יָסוּר

יָסוּר

departing

Definition

The noun יָסוּר (yâçûwr) means 'departing' or 'turning aside,' specifically referring to those who depart or turn away. It is derived from the common verb סוּר (sûr), meaning 'to turn aside, depart, or remove.' In its single biblical occurrence in Jeremiah 17:13, it describes people who have willfully departed from God, carrying the sense of apostasy or faithless abandonment. The word implies a deliberate act of turning away from a proper path or relationship, rather than a passive or accidental separation.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 17:13, where it appears in the phrase 'they that depart from me' (KJV). The context is a prophetic judgment oracle, where Jeremiah records God's condemnation of those who forsake Him, the 'fountain of living waters.' The usage is exclusively theological, describing the grave act of abandoning covenant loyalty to Yahweh. It is a collective noun identifying the group of apostates.

Etymology

יָסוּר is a noun form derived from the root סוּר (sûr, H5493), a common verb meaning 'to turn aside, depart, or remove.' The specific noun pattern (qātûl) often indicates an agent or one characterized by the action. Thus, יָסוּר essentially means 'a turner-aside' or 'one who departs.' Cognates exist in other Semitic languages with similar meanings of turning or removing.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it encapsulates the biblical concept of apostasy—the willful rejection of God by those who once knew Him. In Jeremiah 17:13, it contrasts sharply with God as the trusted 'fountain of living waters,' highlighting the irrationality and dire consequences of turning from the source of life. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of prophetic literature by emphasizing that departure from God is not a neutral act but a decisive rejection with eternal ramifications, resulting in being 'written in the earth' (i.e., forgotten or condemned) rather than in God's book of life. In ancient Israel's covenant-based culture, loyalty to Yahweh was paramount. To 'depart' from God was not merely a private religious choice but a treasonous act against the covenant king, breaking communal and national identity. This understanding frames the term as one of severe social and spiritual rupture, far weightier than the modern idea of simply changing one's mind or beliefs. סוּר (sûr, H5493) — the root verb meaning 'to turn aside/depart,' describing the action itself. עָזַב (‘āzav, H5800) — 'to forsake, abandon,' often used in covenant contexts for leaving God (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:20). מָעַל (mā‘al, H4603) — 'to act treacherously, be unfaithful,' especially in a covenant or cultic setting (e.g., Leviticus 5:15).

Word Details