Lexical Summary sane: To hate, detest, be hostile to Original Word: שָׂנֵא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance enemy, foe, be hateful odious, utterly A primitive root; to hate (personally) -- enemy, foe, (be) hate(-ful, -r), odious, X utterly. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to hate NASB Translation detest (1), enemy (3), enmity (1), foes (1), hate (78), hated (28), hated her intensely (1), hates (19), hating (2), hatred (1), turned against (1), turns against (2), unloved (7). Brown-Driver-Briggs שָׂנֵא145 verb hate (Late Hebrew id.; MI4 שנאי my foes; Sabean שנאם foe SabDenkmNo. 12, 1. 9 compare Ib.No. 7, 1. 9 CISiv, No. 173, 1. 6; Arabic ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Qal128 Perfect3masculine singular ׳שׂ Deuteronomy 12:31 +, suffix שְׂנֵאָהּ 2 Samuel 13:15 +; 2 masculine singular שָׂנֵאתָ Psalm 5:6 +, suffix שְׂנֵאתַ֫נִי Judges 14:16, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִשְׂנָא Proverbs 13:5; Proverbs 26:28, suffix יִשְׂמּנָאֶ֑ךָּ 9:s, etc.; Imperative masculine plural שִׂנְאוּ Amos 9:15; Psalm 97:10; Infinitive absolute שָׂנאֹ Judges 15:2; construct שְׂנאֹ Genesis 37:5 +, שְׂנאֹת Proverbs 8:13; Participle active שׂנֵא Deuteronomy 4:42 +, שׂנַאֲךָ Exodus 23:5; Proverbs 25:21; plural construct שׂנְאֵי Exodus 18:21 +, etc.; passive feminine singular שְׂנוּאָה Genesis 29:31 +; masculine plural construct שְׂנֻאֵי 2 Samuel 5:8 Qr (> Kt שָֽׂנְאוּ); — hate (often opposed to אָהֵב): 1 human; a. with accusative of person Genesis 26:27 (J), Genesis 37:5,8 (E), Judges 11:7; 2 Samuel 13:22; Amos 5:10 ("" תֵּעֵב) + 17 t. (evil-doers Psalm 26:5; Psalm 31:7; Psalm 139:21), + (object wife) Judges 14:16; Judges 15:2 (twice in verse); + passive participle, of wife, Genesis 29:31 (twice in verse) (J), Deuteronomy 21:15 (twice in verse); Deuteronomy 21:16,17, compare Proverbs 30:23; figurative of Zion Isaiah 60:15 (+ עֲזוּבָה); specifically of sexual revulsion 2 Samuel 13:15 (twice in verse) (+ accusative of congnate meaning with verb), Deuteronomy 22:13,16; Deuteronomy 24:3; so, object man (of Jerusalem under figure of harlot) Ezekiel 16:37; passive שְׂנֻאֵי נֶפֶשׁ דָּוִד 2 Samuel 5:8 (but see obscure); reflexive (accusative נַפְשׁוֺ) Proverbs 29:24, absolute Ecclesiastes 3:8. b. with accusative of thing, Ezekiel 35:6 (but read בְּדָם אָשַׁמְתָּ ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Co Berthol Toy), Ecclesiastes 2:17,18, especially evil Exodus 18:21 (E), Micah 3:2; Psalm 45:7 10t., virtue, etc. Micah 3:2; Proverbs 1:22 4t. 2 subject ׳י; object perverse Israel Amos 6:8 (its palaces), Hosea 9:15; Jeremiah 12:8; wickedness Psalm 5:6; Psalm 11:5; idolatry and evil Amos 5:21; Isaiah 1:14; Isaiah 61:8; Jeremiah 44:4; Malachi 2:16 5t. 3 Participle active54 as adjective Isaiah 66:5 (as verb with 1singular pronoun Isaiah 61:8, 2 above); usually substantive, Proverbs 13:24 one hating his son (opposed to אֹהֵב); elsewhere = enemy foe (usually construct or with suffix), singular and plural (often "" אֹיֵב, sometimes opposed to אֹהֵב): foe of man Exodus 23:5 (E), Genesis 24:60 (J), Leviticus 26:17 (H) +, nation Exodus 1:10 (E), Esther 9:1,5,16 +, absolute Proverbs 26:24; Proverbs 27:6, (c. 31 t. in all); + לֹא שׂנֵא with ל person, a no-hater to one Deuteronomy 4:42; Deuteronomy 19:4,6; Joshua 20:5, and (without לֹא) Deuteronomy 19:11; foe of good Micah 3:2, compare Job 34:17 3t., of evil Exodus 18:21; Proverbs 28:1, compare Proverbs 15:27; of suretyship Proverbs 11:15 (i.e. not giving it); foes of ׳י Exodus 20:5 = Deuteronomy 5:9; Deuteronomy 7:10 (twice in verse); 2Chronicles 19:2. Niph`al Imperfect3masculine singular יִשָּׂנֵא Proverbs 14:17 is hated, so Proverbs 14:20 (+ ל person by, see לְ 5d). Pi`el Participle suffix מְשַׂנְאִי Job 31:29; Psalm 55:13; plural construct מְשַׂנְאֵי Psalm 81:16; suffix מְשַׂנְאַי 2 Samuel 22:41 +, etc.; — enemy (Qal 3) "" אֹיֵב, צָר, etc.: 1 personal and national, Job 31:29; Deuteronomy 33:11 (poem), 2 Samuel 22:41 = Psalm 18:41; Psalm 44:8; Psalm 44:11; Psalm 55:13; Psalm 68:2; Psalm 89:24. 2 of ׳י Numbers 10:35 (J), Deuteronomy 32:41 (poem), Psalm 81:16; Psalm 83:3; Psalm 139:21. 3 of wisdom Proverbs 8:36. Topical Lexicon Semantics and Range of Meaning שָׂנֵא depicts personal hostility, aversion, or rejection, but it may also convey covenantal disfavor or preference (“loved … hated,” Deuteronomy 21:15). The participial form often functions as a noun (“one who hates,” “enemy”). Frequency and Distribution Roughly 147 appearances span every major section of the Hebrew canon—Torah, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophets. Psalms, Deuteronomy, and Proverbs contain the densest clusters, underscoring both personal and theological dimensions. Interpersonal Hatred • Family dynamics: Genesis 37:4–8 portrays Joseph’s brothers who “hated him” because of Jacob’s favoritism. Societal and Legal Implications The Mosaic code treats hatred as a precursor to murder (Numbers 35:20-21) and perjury (Deuteronomy 19:16-19). Judges must decide impartially, “You shall not pervert justice … you shall not show partiality or hate your brother in your heart” (Leviticus 19:17). Personal animus, therefore, falls under divine jurisprudence, not private vengeance. Divine Hatred The Lord’s hatred targets moral evil, never capricious whims. Divine hatred culminates in judgment yet remains consistent with His love and holiness. Covenantal Polarities: Love and Hate Malachi 1:2-3, “Yet I loved Jacob, but Esau I hated,” frames election in stark relational terms, later echoed in Romans 9:13. Deuteronomy 21:15-17 employs the same polarity to describe a polygamist’s rival wives, showing that “hate” can mark lesser preference rather than active malice. Wisdom and Worship • Ethical alignment: “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13). Imprecatory Usage in the Psalms David frequently labels foes as “those who hate me” (Psalm 18:17; 86:17). The language legitimizes petition for deliverance while entrusting vengeance to God. Psalm 139:21-22 channels zeal for God’s honor: “I hate them with perfect hatred; they have become my enemies.” Prophetic Denunciations Prophets harness שָׂנֵא to expose societal rot. Isaiah condemns those who “call evil good” yet “hate justice” (Isaiah 59:8-15). Amos calls Israel to covenant renewal: “Hate evil, love good” (Amos 5:15), coupling moral antipathy with social righteousness. Messianic and Eschatological Overtones Psalm 45:7 celebrates the Anointed King: “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy.” Hebrews 1:9 applies this to Jesus, linking divine hatred of sin with redemptive authority. Ministry Application 1. Personal holiness—Believers echo Psalm 97:10: “You who love the LORD, hate evil!” Genuine devotion refuses compromise. Summary שָׂנֵא encompasses personal animosity, legal wrong, and divine judgment. Scripture never sanitizes hatred but reorients it: believers are to loathe evil as God does, while loving their neighbors. In covenantal perspective, hatred of wickedness serves the larger purpose of preserving holiness, vindicating justice, and directing hearts to the grace found in the Lord. Forms and Transliterations אֶשְׂנָ֑א אשנא בְּשִׂנְאַ֤ת בְּשֹׂ֣נְאֵיהֶ֔ם בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶֽם׃ בְשֹׂנְאֵיהֶ֖ם בְשֹׂנְאָֽי׃ בשנאי׃ בשנאיהם בשנאיהם׃ בשנאת הַשְּׂנוּאָ֖ה הַשְּׂנוּאָ֜ה השנואה וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑ה וְלִמְשַׂנְאַ֖י וְלִשְׂנֹ֖א וְשִׂנְאַ֖ת וְשָׂנֵ֙אתִי֙ וְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽי וְשֹׂנְאֵ֖י וְשֹׂנֵ֖א וְשׂוֹנֵ֖א וַֽיִּשְׂנְא֖וּ וַיִּשְׂנָאֶ֣הָ וַיִּשְׂנָאֶֽהָ׃ וַתִּשְׂנָ֫א וּ֝מְשַׂנְאֵ֗ינוּ וּ֝מְשַׂנְאֶ֗יךָ וּ֝מְשַׂנְאַ֗י וּ֝מִשֹּׂנְאַ֗י וּלְשֹׂנְאֵ֥י וּמְשַׂנְאֵ֥ינוּ וּמְשַׂנְאָ֖יו וּמְשַׂנְאָ֥יו וּשְׂנֵאֶֽךָ׃ וּשְׂנֵאָֽהּ׃ וּשְׂנֵאָהּ֮ וּשְׂנוּאָ֖ה והשנואה וישנאה וישנאה׃ וישנאו ולמשנאי ולשנא ולשנאי ומשנאי ומשנאיו ומשנאיך ומשנאינו ושונא ושנא ושנאה ושנאה׃ ושנאי ושנאך׃ ושנאת ושנאתי ושנואה ותשנא יִשְׂנְאוּ־ יִשְׂנָ֣א יִשְׂנָאֶ֑ךָּ יִשָּׂ֣נֵא יִשָּׂנֵֽא׃ ישנא ישנא׃ ישנאו־ ישנאך לְשֹׂ֣נְא֔וֹ לְשֹׂנְאָ֛יו לְשֹׂנְאָֽ֑י׃ לִשְׂנֹ֔א לִשְׂנֹ֣א לִשְׂנֹֽא׃ לשנא לשנא׃ לשנאו לשנאי׃ לשנאיו מְ֝שַׂנְאַ֗י מְ֝שַׂנְאָ֗יו מְ֭שַׂנְאִי מְשַׂנְאִ֑י מְשַׂנְאֵ֣י מְשַׂנְאֶ֖יךָ מְשַׂנְאַ֖י מִ֝שֹּֽׂנְאַ֗י מִשֹּׂ֣נְאַ֔י מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י משנאי משנאיו משנאיך נאך נאת נאתי נואה שְֽׂנֵאֻ֗הוּ שְֽׂנֹ֫את שְׂ֭נוּאָה שְׂנֵאָ֔הּ שְׂנֵאתִ֑ים שְׂנֵאתִ֔ים שְׂנֵאתִ֗יהוּ שְׂנֵאתִ֗יו שְׂנֵאתִֽיהָ׃ שְׂנֵאתֶ֣ם שְׂנֵאתַ֙נִי֙ שְׂנֵאתָ֔הּ שְׂנֹ֣א שְׂנֹ֥א שְׂנוּאָ֔ה שְׂנוּאָ֣ה שִׂנְא֫וּ שִׂנְאוּ־ שָֽׂנְאָ֥ה שָׂ֝נֵ֗אתָ שָׂ֣נְאוּ שָׂ֭נֵאתִי שָׂנְא֥וּ שָׂנְאָ֣ה שָׂנֵ֑את שָׂנֵ֑אתִי שָׂנֵ֖א שָׂנֵ֖אתִי שָׂנֵ֖אתָ שָׂנֵ֗א שָׂנֵ֗אתִי שָׂנֵ֣א שָׂנֵ֣אתִי שָׂנֵ֣אתָ שָׂנֵ֤א שָׂנֵ֤אתִי ׀ שָׂנֵ֥אתִי שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃ שָׂנֹ֣א שֹֽׂנְאֵיכֶ֔ם שֹׂ֣נְאֵ֔ינוּ שֹׂ֣נְאֵי שֹׂ֣נְאֶ֔יךָ שֹׂ֥נְאֵי שֹׂ֭נַאֲךָ שֹׂנְאֵ֥י שֹׂנְאֵיהֶֽם׃ שֹׂנְאֵיכֶ֜ם שֹׂנְאֶ֔יךָ שֹׂנְאֶ֖יךָ שֹׂנְאֶ֥יךָ שֹׂנְאֶֽיךָ׃ שֹׂנְאַ֣י שֹׂנְאַ֥י שֹׂנְאַ֪י שֹׂנְאָ֑י שֹׂנְאָֽיו׃ שֹׂנְאוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ שֹׂנֵ֣א שֹׂנֵ֥א שֹׂנַאֲךָ֗ שְׂנֻאֵ֖י שֹׂ֥נֵא שׂוֹנֵ֑א שׂוֹנֵ֖א שׂוֹנֵ֣א שׂוֹנֵ֥א שׂוֹנֵֽא׃ שונא שונא׃ שנא שנאה שנאהו שנאו שנאו־ שנאותיך שנאי שנאיהם׃ שנאיו׃ שנאיך שנאיך׃ שנאיכם שנאינו שנאך שנאת שנאתה שנאתי שנאתי׃ שנאתיה׃ שנאתיהו שנאתיו שנאתים שנאתם שנאתני שנואה תִשְׂנָ֥א תשנא ’eś·nā ’eśnā bə·śin·’aṯ ḇə·śō·nə·’āy bə·śō·nə·’ê·hem ḇə·śō·nə·’ê·hem bəśin’aṯ besinAt ḇəśōnə’āy bəśōnə’êhem ḇəśōnə’êhem besoneeiHem esNa haś·śə·nū·’āh haśśənū’āh hassenuAh lə·śō·nə·’āw lə·śō·nə·’āy lə·śō·nə·’ōw ləśōnə’āw ləśōnə’āy ləśōnə’ōw lesoneAi lesoneAv leSoneO liś·nō lisNo liśnō mə·śan·’āw mə·śan·’ay mə·śan·’ê mə·śan·’e·ḵā mə·śan·’î məśan’āw məśan’ay məśan’ê məśan’eḵā məśan’î mesanAi mesanAv mesanEi mesanEicha mesanI miś·śō·nə·’ay miś·śō·nə·’āy miśśōnə’ay miśśōnə’āy misSoneAi na’ăḵā na·’ă·ḵā naacha nê·ṯā nê·ṯî Neta nêṯā neti nêṯî nū’āh nū·’āh nuah śā·nê śā·nə·’āh śā·nə·’ū śā·nê·ṯā śā·nê·ṯî śā·nêṯ śā·nō saNe śānê śānə’āh śānə’ū saneAh saNet śānêṯ saNeta śānêṯā saNeti śānêṯî Saneu saNo śānō śə·nê·’āh śə·nê·’u·hū śə·nê·ṯa·nî śə·nê·ṯāh śə·nê·ṯem śə·nê·ṯî·hā śə·nê·ṯî·hū śə·nê·ṯîm śə·nê·ṯîw śə·nō śə·nōṯ śə·nū·’āh śə·nu·’ê śənê’āh śənê’uhū seneAh seneTah śənêṯāh seneTani śənêṯanî seneTem śənêṯem seneTiha śənêṯîhā seneTihu śənêṯîhū seneTim śənêṯîm seneTiv śənêṯîw seneUhu seNo śənō seNot śənōṯ śənū’āh śənu’ê senuAh senuEi śin’ū śin’ū- śin·’ū śin·’ū- sinU śō·na·’ă·ḵā śō·nê śō·nə·’āw śō·nə·’ay śō·nə·’āy śō·nə·’ê śō·nə·’ê·hem śō·nə·’e·ḵā śō·nə·’ê·ḵem śō·nə·’ê·nū śō·nə·’ō·w·ṯa·yiḵ śō·w·nê śōna’ăḵā sonaaCha soNe śōnê śōnə’āw śōnə’ay śōnə’āy śōnə’ê śōnə’êhem śōnə’eḵā śōnə’êḵem śōnə’ênū śōnə’ōwṯayiḵ soneAi soneAv Soneei soneEicha soneeiChem soneeiHem soneEinu soneoTayich śōwnê ṯiś·nā tisNa ṯiśnā ū·lə·śō·nə·’ê ū·mə·śan·’āw ū·mə·śan·’ay ū·mə·śan·’e·ḵā ū·mə·śan·’ê·nū ū·miś·śō·nə·’ay ū·śə·nê·’āh ū·śə·nê·’e·ḵā ū·śə·nū·’āh ūləśōnə’ê ulesoneEi ūməśan’āw ūməśan’ay ūməśan’eḵā ūməśan’ênū umesanAi umesanAv umesanEicha umesanEinu ūmiśśōnə’ay umissoneAi ūśənê’āh ūśənê’eḵā useneAh useneEcha ūśənū’āh usenuAh vaiyisnaEha vaiyisneU vattisNa vehassenuAh velimsanAi velisNo vesaNeti vesinAt vesoNe vesoneAi vesoneEi vesoneeiHem wat·tiś·nā wattiśnā way·yiś·nā·’e·hā way·yiś·nə·’ū wayyiśnā’ehā wayyiśnə’ū wə·haś·śə·nū·’āh wə·lim·śan·’ay wə·liś·nō wə·śā·nê·ṯî wə·śin·’aṯ wə·śō·nê wə·śō·nə·’ê wə·śō·w·nê wəhaśśənū’āh wəlimśan’ay wəliśnō wəśānêṯî wəśin’aṯ wəśōnê wəśōnə’ê wəśōwnê yiś·nā yiś·nā·’e·kā yiś·nə·’ū- yiś·śā·nê yisNa yiśnā yiśnā’ekā yisnaEka yiśnə’ū- yisneu yissaNe yiśśānêLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 24:60 HEB: אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר שֹׂנְאָֽיו׃ NAS: The gate of those who hate them. KJV: the gate of those which hate them. INT: and may your descendants the gate hate Genesis 26:27 Genesis 29:31 Genesis 29:33 Genesis 37:4 Genesis 37:5 Genesis 37:8 Exodus 1:10 Exodus 18:21 Exodus 20:5 Exodus 23:5 Leviticus 19:17 Leviticus 26:17 Numbers 10:35 Deuteronomy 1:27 Deuteronomy 4:42 Deuteronomy 5:9 Deuteronomy 7:10 Deuteronomy 7:10 Deuteronomy 7:15 Deuteronomy 12:31 Deuteronomy 16:22 Deuteronomy 19:4 Deuteronomy 19:6 Deuteronomy 19:11 147 Occurrences |