H5848a H5848a
to turn aside, turn (to change direction, possibly indicating inability to see or find)
This Qal imperfect verb means to turn aside, turn, or change direction. The root connects to Syriac and Arabic words for turning, inclining, or bending. In Job's complaint about God's hiddenness, he speaks of looking for God: when God works on the right hand, 'I cannot see Him; He turns to the left, and I do not perceive Him' (or possibly 'I turn... and do not see Him' if reading first person). The sense is of seeking but not finding, of God remaining elusive despite Job's searching. Whether God turns away or Job turns to look, the point is the same: God remains hidden. The verb captures the frustration of seeking the divine presence yet encountering absence.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Job 23:9 expresses Job's inability to perceive God: 'He turns to the right, and I do not see Him; He turns to the left, and I do not perceive Him.' Spanish 'se vuelve' (he turns) reflects the third person interpretation. French 'être faible' (to be weak) may reflect a different root understanding. The context is Job's lament that though he seeks God, God remains inaccessible and hidden, turning away from Job's view. 1×
AR["يَلْتَفُّ"]·ben["তিনি-ঢাকেন"]·DE["[יעטף]"]·EN["he-turns"]·FR["être-faible"]·heb["יעטוף"]·HI["वह-आड़-लेता-है"]·ID["Dia-berpaling"]·IT["egli-turns"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-malik"]·KO["감싸시나니"]·PT["vira-se"]·RU["поворачивается"]·ES["se-vuelve"]·SW["akigeuka"]·TR["örter"]·urd["وہ چھپتا ہے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [עָטַף] vb. turn aside (Syriac ܥܛܰܦ turn, return; Arabic عَطَفَ incline, bend);— Qal Impf. 3 ms. יַעֲטֹף turn aside (so Ew Di De BaeKau al.), Jb 23:9 he turneth aside to the right (יָמִין; ‖ שְׂמֹאול בַּעֲשׂתוֹ), read prob. 1 s. אֶעֱטֹף Me Bu Du, I turn … and do not see him (and ‖ שׂ׳ בִּקַּשְׁתִּו).