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שָׁבַר shâbar — to burst (literally or figuratively)

pronounced shaw-bar' · Strong's H7665 · 148 occurrences in the Hebrew Bible · 5 stems: Niph'al, Qal (Pa'al), Pi'el, Hiph'il, Hoph'al

Translated in the KJV as break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken, bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, × quite, tear.

a primitive root; to burst (literally or figuratively).

shâbar in each stem

Niph'al 58×

Simple · passive — the plain action; the subject has it done to them

Perfect (qatal) 18Imperfect (yiqtol) 16Participle (passive) 7Wayyiqtol 6Participle (active) 5Sequential perfect (weqatal) 5Infinitive construct 1

נִשְׁבַּ֥ר Exod 22:9 Perfect (qatal), 3rd person masculine singular

For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour. (KJV)

וְנִשְׁבַּ֣ר Exod 22:13 Perfect (qatal), 3rd person masculine singular

If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn. (KJV)

יִשָּׁבֵ֑ר Lev 6:21 Imperfect (yiqtol), 3rd person masculine singular

In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the Lord. (KJV)

Qal (Pa'al) 52×

Simple · active — the plain action; the subject does it

Imperfect (yiqtol) 14Perfect (qatal) 11Sequential perfect (weqatal) 9Infinitive construct 7Wayyiqtol 5Participle (active) 3Imperative 2Participle (passive) 1

לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר Gen 19:9 Infinitive construct

And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. (KJV)

תִשְׁבְּרוּ Exod 12:46 Imperfect (yiqtol), 2nd person masculine plural

In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. (KJV)

תִשְׁבֹּֽרוּ Lev 11:33 Imperfect (yiqtol), 2nd person masculine plural

And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it. (KJV)

Pi'el 36×

Intensive · active — the action intensified, repeated or brought about; the subject does it

Perfect (qatal) 17Wayyiqtol 8Imperfect (yiqtol) 7Sequential perfect (weqatal) 2Infinitive absolute 1Participle (active) 1

שִׁבֵּֽר Exod 9:25 Perfect (qatal), 3rd person masculine singular

And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. (KJV)

וְשַׁבֵּ֥ר Exod 23:24 Infinitive absolute

Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. (KJV)

וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר Exod 32:19 Wayyiqtol, 3rd person masculine singular

And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. (KJV)

Hiph'il

Causative · active — causing someone or something to do the action; the subject does it

Imperfect (yiqtol) 1

אַשְׁבִּ֛יר Isa 66:9 Imperfect (yiqtol), 1st person common singular

Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. (KJV)

Hoph'al

Causative · passive — causing someone or something to do the action; the subject has it done to them

Perfect (qatal) 1

הָשְׁבָּ֑רְתִּי Jer 8:21 Perfect (qatal), 1st person common singular

For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. (KJV)

What the stems mean

A Hebrew verb is its root letters set into a pattern. The pattern — the binyan — is the grammar's way of saying three things at once: whether the action is simple, intensive or causative, and whether its subject is active, passive or reflexive. That is why one Hebrew word can need six English ones. All seven binyanim, explained ›

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In the app, tap any Hebrew verb while reading: its root, stem and form are named, the letters of the word itself are coloured to show which is which, and the stem's meaning is put in plain English. shâbar in the lexicon ›

Morphology from OpenScriptures MorphHB (CC BY 4.0); definitions from Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (public domain); text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex.

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