H7728 H7728
backsliding, apostate, faithless—one who turns away from covenant loyalty
This adjective describes someone characterized by backsliding or apostasy, turning away from faithfulness. Jeremiah uses it for Israel as 'the faithless daughter' (31:22) and Ammon as 'the backsliding daughter' (49:4). Micah 2:4's use is textually difficult but may refer to apostates or captors. The term captures not momentary lapse but settled unfaithfulness, a turning of one's back on prior commitments or covenant relationship.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The three uses include Israel characterized as faithless (Jeremiah 31:22), Ammon as backsliding (49:4), and a disputed text in Micah 2:4. Spanish 'rebelde' (rebellious) and related terms appear, though some translations use 'backsliding' or 'faithless.' Jeremiah's dual usage applies the epithet to both Israel and her enemies, suggesting widespread apostasy. The feminine form 'daughter' personalizes nations as women who have turned away from loyalty. 3×
AR["الْمُرْتَدَّةُ", "لِ-الْمُرْتَدِّ"]·ben["বিপথগামী", "বিপথগামী-সেই", "বিশ্বাসঘাতকের-কাছে"]·DE["[השובבה]", "[לשובב]"]·EN["the-backsliding", "the-faithless", "to-apostate"]·FR["[השובבה]", "habitant"]·heb["ה-שובבה", "ל-שובב"]·HI["विद्रोही", "विश्वासघाती-को"]·ID["kepada-yang-murtad", "yang-murtad"]·IT["[השובבה]", "[לשובב]"]·jav["dhateng-kang-mbrontèk", "ingkang-mbalela", "ingkang-murtad"]·KO["돌이킨-자여", "로-돌아가는-자-에게", "배신하는"]·PT["a-rebelde", "para-rebelde"]·RU["Отступнику", "отступившая", "отступница"]·ES["Al-rebelde", "la-rebelde", "rebelde"]·SW["kwa-msaliti", "mwenye-kurudi-nyuma", "mwenye-uasi"]·TR["dönek", "dönek-o", "dönene-o"]·urd["-باغی", "باغی-کو", "بہکی-ہوئی"]
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
† שׁוֹבֵב adj. backturning, apostate (perhaps for מְשׁוֹ׳, v. i. שׁוֹבָב);—as subst., לְשׁו׳ Mi 2:4 (but read prob. שׁוֹבֵינוּ our captors); f. הַבַּת הַשּׁוֹבֵבָה Je 31:22 (of Israel), 49:4 (of Ammon).