H7726 H7726
backturning, apostate, rebellious
This adjective characterizes one who turns back from God—an apostate or recusant. Possibly derived from an intensive participial form, it captures the action of turning away or rebelling. The term appears in prophetic calls to return and in condemnations of persistent rebellion, emphasizing willful departure from covenant relationship.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Describes apostates or backturning people. Jeremiah 3:14, 22 features God's call 'Return, backsliding children' (שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים), addressing Judah's spiritual adultery with wordplay on שׁוב ('return/turn away'). Isaiah 57:17 speaks of going on 'backturning' (שׁוֹבָב) in one's own way despite divine punishment. Jeremiah 50:6 Ketiv has שׁוֹבְבוּם ('those turning them away'), Qere שׁוֹבָבִים ('apostates'). The form may be an intensive participle (Poel stem) from שׁוב, though some read it as an adjective. Multilingual glosses show the rebellion sense: Spanish 'rebelde/rebeldes,' French preserving Hebrew forms, German likewise—all capturing willful turning away from God. The Ketiv/Qere variants at Jeremiah 50:6 show textual uncertainty. 4×
AR["الـ-عُصَاةُ", "مُرْتَدًّا"]·ben["[বিপথে]", "বিপথগামী", "বিমুখ"]·DE["[[שובבים]]", "[שובב]", "[שובבים]"]·EN["[ketiv:turning-away]", "apostate", "backsliding"]·FR["[[שובבים]]", "[שובב]", "[שובבים]"]·heb["שובב", "שובבום", "שובבים"]·HI["धर्मत्यागी", "भटकता-हुआ"]·ID["[menyesatkan]", "murtad", "yang-murtad"]·IT["convertito"]·jav["[k]", "mbalela", "murtad"]·KO["[배역하게]", "반역하여", "배도하는"]·PT["[faziam-errar]", "desviado", "rebeldes"]·RU["[заблуждающих]", "отступники", "отступнически"]·ES["[kethiv]", "rebelde", "rebeldes"]·SW["[waliwapotosha]", "akiasi", "waasi"]·TR["[şvbbym]", "donen", "dönekler"]·urd["[گمراہ-کیا]", "باغی", "برگشتہ"]
Related Senses
H3212 1. go, depart, travel (884×)H1980 1. to go, travel (Qal) (283×)G4198 1. go, proceed (physical movement) (139×)H1980 2. to walk in conduct (Qal) (132×)G0565 1. go away, depart physically (112×)H3212 2. walk in, follow a way (79×)G5217 1. go, proceed (78×)H1980 3. to walk about, traverse (Hitpael) (63×)H5162 1. comfort, console (Piel) (51×)G4043 1. conduct oneself, live (48×)G4043 2. walk physically (47×)H5162 2. relent, repent, change mind (Nifal) (35×)G3340 1. repent, change one's mind (34×)H1980 4. to walk habitually (Piel) (30×)H4546 1. highway, raised road (25×)H5637 1. be stubborn, rebellious (17×)G0391 1. conduct, way of life, behavior (13×)H3212 4. lead, bring, cause to go (13×)G1485 1. custom, habit, established practice (12×)H5162 3. be comforted, receive comfort (Nifal) (10×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. שׁוֹבָב adj. backturning, recusant, apostate (perhaps for מְשׁוֹבָב, Pt. Pōʿl. Ol§ 251 b Ges§ 52 s Köi. 454);—שׁ׳ Is 57:17; pl. שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים Je 3:14, 22.—שׁובבים Je 50:6 Kt שׁוֹבְבוּם 𝔊 Comm., cf. √ Pōʿl.