Lexical Definition

‎שָׂבַר‎ sâbar (saw-bar') to inspect ^H:V
erroneously שָׁבַר shâbar (shaw-bar'); (Nehemiah 2:13,15), a primitive root

hope, tarry, view, wait.

• to scrutinize
• by implication (of watching) to expect (with hope and patience)

1) to inspect, examine, wait, hope, wait upon
1a) (Qal) examined (participle)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to wait (for), wait upon
1b2) to hope (for)

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: se.var (‎ס‎ְ‎ב‎ַ‎ר‎ "to intend" סְבַר)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. [‎שָׂבַר‎] verb inspect, examine (van d. H. ‎שֹׁבֵר‎ [so ᵐ5 συντρίβων], but Masoretic ‎׳‎‎שׂ‎ see Norzi; hence connection with Arabic probe a wound, try, examine, improbable, and this (according to Frä²⁶¹) denominative from Aramaic loan-word; improbable also is connection with Aramaic ‎סְבַר‎ think (compare following), Kau^{Aramaic in AT, 85}); —

Qal Participle ‎שׂבֵר‎, with ‎ב‎ object, Neh 2:13; Neh 2:15 I examined into the wall, inspected it closely.

II. [‎שָׂבַר‎] Pi`el wait, hope (Aramaism; compare Aramaic ‎סְבַר‎ think, Pa`el hope; believe, hope, Pa`el think, Aph`el hope); — Perfect 1 singular ‎שִׂבַּרְתִּי‎ Ps 119:166, 3 plural ‎שִׂבְּרוּ‎ Esth 9:1 Imperfect 3 masculine plural ‎יְשַׂבְּרוּ‎ Isa 38:18, ‎יְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּ‎ Ps 145:15, ‎יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן‎ Ps 104:27 2 feminine plural ‎תְּשַׂבֵּרְנָה‎ Ruth 1:13 —

1. wait for, ‎ל‎ person, Ruth 1:13.

2. hope for, ‎ל‎ of thing Ps 119:166, ‎אֶל‎ of thing Isa 38:18, ‎אֶל‎ person Ps 104:27; Ps 145:15 ‎ל‎ infinitive Esth 9:1 hope to rule.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References