ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA HEBREA
Sûm — Putting, Making, and Appointing
Hebrew שׂוּם (sûm) broadly means “to put” and appears with literal, figurative, and consequential force.
Significado de la palabra
שׂוּם (sûm) fundamentally means “to put.” Its meaning depends on what is being put, where it is placed, and what follows from that action. The lexicon notes literal, figurative, inferential, and elliptical uses.
Examples include placing a man in a garden (Genesis 2:8), setting a door in the ark (Genesis 6:16), laying a garment on one’s shoulders (Genesis 9:23), and putting a hand under another’s thigh (Genesis 24:9). These passages show concrete physical placement.
The same verb can extend beyond literal placement. It is translated “appointed” for Cain’s sign (Genesis 4:15), “make” for making a nation or counting descendants (Genesis 13:16; 21:13, 18), and “laid” for wood and Isaac on the altar (Genesis 22:6, 9).
Uso en las Escrituras
In the early Genesis examples, שׂוּם often describes deliberate action: God places, sets, appoints, or makes something, while people lay, place, or put objects and body parts. The verb therefore highlights both location and purposeful action.
Its translations vary with context—“put,” “laid,” “set,” “make,” and “appointed” all represent forms of the same broad lexical sense. Readers should consider the surrounding clause rather than treating every occurrence as a simple physical placement.
La palabra en detalle
- H7760 שׂוּם (sûm) is a broad verb translated in this entry with “put” and related senses such as “lay,” “set,” “make,” and “appoint.” Its sense is determined by context.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Genesis 2:8 God placed the man in the garden, a literal act of putting with a defined location.
- Genesis 4:15 The verb is translated “appointed,” showing that שׂוּם can express the establishment of a sign.
- Genesis 6:16 The verb describes setting the door in the side of the ark.
- Genesis 13:16 Here שׂוּם is translated “make,” extending the verb beyond physical placement.
Preguntas frecuentes
What is the basic meaning of Hebrew שׂוּם (sûm)?
Its basic meaning is “to put,” but it is used in many literal and extended contexts.
Why is שׂוּם translated in different ways?
The translation depends on the object, location, and result of the action; “put,” “lay,” “set,” “make,” and “appointed” are contextual renderings.
Does שׂוּם always describe physical placement?
No. The examples include making a nation, appointing a sign, and setting something in a place, so the verb can also express broader actions.