H5702 H5702
shut oneself off (from marriage), remain unmarried
A Niphal verb meaning to shut or confine oneself, used in Ruth for voluntary abstention from marriage. Naomi asks her daughters-in-law whether they would 'shut themselves off from belonging to a man' while waiting for her infant sons to grow up. The image is of self-imposed isolation or confinement, withdrawing from normal life. Later rabbinic Hebrew uses related forms for refraining from marriage.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The self-imposed seclusion from marriage in Ruth 1:13, where Naomi rhetorically asks whether Ruth and Orpah would 'shut yourselves off so as not to belong to a man.' The verb pictures voluntary confinement or withdrawal—restraining oneself from marriage while waiting indefinitely. The context shows the absurdity of Naomi's situation: even if she bore sons tonight, would these young women seclude themselves until the boys matured? 1×
AR["تَحْتَبِسْنَ"]·ben["তোমরা-আটকে-থাকবে"]·DE["[תעגנה]"]·EN["would-you-be-shut-up"]·FR["serait-tu-être-shut-en-haut"]·heb["תיעגנה"]·HI["रोकी-रहोगी"]·ID["kamu-akan-menahan-diri"]·IT["vorrebbe-tu-essere-shut-su"]·jav["kaanggep"]·KO["너희가-갇히겠느냐"]·PT["ficaríeis-presas"]·RU["будете-удерживаться"]·ES["se-encerrarían"]·SW["mngejizuia"]·TR["bağlı-kalırsınız"]·urd["رکو-گی"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [עָגַן] vb. Niph. shut oneself in or off (NH id., Pt. pass. restrained (especially from marriage), also עוֹגִין anchor; 𝔗 עֲגַן be imprisoned);—Impf. 2 fpl. תֵּעָגֵ֫נָה לְבִלְתִּי הֱיוֹת לְאִישׁ Ru 1:13 would ye shut yourselves off, so as not to belong to a man?