Lexical Summary shobab: Backsliding, rebellious, wayward Original Word: שׁוֹבָב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance backsliding, turn away fromFrom shuwb; apostate, i.e. Idolatrous -- backsliding, frowardly, turn away (from margin). see HEBREW shuwb NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shub Definition turning back, recusant, apostate NASB Translation faithless (2), turning away (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. שׁוֺבָב adjective backturning, recusant, apostate (perhaps for מְשׁוֺבָב, Participle Po`l. Ol§ 251 b Ges§ 52s Köi. 454); — ׳שׁ Isaiah 57:17; plural שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֺבָבִים Jeremiah 3:14,22. — שׁובבים Jeremiah 50:6 Kt < Qr שׁוֺבְבוּם ᵐ5 Comm., compare √ Po`l. Topical Lexicon Semantic Scope and Nuances שׁוֹבָב depicts a moral defection rather than a mere intellectual error. It pictures one who once walked within covenant boundaries but has now “turned aside,” becoming restless, self-directed, and ungoverned. The word is relational, implying previous attachment to the LORD and conscious departure from Him. Occurrences and Immediate Contexts 1. Isaiah 57:17 – Israel’s greed provokes divine anger; yet even after chastening, the nation “kept turning back in the way of his heart”. Historical Setting • Isaiah speaks to Judah in an Assyrian-dominated world where syncretism and covetous policies thrived. שׁוֹבָב captures the nation’s stubborn refusal to abandon idols even after repeated interventions. Covenant Dynamics Backsliding violates the heart of the Sinai covenant: exclusive loyalty (Exodus 20:3). When the LORD calls the people “children” (Jeremiah 3:14) and “lost sheep” (Jeremiah 50:6), He invokes family and shepherd motifs already embedded in Torah tradition (Deuteronomy 32:6; Numbers 27:17). שׁוֹבָב therefore threatens covenant privileges—land, protection, temple worship—yet these same motifs ground the invitation to return. Divine Discipline and Mercy Isaiah 57:17 shows that punitive measures—striking, hiding of the divine face—are not ends in themselves but pedagogical tools aimed at restoration. Jeremiah 3:22 advances the thought: the LORD not only receives the penitent but also “heals” the propensity to defect. Discipline exposes sin; mercy eradicates it. Prophetic Strategy The prophets employ shaming rhetoric (“adulterous wife,” “unruly child”) alongside alluring promises (Zion’s restoration, healed wounds). This dual approach confronts both the mind (recognition of guilt) and the will (desire to return). שׁוֹבָב becomes a pivot word, turning sermons of judgment into oracles of hope. Theological Trajectory into the New Testament Although שׁוֹבָב itself does not appear in Greek, its concept reemerges in parables and exhortations. The lost sheep of Luke 15, the prodigal son, and the exhortation in Hebrews 3:12 against an “unbelieving heart that turns away” echo the Old Testament portrait. The Good Shepherd seeks the wayward, and the New Covenant promise of an internal law (Jeremiah 31:33) supplies the ultimate “healing” of backsliding. Ministry Application • Preaching: Expose the deceitfulness of a heart that rationalizes drift; present God’s readiness to restore. Key Themes for Study and Teaching Rebellion versus Relationship Divine Jealousy and Compassion Repentance as Return Healing of Apostasy Shepherding Imagery Summary שׁוֹבָב unmasks the self-willed heart in its drift from covenant fidelity while simultaneously magnifying the LORD’s relentless pursuit of His people. It threads through prophetic literature as a warning, a lament, and a promise, ultimately pointing to the Shepherd-Redeemer who heals, restores, and secures His flock forever. Forms and Transliterations שֹֽׁובְב֑וּם שׁוֹבָ֖ב שׁוֹבָבִ֔ים שׁוֹבָבִים֙ שובב שובבום שובבים shoaVim shoVav shovVum šō·w·ḇā·ḇîm šō·w·ḇāḇ šō·wḇ·ḇūm šōwḇāḇ šōwḇāḇîm šōwḇḇūmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 57:17 HEB: וְאֶקְצֹ֑ף וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ שׁוֹבָ֖ב בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ לִבּֽוֹ׃ NAS: And he went on turning away, in the way KJV: and he went on frowardly in the way INT: was angry went turning the way of his heart Jeremiah 3:14 Jeremiah 3:22 Jeremiah 50:6 4 Occurrences |
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