שָׁוְא shav
Hebrew word for “vanity” · Strong’s H7723 · used 53 times in 48 verses
Meaning
: vain/empty/worthless;
Senses in the lexicon
- vanity: vain (27)
- vanity: false (26)
How it is translated
Glosses given for shav in context, with how often each is used:
- worthlessness 19
- falsehood 17
- emptiness 7
- vanity 7
- nothingness 1
- futility 1
- deceitfulness 1
Where it is used
| Book | Uses | Per 1,000 words | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psalms | 15 | 0.8 | |
| Ezekiel | 9 | 0.5 | |
| Job | 6 | 0.7 | |
| Jeremiah | 5 | 0.2 | |
| Isaiah | 4 | 0.2 | |
| Exodus | 3 | 0.2 | |
| Deuteronomy | 3 | 0.2 | |
| Lamentations | 2 | 1.3 | |
| Hosea | 2 | 0.8 | |
| Proverbs | 1 | 0.1 | |
| Jonah | 1 | 1.5 | |
| Zechariah | 1 | 0.3 |
Also in 1 more book.
Chapters where it is used most
Ezekiel 13 (5), Deuteronomy 5 (2), Psalms 127 (2), Psalms 144 (2), Ezekiel 21 (2), Exodus 20 (1), Exodus 23 (1), Job 7 (1), Job 11 (1), Job 15 (1)
Forms
- שׁוא 37
- לשׁוא 11
- ושׁוא 2
- השׁוא 2
- בשׁיו 1
Words used with it
Words that share verses with shav more often than their overall frequency would suggest:
- חָזָה chazah “to see” 9
- כָּזָב kazav “lie” 7
- קָסַם qasam “to divine” 6
- אָוֶן aven “evil” 6
- דָבַר davar “to speak” 10
- עָוֺן avan “iniquity” 4
- מִקְסָם miqsam “divination” 2
- נָשָׂא nasa “to lift” 5
- הֶבֶל hevel “vanity” 3
- נָבִיא navi “prophet” 4
- ךְ kh “you” 4
- כֵּן ken “so” 5
Key verses
The verses using shav that are most connected by cross-references (King James Version):
- Exodus 20:7 — Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
- Exodus 23:1 — Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
- Psalms 12:2 — They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
- Psalms 24:4 — He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
- Psalms 127:1 — [A Song of degrees for Solomon.] Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in…
- Proverbs 30:8 — Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
- Isaiah 59:4 — None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
- Jeremiah 2:30 — In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
- Lamentations 2:14 — Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false…
- Ezekiel 13:6 — They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm…
- Ezekiel 13:9 — And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written…
- Zechariah 10:2 — For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock,…
See all 48 verses in the Word Atlas
Hebrew and Greek text, tagging, glosses and lexicon definitions: STEPBible.org, Tyndale House Cambridge (TAHOT, TAGNT, TBESH, TBESG; CC BY 4.0), adapted. Counts follow King James verse numbering; a word counts each time it is written.