H8666 H8666
Return, turning point (especially of a season or year); also answer, reply in discourse
A feminine noun from the root shuv ('to return') that carries two distinct senses. Most frequently it serves as a temporal marker — 'at the return of the year' — designating the spring campaign season when kings go out to war (2 Sam 11:1; 1 Kgs 20:22, 26; 1 Chr 20:1). This is the fateful turning of the year when David stayed home and saw Bathsheba. In wisdom literature it shifts to mean a verbal reply or answer, as when Elihu evaluates Job's 'answers' as containing wickedness (Job 34:36) and Job challenges his friends' hollow 'replies' (21:34).
Senses
1. return, turning (of time/season) — The temporal sense: a return or turning point, especially marking the cyclical turning of the year or season. The formula liteshuvat hashshanah ('at the return of the year') signals the spring — when roads dried and armies marched. In 1 Sam 7:17 it describes Samuel's physical circuit returning to Ramah. Arabic rujuc ('return') and Spanish 'al retorno de' both reflect this directional-temporal meaning. The phrase became a near-technical term for the annual campaign season in the historical books. 6×
AR["رُجُوعِ","عِندَ-رَجعَةِ","لِ-رَجْعَةِ","وَ-رُجُوعُهُ","وَ-عِنْدَ-عَوْدَةِ"]·ben["এবং-ফিরতেন-তিনি","ও-ফেরার-সময়","প্রত্যাবর্তনের","ফেরার-সময়ে","বছরের-ফিরতিতে"]·DE["[ולתשובת]","[תשובת]","bei-der-kehre-zurueck-von","bei-kehre-zurueck-von","und-sein-kehre-zurueck"]·EN["and-at-turn-of","and-his-return","at-return-of","at-the-return-of","return-of"]·FR["[ולתשובת]","[תשובת]","et-son-retourne","à-le-retourne-de","à-retourne-de"]·heb["ו-ל-תשובת","ו-תשובתו","ל-תשובת","תשובת"]·HI["और-लौटना-उसका","और-लौटने-पर","लौटने-की","लौटने-पर","लौटने-में"]·ID["dan-kepulangannya","dan-pada-pergantian","pada-pergantian","pada-waktu-pergantian","pergantian"]·IT["[ולתשובת]","[תשובת]","a-il-ritorna-di","a-ritorna-di","e-suo-ritorna"]·jav["Lan-wangsulipun","ing-wangsulipun","lan-ing-wangsulipun","wangsulipun"]·KO["그리고-그의-기지는","그리고-해가-바뀔-때에","돌아옴-에","돌아옴-의","에-돌아오는"]·PT["E-no-retorno-de","E-retorno-dele","ao-retorno-de","na-volta-de","retorno-de"]·RU["возвращения","и-возвращение-его","и-при-возвращении","к-возвращению","ко-времени-возвращения"]·ES["Y-su-regreso","al-retorno-de","al-volver","retorno-de","y-al-retorno-de"]·SW["kurudi-kwa","na-kurudi-kwake","wakati-wa-mwisho-wa","wlitshwּbat"]·TR["Ve-dönüşü","Ve-dönüşünde","dönüşünde","dönüşünün"]·urd["اور-سال-کے-شروع-میں","اور-لوٹتا-تھا","بدلنے","لوٹنے-کے"]
2. answer, reply — The discursive sense: an answer or reply given in conversation or dispute. In Job 21:34 Job dismisses his friends' consolations as empty — 'your answers remain falsehood.' In 34:36 Elihu argues Job should be tested thoroughly because of the character of his 'answers' (teshuvot). Arabic ajwibah ('answers') and Spanish 'respuestas' confirm this semantic domain. The shift from spatial 'return' to verbal 'reply' parallels how Hebrew shuv davar means 'to return a word,' i.e., to answer. 2×
AR["أَجوِبَةِ","وَ-أَجْوِبَتُكُمْ"]·ben["উত্তরগুলো","এবং-তোমাদের-উত্তরে"]·DE["[ותשובתיכם]","[תשבת]"]·EN["and-your-answers","his-answers"]·FR["et-votre-retour-vous","retour"]·heb["ו-תשובותיכם","תשובות"]·HI["उत्तरों-के-कारण","और-तुम्हारे-उत्तर"]·ID["dan-jawaban-jawabanmu","jawaban-jawaban"]·IT["e-e-tuo-answers-vostro","suo-answers"]·jav["lan-wangsulan-panjenengan","wangsulan-wangsulan"]·KO["그리고-너희의-대답들이","대답들-을"]·PT["e-vossas-respostas","respostas"]·RU["и-ответы-ваши","ответы"]·ES["Y-vuestras-respuestas","respuestas"]·SW["majibu","na-majibu-yenu"]·TR["cevapları","ve-yanıtlarınız"]·urd["اور-جوابات-تمہارے","جوابات"]
Related Senses
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)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×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [תְּשׁוּבָה] n.f. return, answer;— 1. sf. וּתְשֻׁבָתוֹ הָרָמָ֫תָה 1 S 7:17 and his return was (= he returned) to Rama. 2. especially cstr. לִתְשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה at the return of the year, i.e. of spring, 2 S 11:1; 1 K 20:22, 26; 2 Ch 36:10, לְעֵת תְּשׁ׳ הַשּׁ׳ 1 Ch 20:1 (‖ 2 S 11:1). 3. answer, pl. abs. תְּשֻׁבֹת Jb 34:36, sf. תְּשׁוּבֹתֵיכֶם 21:34.