Bible Word Study
שְׂעִירָה
Sᵉʻîyrâh · Seirah, a place in Palestine
שְׂעִירָה
Seirah, a place in Palestine
Definition
Seirah is a proper noun referring to a specific location in ancient Palestine, mentioned only once in the Old Testament. It is identified as the place where Ehud, the judge of Israel, fled after assassinating King Eglon of Moab (Judges 3:26). The name likely derives from a geographical feature, meaning 'rough' or 'hairy' terrain, suggesting a rugged or wooded area. While its exact location is uncertain, it is associated with the hill country of Ephraim, near the stone quarries at Gilgal.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Judges 3:26. It functions strictly as a geographical proper noun, specifying the destination of Ehud's escape route after his pivotal act of deliverance for Israel. The context is a narrative of military conflict and divine judgment against Moabite oppression.
Etymology
The name Seirah (שְׂעִירָה) is the feminine form of the Hebrew word שָׂעִיר (śāʿîr, H8163), which means 'hairy,' 'rough,' or 'goat.' It is directly derived from the root ש-ע-ר (ś-ʿ-r), conveying the idea of roughness or shagginess. This etymology connects it to the region of Seir (שֵׂעִיר, H8165) and the descriptor for a male goat (שָׂעִיר, H8163), all sharing the core concept of ruggedness.
Semantic Range
While Seirah itself is a minor geographical marker, its single appearance is theologically significant within the narrative of Judges. It highlights God's providence in delivering Israel through unlikely means (Judges 3:15). Ehud's successful escape to Seirah enabled him to rally the Israelites for victory, demonstrating how God uses specific places and events within His sovereign plan for judgment and salvation. Understanding this location enriches the reading by emphasizing the historical reality and strategic detail of God's acts. In the ancient Near East, place names were often descriptive of the landscape. 'Seirah,' meaning 'rough place,' would immediately convey to an ancient Israelite that this was an area of rugged hills, forests, or difficult terrain—an ideal place for concealment or refuge after a clandestine act. This differs from a modern place name, which may be arbitrary or honorific. שֵׂעִיר (Śēʻîr, H8165) — The mountainous region of Edom, also meaning 'rough' or 'hairy.' שָׂעִיר (Śāʻîr, H8163) — A he-goat or a demonic figure (goat-idol); shares the root meaning 'hairy.'
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]