Bible Word Study
שְׁוָא
Shᵉvâʼ · Sheva, an Israelite
שְׁוָא
Sheva, an Israelite
Definition
Sheva is a proper name referring to an Israelite individual mentioned in two Old Testament passages. In 2 Samuel 20:25, Sheva is identified as a scribe (or secretary) serving under King David, holding a position of administrative trust. In 1 Chronicles 2:49, a different Sheva is listed as a son of Caleb and Maacah, and as the father of Machbenah and Gibea, placing him within the genealogical line of the tribe of Judah. The name itself, derived from a root meaning 'emptiness' or 'falsehood,' is shared with other biblical figures and locations, but these two references are distinct individuals.
Biblical Usage
The name Sheva is used only twice in the Old Testament, each referring to a different person. It appears in a historical context in 2 Samuel 20:25, documenting a royal official in David's government. It appears again in a genealogical list in 1 Chronicles 2:49, establishing familial descent within the tribe of Judah. There is no narrative or thematic pattern beyond its function as a personal identifier in these records.
Etymology
The name Sheva (שְׁוָא) is derived from the same root as the Hebrew word shav' (H7723, שָׁוְא), which carries meanings of 'emptiness,' 'vanity,' 'falsehood,' or 'worthlessness.' As a proper name, it likely did not convey the negative connotation of the root to the bearer, but simply functioned as a traditional identifier, similar to many Hebrew names built from common words.
Semantic Range
As a personal name, Sheva reflects common Israelite naming conventions where names were often derived from ordinary words, sometimes with theological or descriptive intent. The role of 'scribe' (sopher) held by the Sheva in 2 Samuel 20:25 was a significant position in the royal court, involving record-keeping and possibly administrative duties, indicating a literate and trusted official in David's kingdom. Seraiah (H8304) — Another scribe/official in David's court (2 Samuel 8:17). Shav' (H7723) — The root word meaning 'emptiness' or 'falsehood' from which the name is derived.
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]