Lexical Summary sinah: Hatred, enmity Original Word: שִׂנְאָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance exceedingly hateful, From sane'; hate -- + exceedingly, hate(-ful, - red). see HEBREW sane' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sane Definition hating, hatred NASB Translation hate (1), hated (1), hates (1), hatred (14). Brown-Driver-Briggs שִׂנְאָה noun feminine hating, hatred; — absolute ׳שׂ Numbers 35:20 +, construct שִׂנְאַת Deuteronomy 1:27; Proverbs 25:10; suffix שִׂנְאָתֶיךָ Ezekiel 35:11 (plural אֹתֶיךָ#NAME?ii. 1, § 88 compare Ol§ 131 k, but < read שִׂנְאָֽתְךָ ᵐ5 Co Berthol Toy, compare Ges§ 91l), etc.; — hatred (sometimes opposed to אַהֲבָה): 1 human, Numbers 35:20 (P), Ezekiel 23:29; Ezekiel 35:11; Proverbs 10:12,18; Proverbs 15:17; Proverbs 26:26; Psalm 109:5; Ecclesiastes 9:1,6; ׳דִּבְרֵי שׂ Psalm 109:3; emphatic, שִׂנְאַת חָמָס Psalm 25:19, ׳תַּכְלִית שׂ Psalm 139:22 (against ׳יs foes), also (of sexual revulsion) גְּדוֺלָה ׳שׂ 2 Samuel 13:15 (all accusative of congnate meaning with verb). 2 ׳י's hating, as verb, with accusative of person Deuteronomy 1:27; Deuteronomy 9:28. Topical Lexicon Overview שִׂנְאָה (sinʾâ) denotes hatred, hostility, or enmity—either the settled animus of one human toward another, the corporate malice of nations, or, in rare ironic usage, the imagined hatred of God toward His covenant people. Across its sixteen occurrences the term ranges from murderous intent to righteous abhorrence of evil, always standing in antithesis to covenant love (ḥesed) and neighbor–love. Representative Old Testament Scenes • Numbers 35:20 sets hatred in the legal context of premeditated murder: “If anyone pushes a person with hatred… and he dies…”. Here hatred is a motive that strips accidental death of any claim to refuge. Wisdom Literature on Hatred Proverbs repeatedly contrasts hatred with love: – Proverbs 10:12: “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” – Proverbs 15:17: “Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.” – Proverbs 26:26 warns that concealed hatred will eventually be exposed “in the assembly.” Such verses teach that hatred fractures community while love fosters reconciliation; hidden animosity is both foolish and ultimately futile. Ecclesiastes adds an under-the-sun perspective. Humanity “does not know whether love or hatred awaits him” (Ecclesiastes 9:1), emphasizing the limits of human foresight. Yet whatever passions men once had “have long since perished” (Ecclesiastes 9:6), underscoring the fleeting nature of earthly enmity. Psalms: Personal Lament and Righteous Indignation David pleads, “See how many are my foes and how fiercely they hate me” (Psalm 25:19), and again, “They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love” (Psalm 109:5). The psalms give voice to the sufferer who entrusts unjust hatred to God rather than retaliate. Conversely, Psalm 139:22 declares, “I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.” This is not personal vendetta but moral alignment with God’s purposes; David’s sinʾâ reflects zeal for the holiness of the LORD. Legal and Covenantal Implications Sinʾâ is a decisive factor in biblical jurisprudence: murderous hatred voids sanctuary rights (Numbers 35) and calls for capital justice. Nationally, persistent hatred toward Israel becomes an indictable offense leading to divine recompense (Ezekiel 35). Within the covenant community, harboring hatred violates the command “You shall not hate your brother in your heart” (Leviticus 19:17), making sinʾâ fundamentally anti-Torah. Prophetic Usage and Eschatological Judgment Ezekiel 23:29 predicts that foreign nations will strip adulterous Samaria “in hatred,” revealing that God may employ human hatred as an instrument of temporal judgment while still condemning the malice itself. Yet Edom’s perpetual hatred (Ezekiel 35:11) incurs irrevocable wrath, showing that the Judge distinguishes between His sovereign use of events and the culpability of wicked motives. Righteous versus Unrighteous Hatred Scripture differentiates between: 1. Unrighteous hatred—springing from envy, lust, or deceit, and always condemned. Implications for New Covenant Ministry 1. Pastoral diagnosis: concealed hatred (Proverbs 10:18) often masks itself with polite speech; shepherds must expose and address such sin through gospel call to repentance. In sum, שִׂנְאָה exposes the deadly power of hate, calls God’s people to examine their hearts, and directs them to the greater love revealed in the gospel, where enmity is slain and peace prevails. Forms and Transliterations בְּשִׂנְאָ֖ה בְּשִׂנְאָ֗ה בשנאה הַשִּׂנְאָה֙ השנאה וְ֝שִׂנְאָ֗ה וְשִׂנְאָה־ וּמִשִּׂנְאָת֣וֹ ומשנאתו ושנאה ושנאה־ מִשִּׂנְאָתֶ֖יךָ משנאתיך נאה שְׂנֵאֽוּנִי׃ שִׂ֭נְאָה שִׂנְאָ֗ה שִׂנְאָ֣ה שִׂנְאָה֙ שִׂנְאָתָ֛ם שנאה שנאוני׃ שנאתם bə·śin·’āh bəśin’āh besinAh haś·śin·’āh haśśin’āh hassinAh miś·śin·’ā·ṯe·ḵā miśśin’āṯeḵā missinaTeicha nə’āh nə·’āh neah śə·nê·’ū·nî śənê’ūnî seneUni śin’āh śin’āṯām śin·’ā·ṯām śin·’āh sinAh sinaTam ū·miś·śin·’ā·ṯōw ūmiśśin’āṯōw umissinaTo vesinAh wə·śin·’āh wə·śin·’āh- wəśin’āh wəśin’āh-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 35:20 HEB: וְאִם־ בְּשִׂנְאָ֖ה יֶהְדָּפֶ֑נּוּ אֽוֹ־ NAS: If he pushed him of hatred, or threw KJV: But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl INT: If of hatred pushed or Deuteronomy 9:28 2 Samuel 13:15 2 Samuel 13:15 Psalm 25:19 Psalm 109:3 Psalm 109:5 Psalm 139:22 Proverbs 10:12 Proverbs 10:18 Proverbs 15:17 Proverbs 26:26 Ecclesiastes 9:1 Ecclesiastes 9:6 Ezekiel 23:29 Ezekiel 35:11 16 Occurrences |
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