance, סִבָּה illumines a watershed moment, reminding readers that beneath every historical current flows the steady river of God’s sovereign, covenant-keeping will.

Forms and Transliterations
סִבָּה֙ סבה sib·bāh sibBah sibbāh
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
1 Kings 12:15
HEB: כִּֽי־ הָיְתָ֤ה סִבָּה֙ מֵעִ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה
NAS: to the people; for it was a turn [of events] from the LORD,
KJV: not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD,
INT: for it was A turn from the LORD

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5438
1 Occurrence


sib·bāh — 1 Occ.

5437
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