5588. seeph
Lexical Summary
seeph: End, edge, brink

Original Word: סֵעֵף
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: ce`eph
Pronunciation: say-feh
Phonetic Spelling: (say-afe')
KJV: thought
NASB: who are double-minded
Word Origin: [from H5586 (סָעַף - lop off)]

1. divided (in mind), i.e. (concretely) a skeptic

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
a skeptic

From ca'aph; divided (in mind), i.e. (concretely) a skeptic -- thought.

see HEBREW ca'aph

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as saiph
Definition
divided, halfhearted
NASB Translation
who are double-minded (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. [סֵעֵף] (Köii. 106) adjective divided, half hearted; — plural absolute as substantive, in religious sense, סֵעֲפִים שָׂנֵאתִי Psalm 119:113 half-hearted ones do I hate.

Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Concept

The term describes inner division—thoughts or loyalties split in two directions. It evokes the image of a branch that forks, picturing a mind that wavers between commitment to the Lord and alternate paths. The concept goes beyond mere doubt; it signals a settled state of inconsistency that renders genuine obedience impossible.

Biblical Occurrence

Psalm 119:113 stands alone in using the word: “I hate the double-minded, but I love Your law”. The psalmist’s stark contrast sets wholehearted devotion to God’s instruction against the peril of a fragmented heart.

Literary Context in Psalm 119

Verse 113 opens the Samekh stanza (verses 113–120). The section alternates between rejection of evil influences (verses 113, 115, 118, 119) and reliance on the Lord for stability (verses 114, 117, 120). The double-minded are placed alongside evildoers and the faithless—people from whom the psalmist seeks separation. Love for the law is presented as the decisive cure for inner division.

Relation to Covenant Faithfulness

In Israel’s covenant theology, exclusivity belonged to the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:4–5). Divided allegiance violated that exclusive relationship and invited covenant curses (Deuteronomy 29:18–20). The psalmist’s hatred of double-mindedness therefore reflects zeal for covenant purity rather than personal animosity.

Connections within the Old Testament

Although the specific noun appears only in Psalm 119:113, the wider theme recurs. Elijah rebuked Israel for hesitating “between two opinions” (1 Kings 18:21), and Hosea decried a “divided heart” (Hosea 10:2). These parallels show that double-mindedness is a perennial threat in times of idolatrous pressure or cultural compromise.

New Testament Parallels

James describes the “double-minded man” as “unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8) and calls believers to “purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). The Greek dipsuchos carries the same sense of an internally split allegiance, confirming continuity between Testaments on the danger of spiritual duplicity.

Historical and Cultural Background

Ancient Near-Eastern societies frequently practiced syncretism, blending deities and rituals. Israel’s unique monotheism demanded an undivided heart, making double-mindedness not merely a personal flaw but a national covenant violation. The psalmist’s declaration likely emerged from contexts where social or political pressures tempted worshipers to hedge their loyalty.

Ministry and Discipleship Applications

1. Examination of Loyalty: Believers are urged to test their hearts for hidden compartments of compromise—whether in ethics, relationships, or worldview.
2. Scripture Saturation: Love for the law guards against divided thinking. Regular engagement with the Word realigns affections and resolves wavering.
3. Pastoral Counseling: Double-mindedness often manifests as chronic indecision or spiritual inconsistency. Counselors can trace such instability back to competing loves and prescribe wholehearted surrender to Christ.
4. Corporate Worship: Congregational liturgies that rehearse covenant faithfulness (e.g., readings of Deuteronomy 6:4–5 or responsive affirmations of exclusive devotion) help inoculate communities against divided allegiances.

Homiletical Suggestions

• Contrast Psalm 119:113 with James 1:8 to show the timelessness of the call to single-hearted devotion.
• Use the image of a forked branch: one stem cannot bear fruit in two opposing directions.
• Illustrate with Elijah’s challenge on Mount Carmel as a narrative counterpart that brings the abstract concept into vivid account form.

Devotional Reflection

Pray Psalm 119:113–114, asking God to expose and uproot every fork in the heart. Meditate on the exclusivity statements of Scripture—“You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3)—and invite the Spirit to weld divided thoughts into a single allegiance to Jesus Christ, “the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Forms and Transliterations
סֵעֲפִ֥ים סעפים sê‘ăp̄îm sê·‘ă·p̄îm seaFim
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Englishman's Concordance
Psalm 119:113
HEB: סֵעֲפִ֥ים שָׂנֵ֑אתִי וְֽתוֹרָתְךָ֥
NAS: I hate those who are double-minded, But I love
KJV: SAMECH. I hate [vain] thoughts: but thy law
INT: who hate your law

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5588
1 Occurrence


sê·‘ă·p̄îm — 1 Occ.

5587
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