Lexical Summary shav: Vanity, emptiness, falsehood, worthlessness Original Word: שָׁוְא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance falsely, lie, lying, vain, vanity Or shav {shav}; from the same as show' in the sense of desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain) -- false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity. see HEBREW show' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition emptiness, vanity NASB Translation deceit (2), deceitful (1), deception (1), emptiness (2), empty (1), false (9), false visions (4), falsehood (7), lies (1), vain (18), vanity (3), worthless (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs שָׁוְא noun [masculine] emptiness, vanity; — ׳שׁ absolute Exodus 23:1 51t., שָׁו Job 15:31 (Kt); — 1 emptiness, nothingness, vanity: תְּשׁוּעַת אָרָם ׳שׁ Psalm 60:13 vain (is) man's deliverance, = Psalm 108:13; לָכֶם ׳שׁ Psalm 127:2 it is vain (useless) for you; Psalm 89:48 for (עַל) what nothingness hast thou created man ? compare ׳יַרְחֵי שׁ Job 7:3; ׳הַבְלֵי שׁ Psalm 31:7 (idols) = Jonah 2:9, compare Jeremiah 18:15 + Hosea 5:11 ᵐ5 (for צָו); ׳מִנְחַת שׁ Isaiah 1:13 of ineffective offering to ׳י; ׳נשׂא לַשּׁ (לֹא) Exodus 20:7 (twice in verse) take up name of God in vain (to no good purpose) = Deuteronomy 5:11 (twice in verse), compare Psalm 24:4; Psalm 139:20 [ᵑ0 lifted up in vain are thy foes, but read שְׁמֶ֑ךָ for עָרֶיךָ, compare נשׂא 1b ( 7); al. עָלֶיךָ, see II. עָר]; ׳היה שׁ Hosea 12:12 become nothing (We ׳עשׂה שׁ, and so 3); ׳ראה שׁ Psalm 119:37; adverb ׳לַשּׁ in vain Jeremiah 2:30; Jeremiah 4:30; Jeremiah 6:29; Jeremiah 46:11; ׳שׁ Psalm 127:1 (twice in verse); Malachi 3:14. 2 emptiness of speech, "" lying, ׳שׁ וּדְבַר כָּזָב Proverbs 30:8; ׳דבּר שׁ Psalm 12:3; Psalm 41:7; Psalm 144:8; Psalm 144:11; Isaiah 59:4; Ezekiel 13:8; ׳אָלוֺת שׁ Hosea 10:4 + Hosea 12:2 ᵐ5 We and others (for שֹׁד); ׳הָלַךְ עִםשֿׁ Job 31:5 ("" מִרְמָה); ׳עֵד שׁ Deuteronomy 5:17 (= עֵד שָֽׁקֶר Exodus 20:16); compare ׳שֵׁמַע שׁ Exodus 23:1 (E); of false (empty) prophecy ׳חֲזוֺן שׁ Ezekiel 12:24, ׳חָזוּ שׁ Lamentations 2:14; see also Ezekiel 13:6,7,9,23; Ezekiel 21:34; Ezekiel 22:28; Job 35:13 (or empty complaining, below 1); ׳קסם שׁ Ezekiel 21:28; חֲלֹמוֺת ׳הַשּׁ Zechariah 10:2. 3 of conduct, worthlessness (Buhl below 1, 2); ׳מְרתי שׁ worthless men Psalm 26:4; Job 11:11; worthless motives (in figurative) ׳חַבְלֵי הַשּׁ Isaiah 5:18; ׳נָפַת שׁ Isaiah 30:28 (i.e. sifting out the worthless; al. sieve of (bringing) disappointment); play on meanings in Job 15:31 (twice in verse), compare DrJob, Psalt. 464. II. שׁוא (√ of following; probably "" form of שׁאה). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Nuances שָׁוְא (shav) gathers the ideas of emptiness, futility, deception, lying, and worthlessness. In context it can denote (1) speech that distorts reality, (2) worship that lacks truth, (3) pursuits that prove fruitless, or (4) testimony that destroys justice. Occurrence and Distribution Approximately fifty-two occurrences span Torah, Writings, and Prophets. The word clusters in Exodus, Deuteronomy, Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and minor prophets such as Zechariah. Its presence in every major section of the canon underscores a timeless divine concern for truth and substance. Covenant and Law 1. Third Commandment—Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.” Using God’s name שָׁוְא profanes His character, turning the covenant relationship into empty formality. “You must not spread a false report.” Bearing witness שָׁוְא subverts the judicial process that protects covenant community life. The severity of prescribed penalties (Deuteronomy 19:19) reveals how seriously God defends truth. Worship and Idolatry Psalms 24:4 links clean hands with “a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear deceitfully [shav].” Empty-hearted ritual (Isaiah 1:13) and trust in “worthless idols” (Psalm 31:6) expose worshippers to divine rebuke. Jonah’s confession, “Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion” (Jonah 2:8), sets שָׁוְא opposite covenant grace (חֶסֶד, 2617). Prophetic Denunciations Isaiah 58:9; 59:4; Jeremiah 18:15; Ezekiel 13:6–8; Lamentations 2:14; Zechariah 10:2 employ שָׁוְא for empty visions and false divination. Prophets charge leaders with offering comfort that cannot deliver, exchanging living words for vacancy. Wisdom Literature Job repeatedly exposes the futility of human counsel: “Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?” (Job 15:3). Proverbs warns, “Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me” (Proverbs 30:8). Vanity in speech leads to vanity in life, climaxing in Proverbs 31:30 where external charm proves “vain.” Psalms of Devotion and Trust Psalm 127 uses שָׁוְא three times: “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain….” Human effort detached from divine favor is hollow toil. Psalm 119 highlights the discipling power of the Word: “Turn my eyes away from worthless things” (verse 37); “I hate the double-minded, but I love Your law” (verse 113). National Security and Warfare Military alliances and human strategies can be שָׁוְא. “Give us aid against the foe, for the help of man is worthless” (Psalm 108:12; cf. 60:11). Victory belongs to the LORD; self-reliance is strategic vanity. Eschatological Resonance Isaiah 41:29 condemns idols as “nothing; their images are empty wind.” The ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom will expose every human counterfeit as shav. Revelation’s picture of Babylon’s fall echoes the Old Testament theme: earthly glory built on deception collapses under divine judgment. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Guard the name: preach and pray with reverence so that divine titles are never reduced to clichés. Christological Fulfillment Jesus Christ embodies the opposite of שָׁוְא—He is “the truth” (John 14:6). His sinless use of the Father’s name, His flawless witness before courts, and His effectual atonement ground the believer’s deliverance from emptiness. Union with Him replaces vanity with “the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Key References (representative) Exodus 20:7; 23:1 Deuteronomy 5:11; 19:16 Job 15:3; 31:5 Psalm 24:4; 31:6; 127:1-2; 144:8 Isaiah 1:13; 59:4 Forms and Transliterations בַּשָּׁ֣יו בשיו הַשָּׁ֑וְא הַשָּׁ֣וא השוא וְ֝שָׁ֗וְא וא ושוא לַשָּֽׁוְא׃ לַשָּׁ֑וְא לַשָּׁ֖וְא לַשָּׁ֣וְא לַשָּׁוְא֙ לשוא לשוא׃ שָּׁ֝֗וְא שָֽׁוְא׃ שָׁ֑וְא שָׁ֔וְא שָׁ֖וְא שָׁ֚וְא שָׁ֝֗וְא שָׁ֣וְא שָׁ֤וְא שָׁ֤וְא ׀ שָׁ֭וְא שָׁוְא֙ שָׁוְא֮ שוא שוא׃ baš·šāw bashShav baššāw haš·šā·w haš·šāw hashShav haššāw laš·šāw lashShav laššāw šāw Shav v veShav w wə·šāw wəšāwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 20:7 HEB: יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לַשָּׁ֑וְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א NAS: your God in vain, for the LORD KJV: thy God in vain; for the LORD INT: of the LORD your God vain for will not Exodus 20:7 Exodus 23:1 Deuteronomy 5:11 Deuteronomy 5:11 Deuteronomy 5:20 Job 7:3 Job 11:11 Job 15:31 Job 15:31 Job 31:5 Job 35:13 Psalm 12:2 Psalm 24:4 Psalm 26:4 Psalm 31:6 Psalm 41:6 Psalm 60:11 Psalm 89:47 Psalm 108:12 Psalm 119:37 Psalm 127:1 Psalm 127:1 Psalm 127:2 Psalm 139:20 52 Occurrences |
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