7686. shagah
Lexical Summary
shagah: To err, to go astray, to wander, to sin unintentionally

Original Word: שָׁגָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shagah
Pronunciation: shah-GAH
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-gaw')
KJV: (cause to) go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, (let, make to) wander
NASB: reel, wander, erred, exhilarated, commits error, committed a error, go astray
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to stray (causatively, mislead), usually (figuratively) to mistake, especially (morally) to transgress
2. by extension (through the idea of intoxication) to reel, (figuratively) be enraptured

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cause to go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, make to wander

A primitive root; to stray (causatively, mislead), usually (figuratively) to mistake, especially (morally) to transgress; by extension (through the idea of intoxication) to reel, (figuratively) be enraptured -- (cause to) go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, (let, make to) wander.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to go astray, err
NASB Translation
commits error (1), committed a error (1), erred (2), exhilarated (2), go astray (1), goes astray (1), intoxicated (1), leads the astray (1), misleader (1), misleads (1), reel (3), stray (1), unwittingly (1), wander (3), wandered (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[שָׁגָה] verb go astray, err (Aramaic שְׁגָא, id.); —

Qal Perfect1singular שָׁגִיתִי Job 6:24; Job 19:4, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִשְׁגֶּה Proverbs 5:23, etc.; Infinitive construct שְׁגוֺת Proverbs 19:27; Participle שֹׁגֶה Ezekiel 45:20; Proverbs 20:1, etc.; —

1 err, stray, of flock Ezekiel 34:6 (figurative).

2 swerve, meander, reel or roll, in drunkenness, ב of drink Isaiah 28:7 (twice in verse); = be intoxicated, Proverbs 20:1; so with (בּ) love Proverbs 5:19,20; בָּרֹאֶה ׳שׁ Isaiah 28:7.

3 go astay, morally, 1 Samuel 26:21; Proverbs 5:23; Job 6:24; Job 19:4, + 1 Samuel 14:24 (reading שְׁגָגָה ׳שׁ) Th We Dr Now (after ᵐ5; otherwise Bu HPS); with מן, of ׳יs commands Psalm 119:21; Psalm 119:118, מִן of words of knowledge Proverbs 19:27.

4 specifically commit sin of ignorance, inadvertence Leviticus 4:13; Numbers 15:22 (P) Ezekiel 45:20 (compare שׁגג).

Hiph`il lead astray:

1 literal, Participle מַשְׁגֶּה Deuteronomy 27:18 (בַּדֶּרֶךְ).

2 ׳מַשׁ mentally = mislead Job 12:16.

3 morally, Participle Proverbs 28:10 (בְּדֶרֶךְ רָ֑ע); Imperfect2masculine singular suffix תַּשְׁגֵּנִי, with מן of God's commands Psalm 119:10; + perhaps Job 12:23 leadeth nations astray (ᵐ5 SvrVer, i.e. וַיַּשְׁגֵּם for וַיַּנְחֵם).

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Shāgāh portrays the movement of a person, community, or leader off the path of covenant obedience—sometimes through ignorance, sometimes through conscious folly, sometimes under the clouding influence of wine or lust. The term is never a mere misstep; it signals moral and spiritual deviation that calls for correction, atonement, and shepherding restoration.

Unintentional Sin and Sacrificial Provision

Leviticus 4:13 and Numbers 15:22–29 legislate sacrifices “if the whole congregation of Israel strays unintentionally.” Here shāgāh highlights human fallibility even among God’s people. The remedy is blood atonement, underscoring that ignorance does not cancel guilt and foreshadowing Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice for sins “committed in ignorance” (compare Hebrews 9:7, 28). Ezekiel 45:20 keeps the same pattern for the millennial temple: the need for cleansing remains until final redemption.

Moral Deviation and Covenant Faithfulness

Psalm 119 repeatedly couples shāgāh with God’s Torah:
• “With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments.” (Psalm 119:10)
• “You rebuke the arrogant—the cursed—who stray from Your commandments.” (Psalm 119:21)
• “You reject all who stray from Your statutes.” (Psalm 119:118)

The psalmist pleads for divine keeping because to wander from Scripture is to invite judgment. God’s word is the straight path; shāgāh is every detour.

Intoxication and Impaired Judgment

Proverbs 20:1 warns, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” Isaiah 28:7 applies the same verb three times to priests and prophets whose drinking ruins both vision and verdict. Physical drunkenness becomes a picture of spiritual stupor; leadership clouded by shāgāh endangers the whole community.

Seduction and Sexual Infidelity

Proverbs 5 employs shāgāh positively—“may you be captivated by her love” (Proverbs 5:19)—and negatively—“Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress?” (Proverbs 5:20). What should intoxicate a husband is covenant love with his wife; to wander outside that bond is self-destructive folly (Proverbs 5:23).

Leading Others Astray

Deuteronomy 27:18 pronounces a curse on anyone who “leads a blind man astray on the road.” Proverbs 28:10 echoes, “He who leads the upright along the path of evil will fall into his own pit.” The principle is consistent: misleading another multiplies guilt. In 1 Samuel 26:21 Saul confesses, “I have acted foolishly and erred greatly,” acknowledging that his persecution of David had become a national snare.

Wisdom Literature: Personal Responsibility

Job pleads, “Teach me… help me understand how I have erred” (Job 6:24), and admits, “Even if I have truly gone astray, my error concerns me alone” (Job 19:4). Shāgāh in Job underscores accountability and the need for truthful counsel so the sufferer does not compound pain with sin.

Sheep Imagery and Divine Restoration

“My flock went astray on all the mountains” (Ezekiel 34:6). The shepherd-king promises to seek and rescue the wandering sheep, anticipating Jesus’ declaration, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” The motif culminates in the parable of the one lost sheep (Luke 15), though the verb changes languages; the theology remains: shāgāh invites shepherding grace.

Historical and Prophetic Significance

Shāgāh tracks Israel’s story—from wilderness legislation to prophetic indictment. Its presence in priestly law, wisdom sayings, royal narrative, and prophetic oracle testifies to Scripture’s unified witness: sin—whether careless or defiant—requires atonement, wisdom, and often discipline. Yet the same passages disclose God’s resolve to reclaim His people.

Ministry Implications

1. Preach the gravity of “small” deviations; ignorance does not equal innocence.
2. Offer the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement for every wanderer.
3. Guard personal sobriety—literal and figurative—so that leadership judgment is clear.
4. Shepherd straying believers with Ezekiel-like zeal, mirroring the Good Shepherd.
5. Cultivate marital faithfulness that “captivates” rightly, preventing captivity to sin.

Summary

Whether depicting an errant nation, a wandering sheep, a lustful heart, or a drunken prophet, shāgāh lays bare humanity’s propensity to drift from God and His word. Scripture answers with sacrificial provision, wise instruction, prophetic rebuke, and shepherding love—each strand converging in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who turns every honest confession of “I have erred” into a restored walk on the narrow way.

Forms and Transliterations
גיתי הַ֝שֹּׁגִים השגים וָאֶשְׁגֶּ֖ה וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃ ואשגה ומשגה׃ יִשְׁגֶּֽה׃ יִשְׁגּ֔וּ יִשְׁגּ֤וּ ישגה׃ ישגו לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹת לשגות מַשְׁגֶּ֤ה מַשְׁגֶּ֥ה משגה שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי שָׁג֔וּ שָׁג֨וּ שָׁגִ֑יתִי שָׁגוּ֙ שֹׁ֥גֶה שֹׁגֶ֖ה שׁוֹגִ֣ים שגה שגו שגיתי שוגים תִּשְׁגֶּ֥ה תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה תִשְׁגּ֔וּ תַּ֝שְׁגֵּ֗נִי תשגה תשגו תשגני ḡî·ṯî Giti ḡîṯî haš·šō·ḡîm Hashshogim haššōḡîm liš·ḡō·wṯ lišḡōwṯ lishGot maš·geh mašgeh mashGeh šā·ḡî·ṯî šā·ḡū šāḡîṯî šāḡū shaGiti shaGu Shogeh shoGim šō·ḡeh šō·w·ḡîm šōḡeh šōwḡîm taš·gê·nî tašgênî tashGeni tiš·geh ṯiš·geh ṯiš·gū tišgeh ṯišgeh ṯišgū tishGeh tishGu ū·maš·geh ūmašgeh umashGeh vaeshGeh wā’ešgeh wā·’eš·geh yiš·geh yiš·gū yišgeh yišgū yishGeh yishGu
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Leviticus 4:13
HEB: עֲדַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יִשְׁגּ֔וּ וְנֶעְלַ֣ם דָּבָ֔ר
NAS: of Israel commits error and the matter
KJV: of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing
INT: congregation of Israel commits escapes and the matter

Numbers 15:22
HEB: וְכִ֣י תִשְׁגּ֔וּ וְלֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ
NAS: But when you unwittingly fail
KJV: And if ye have erred, and not observed
INT: when unwittingly not observe

Deuteronomy 27:18
HEB: אָר֕וּר מַשְׁגֶּ֥ה עִוֵּ֖ר בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ
NAS: Cursed is he who misleads a blind
KJV: [be] he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way.
INT: Cursed misleads A blind of the way

1 Samuel 26:21
HEB: הִנֵּ֥ה הִסְכַּ֛לְתִּי וָאֶשְׁגֶּ֖ה הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
NAS: I have played the fool and have committed a serious
KJV: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
INT: Behold have played committed abundance diligently

Job 6:24
HEB: אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ וּמַה־ שָּׁ֝גִ֗יתִי הָבִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃
NAS: And show me how I have erred.
KJV: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
INT: will be silent how have erred and show

Job 12:16
HEB: ל֝֗וֹ שֹׁגֵ֥ג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃
NAS: The misled and the misleader belong to Him.
KJV: the deceived and the deceiver [are] his.
INT: and sound the misled and the misleader

Job 19:4
HEB: וְאַף־ אָמְנָ֥ם שָׁגִ֑יתִי אִ֝תִּ֗י תָּלִ֥ין
NAS: if I have truly erred, My error
KJV: And be it indeed [that] I have erred, mine error
INT: Even have truly erred for lodges

Psalm 119:10
HEB: דְרַשְׁתִּ֑יךָ אַל־ תַּ֝שְׁגֵּ֗נִי מִמִּצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
NAS: I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
KJV: have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
INT: have sought not wander your commandments

Psalm 119:21
HEB: זֵדִ֣ים אֲרוּרִ֑ים הַ֝שֹּׁגִים מִמִּצְוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
NAS: the cursed, Who wander from Your commandments.
KJV: [that are] cursed, which do err from thy commandments.
INT: the arrogant the cursed wander your commandments

Psalm 119:118
HEB: סָ֭לִיתָ כָּל־ שׁוֹגִ֣ים מֵחֻקֶּ֑יךָ כִּי־
NAS: all those who wander from Your statutes,
KJV: Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes:
INT: have rejected all wander your statutes for

Proverbs 5:19
HEB: עֵ֑ת בְּ֝אַהֲבָתָ֗הּ תִּשְׁגֶּ֥ה תָמִֽיד׃
NAS: times; Be exhilarated always
KJV: thee at all times; and be thou ravished always
INT: times her love be exhilarated always

Proverbs 5:20
HEB: וְלָ֤מָּה תִשְׁגֶּ֣ה בְנִ֣י בְזָרָ֑ה
NAS: should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress
KJV: And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman,
INT: why be exhilarated my son an adulteress

Proverbs 5:23
HEB: וּבְרֹ֖ב אִוַּלְתּ֣וֹ יִשְׁגֶּֽה׃ פ
NAS: of his folly he will go astray.
KJV: of his folly he shall go astray.
INT: the greatness of his folly will go

Proverbs 19:27
HEB: לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ מוּסָ֑ר לִ֝שְׁג֗וֹת מֵֽאִמְרֵי־ דָֽעַת׃
NAS: to discipline, [And you will] stray from the words
KJV: the instruction [that causeth] to err from the words
INT: listening to discipline stray the words of knowledge

Proverbs 20:1
HEB: שֵׁכָ֑ר וְכָל־ שֹׁ֥גֶה בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א
NAS: And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.
KJV: [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
INT: strong and whoever is intoxicated is not wise

Proverbs 28:10
HEB: מַשְׁגֶּ֤ה יְשָׁרִ֨ים ׀ בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ
NAS: He who leads the upright astray
KJV: Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil
INT: leads the upright way

Isaiah 28:7
HEB: אֵ֙לֶּה֙ בַּיַּ֣יִן שָׁג֔וּ וּבַשֵּׁכָ֖ר תָּע֑וּ
NAS: also reel with wine
KJV: But they also have erred through wine,
INT: and these wine reel strong and stagger

Isaiah 28:7
HEB: כֹּהֵ֣ן וְנָבִיא֩ שָׁג֨וּ בַשֵּׁכָ֜ר נִבְלְע֣וּ
NAS: and the prophet reel with strong drink,
KJV: and the prophet have erred through strong drink,
INT: the priest and the prophet reel drink are confused

Isaiah 28:7
HEB: מִן־ הַשֵּׁכָ֔ר שָׁגוּ֙ בָּֽרֹאֶ֔ה פָּק֖וּ
NAS: from strong drink; They reel while having visions,
KJV: through strong drink; they err in vision,
INT: with strong reel visions totter

Ezekiel 34:6
HEB: יִשְׁגּ֤וּ צֹאנִי֙ בְּכָל־
NAS: My flock wandered through all
KJV: My sheep wandered through all the mountains,
INT: wandered my flock all

Ezekiel 45:20
HEB: בַחֹ֔דֶשׁ מֵאִ֥ישׁ שֹׁגֶ֖ה וּמִפֶּ֑תִי וְכִפַּרְתֶּ֖ם
NAS: for everyone who goes astray or is naive;
KJV: for every one that erreth, and for [him that is] simple:
INT: the month everyone goes is naive shall make

21 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7686
21 Occurrences


ḡî·ṯî — 1 Occ.
haš·šō·ḡîm — 1 Occ.
liš·ḡō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
maš·geh — 2 Occ.
šā·ḡî·ṯî — 1 Occ.
šā·ḡū — 3 Occ.
šō·ḡeh — 2 Occ.
šō·w·ḡîm — 1 Occ.
taš·gê·nî — 1 Occ.
tiš·geh — 2 Occ.
ṯiš·gū — 1 Occ.
ū·maš·geh — 1 Occ.
wā·’eš·geh — 1 Occ.
yiš·geh — 1 Occ.
yiš·gū — 2 Occ.

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