Lexical Summary sib: To be gray, to grow old Original Word: שִׂיב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be grayheaded A primitive root; properly, to become aged, i.e. (by implication) to grow gray -- (be) grayheaded. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be hoary NASB Translation gray (1), gray-haired (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שִׂיב verb be hoary (Late Hebrew שֵׂיבָה old age; Assyrian šêbu, aged man; Arabic  ( ) become hoary, Ethiopic  (in derivatives); Aramaic סִיב be old;  grow old,  grey hair); — Qal Perfect1singular זָקַנְתִּי וָשַׂ֫בְתִּי 1 Samuel 12:2; Participle שָׂב Job 15:10 (+ יָשִׁישׁ aged). Topical Lexicon Occurrences The term appears only twice in the Old Testament—1 Samuel 12:2 and Job 15:10—both times highlighting the gray-headed or aged. Gray Hair as a Badge of Honor Scripture uniformly treats gray hair as a visible testimony to God’s providence over a long life. “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained in the way of righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31). Likewise, Proverbs 20:29 sets the vigor of youth beside “the splendor of old men,” locating true splendor in the wisdom accumulated through years. The limited use of שִׂיב accents this value without reducing it to a routine descriptor. Aged Leadership and Covenant Memory (1 Samuel 12:2) When Samuel declares, “I am old and gray,” he invites Israel to examine his lifelong integrity. His gray head authenticates his testimony: God’s faithfulness undergirds his entire ministry from childhood at Shiloh to public retirement. The word therefore functions rhetorically, calling the nation to honor history, heed prophetic warning, and renew covenant loyalty. Corporate Wisdom and Moral Debate (Job 15:10) Eliphaz appeals to the presence of “both the gray-headed and the very aged” among Job’s critics. By invoking the term, he seeks to bolster the authority of traditional wisdom against Job’s protest. The narrative irony is sharp: advanced age alone does not guarantee sound theology, but the cultural expectation remains—gray hair should signal seasoned understanding. The scene challenges readers to weigh counsel by its conformity to revelation, not merely by longevity. Intergenerational Stewardship The broader biblical witness charges older believers to instruct the next generation (Deuteronomy 32:7; Psalm 71:18; Titus 2:2–3). The rarity of שִׂיב underscores that true spiritual seniority resides not in chronology alone but in God-centered fidelity. Isaiah 46:4 extends the promise further: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I will carry you,” grounding respect for elders in God’s continuing care. Eschatological Perspective Old age previews the consummation when earthly frailty yields to resurrection life (2 Corinthians 4:16–18). The gray head, respected yet mortal, points beyond itself to the everlasting Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9) whose wisdom never fades. Ministry Implications 1. Congregational life should honor mature saints as living archives of God’s deeds, inviting them to testify publicly. Summary Though sparingly employed, שִׂיב captures a rich biblical theology of aging: a tangible emblem of honor, a call to intergenerational faithfulness, and a reminder that human wisdom, however seasoned, must stay subordinate to God’s unchanging Word. Forms and Transliterations וָשַׂ֔בְתִּי ושבתי שָׂ֣ב שב śāḇ sav vaSavti wā·śaḇ·tî wāśaḇtîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Samuel 12:2 HEB: וַאֲנִי֙ זָקַ֣נְתִּי וָשַׂ֔בְתִּי וּבָנַ֖י הִנָּ֣ם NAS: you, but I am old and gray, and behold KJV: you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons INT: I am you and gray my sons and behold Job 15:10 2 Occurrences |
    |