סִרָה H5496
To incite, entice, allure; in Hifil, to urge someone toward action, often with negative connotations of seduction or misleading.
Sut in its Hifil stem captures the dark art of persuasion — the turning of a will toward action it might not otherwise take. At its most concrete, Caleb's daughter 'incites' him to give her springs of water (Josh 15:18), a socially innocent prodding. But the word quickly darkens: Jezebel 'incited' Ahab to do evil (1 Kgs 21:25), Satan 'incited' David to number Israel (1 Chr 21:1), and the false prophet 'entices' you to follow other gods (Deut 13:6). The multilingual evidence reveals a telling split: Spanish toggles between incitar (neutral urging) and seducir (moral temptation), while German and French often leave the Hebrew untranslated, signaling the difficulty of capturing its precise shade of manipulative persuasion.
Senses
1. incite, instigate to action — To incite or instigate someone to take a specific action, the core and most frequent sense (11 occurrences). The instigator applies pressure or persuasion that moves another person to act — sometimes innocuously, as when Achsah incites Caleb to grant her land (Josh 15:18; Judg 1:14), but more often with sinister overtones. David suspects someone 'incited' Saul against him (1 Sam 26:19); God himself 'incited' David against Israel in the census episode (2 Sam 24:1). Spanish incitar and English 'incite' both capture the causative force well, confirming a consistent cross-lingual sense of directed instigation. 11×
AR["أغراكَ","أغْرَتْهُ","وَ-أَغْرَتْهُ","وَ-أَغْرَى","وَ-أَغْوَتْهُ","وَأَغْرَاهُ","وَأَغْرَى","وَأَغْرَيْتَني","يُحَرِّضُكَ","يُغْوِيكُمْ","يُغْوِيَكُمْ"]·ben["আর-প্ররোচিত-করল","আর-প্রলোভন-করল-তাকে","উত্তেজিত-করেছেন-তোমাকে","এবং-তিনি-প্ররোচিত-করলেন","এবং-তুমি-উদ্দীপিত-করেছ-আমাকে","এবং-প্ররোচিত-করল-তাকে","এবং-প্রলোভিত-করলেন","প্রলুব্ধ-করছে","প্রলোভন-করুক","প্রলোভন-করেছিল","প্রলোভিত-করছে"]·DE["[ויסיתהו]","[ויסת]","[ותסיתני]","[יסית]","[מסית]","er-incites","incited","incited-du","und-He-incited","und-sie-urged-ihn"]·EN["and-He-incited","and-he-incited-him","and-incited","and-she-urged-him","and-you-incited-me","he-incites","incite-you","incited","incited-you","is-inciting"]·FR["[ויסיתהו]","[ויסת]","[יסית]","[מסית]","et-Il-incita","et-elle-pressa-lui","et-inciter-moi","il-incites","incita","incita-tu"]·heb["הסית-ך","הסיתה","ו-הסיתה-הו","ו-הסיתהו","ו-הסתה","ו-יסיתהו-ו","ו-יסת","יסית","מסית"]·HI["उकसाई","उकसाता-है","उकसाया-तुझे","और-उकसाया","और-उकसाया-उसने","और-उकसाया-उसे","और-तूने-उकसाया-मुझे","भरमाए","भरमाएगा"]·ID["dan-ia-menghasut","dan-membujuknya","dan-menghasut","ia-membujuk","maka-membujuknyalah-ia","membujuk","menghasut","menghasutmu","padahal-engkau-menghasut-Ku"]·IT["[ויסיתהו]","[ויסת]","[יסית]","[מסית]","e-He-incitò","e-e-voi-incited-me-mio","e-ella-urged-lui","egli-incites","incitò","incitò-tu"]·jav["lan-ajak","lan-mbujuk-panjenenganipun","lan-mbujuk-piyambakipun","lan-ngojok-ojoki","lan-panjenengan-ngajak-Kawula","lan-panjenenganipun-ngojok-ojoki","mbujuk","ngojok-ojoki","ngojok-ojoki-panjenengan","nyasaraken-panjenengan-sadaya","sampun-ndhasukani"]·KO["그가-선동할-것이다","그리고-권유하였다-그를","그리고-그녀가-충동했다-그를","그리고-네가-충동질했다-나를","그리고-부추겨다","그리고-부추겼다-그를","그리고-충동했다","당신을부추기셨으면","부추길지니","선동하고-있다","충동했다"]·PT["e-incitaste-me","e-incitou","e-o-incitou","e-persuadiu-o","incitará","incite","incitou","incitou-te","te-incita"]·RU["и-побудил","и-подстрекал-его","и-подстрекнула-его","и-ты-подстрекнул-Меня","и-уговорила-его","побудил-тебя","подстрекает","подстрекала","соблазнил"]·ES["e-incitó","incita","incitó","os-incita","os-incite","te-incitó","y-lo-incitó","y-lo-persuadió","y-me-incitaste"]·SW["akamshawishi","akawashawishi","alimchochea","amekuchochea","anakuchochea","anawadanganya","na-akamchochea","na-akamshawishi","na-umenichochea"]·TR["kandirir","kandırır","kışkırttı","kışkırttı-seni","kışkırtıyor","ve-ikna-etti-onu","ve-kışkırttı","ve-kışkırttı-onu","ve-kışkırttın-beni"]·urd["اور-ابھارا","اور-اُکسایا","اور-اُکسایا-اُس-نے-اُسے","اور-اکسایا","اور-اکسایا-اُسے","اور-تُو-نے-اکسایا-مجھے","اکسائے-گا","اکساتا-ہے","اکسایا-تجھے","بہکائے","بہکاتی-تھی"]
2. entice, seduce, tempt — To entice, seduce, or tempt toward sin or idolatry — four occurrences where the emphasis shifts from mere urging to morally dangerous allurement. Deuteronomy 13:6 warns against the false prophet who 'entices' you to worship other gods; Hezekiah's officers warn Judah that Sennacherib is 'enticing' them with false promises (2 Chr 32:11, 15). The Spanish rendering seducir and the English 'entice' both signal that deception or false appeal is the mechanism, distinguishing this from the blunter instigation of sense 1. Job 36:18 intensifies the warning: 'let not abundance entice you.' 4×
AR["يُغريكَ","يُغْوِيكَ","يُغْوِيكُمْ","يُغْوِيَنَّكُمْ"]·ben["তিনি-তোমাকে-প্রলুব্ধ-করেন","প্রলুব্ধ-করে","প্রলোভন-করছে","প্রলোভন-করুক"]·DE["[יסית]","[יסיתך]","[מסית]","entices-du"]·EN["entices-you","inciting","it-entice-you","let-incite"]·FR["[יסית]","[מסית]","entices-tu","inciter-toi"]·heb["יסית","יסיתך","מסית"]·HI["उकसाए-तुझे","बहकाए","बहकाएगा-तुझे","बहकाता-है"]·ID["membujuk","membujuk-engkau","membujukmu"]·IT["[יסית]","[מסית]","entices-tu","esso-entice-voi-tuo"]·jav["mbujuk","mbujuk-panjenengan","narik-panjenengan"]·KO["유혹하는-자가","유혹하리라-너를","유혹하지-못하게-하라","유혹할까"]·PT["persuadindo","seduza","te-incitar","te-incite"]·RU["будет-склонять-тебя","соблазняет","увлёк-тебя"]·ES["os-seduzca","seduce","te-incita","te-incite"]·SW["atakushawishi","ikakuvuta","masiּyt","yasiּyt"]·TR["ayartırsa-seni","kandırırken","kandırıyor","kışkırtmasın-seni"]·urd["بہکائے-تجھے","بہکاتا-ہے","تجھے بہکائے","ورغلائے"]
3. turn aside, divert — To turn aside or divert someone from their course — a single occurrence at 2 Chronicles 18:31, where God 'drew away' the Syrian captains from pursuing Jehoshaphat. Spanish desviar ('to divert') captures the spatial redirection perfectly. The emphasis is on changing direction rather than moral corruption, making this a distinct kinetic sense within the word's range. 1×
AR["وَأَبْعَدَهُمْ"]·ben["আর-সরিয়ে-দিল-তাদের"]·DE["[ויסיתם]"]·EN["and-drew-them-away"]·FR["[ויסיתם]"]·heb["ו-יסיתם-ם"]·HI["और-मोड़ा-उनको"]·ID["dan-memalingkan-mereka"]·IT["[ויסיתם]"]·jav["lan-mbujuk"]·KO["그리고-돌리셨다-그들을"]·PT["e-os-desviou"]·RU["и-отвёл-их"]·ES["y-los-desvió"]·SW["na-akawaondoa"]·TR["ve-sapıttı-onları"]·urd["اور-پھیرایا"]
4. allure, draw away — To allure or draw out from a situation — one occurrence at Job 36:16, where Elihu tells Job that God 'allured you out of distress.' Spanish incitar retains the general urging sense, but the English 'allure' and the broader context of extraction from tight straits suggest a benevolent luring-out, the only unambiguously positive use of this root in the Hebrew Bible. 1×
AR["أَخرَجَكَ"]·ben["তিনি-তোমাকে-প্রলুব্ধ-করেছেন"]·DE["[הסיתך]"]·EN["he-allured-you"]·FR["inciter-toi"]·heb["הסיתך"]·HI["बुलाया-तुझे"]·ID["Ia membujukmu"]·IT["egli-allured-voi-tuo"]·jav["Panjenengan-ipun-narik-panjenengan"]·KO["그가-유혹하였다-너를"]·PT["te-atrairia"]·RU["отвёл-тебя"]·ES["te-incitó"]·SW["angekuvuta"]·TR["çekti-seni"]·urd["وہ تجھے بہکا رہا تھا"]
5. mislead, lead astray — To mislead or lead astray through deceptive counsel — a single occurrence at Jeremiah 38:22, where the court women taunt Zedekiah: 'Your trusted friends have misled you.' Spanish incitaron and the broader prophetic context of betrayal by false advisors give this sense a political edge: not mere temptation but calculated, treacherous guidance that results in ruin. 1×
AR["أَغْرَاكَ"]·ben["তোমাকে-প্রলোভন-করেছে"]·DE["[הסיתוך]"]·EN["misled-you"]·FR["[הסיתוך]"]·heb["הסיתוך"]·HI["उन्होंने-बहकाया-तुझे"]·ID["membujuk-mu"]·IT["[הסיתוך]"]·jav["mbujuk-panjenengan"]·KO["너를-부추겼다"]·PT["Incitaram-te"]·RU["соблазнили-тебя"]·ES["Te-incitaron"]·SW["walikupoteza"]·TR["Kandırdılar-seni"]·urd["بہکایا-تجھے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H???? 1. (4670×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
סִרָה v. בּוֹר הַסּ׳ p. 92 supr. יסור, only in יסורי Je 17:13 Kt, but v. Qr סור Qal Pt.