Lexical Summary sobe: Surrounding, circuit, round about Original Word: סֹבֶא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance drink, drunken, wine From caba'; potation, concretely (wine), or abstractly (carousal) -- drink, drunken, wine. see HEBREW caba' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom saba Definition a drink, liquor NASB Translation drink (2), liquor (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [סֹ֫בֶא] noun masculineIsaiah 1:22 drink, liquor; — only suffix סָבְאֵךְ Isaiah 1:22; סָבְאָם Hosea 4:18 (but see below), Nahum 1:10 (but see סָבָא ); — liquor (apparently strong, choice) Isaiah 1:22; ׳סָר ס Hosea 4:18 their liquor (i.e. their drunkenness) is gone Thes Hi Che RVm, but very dubious, ᵐ5 quite different (ἡρέτισεν Χαναναίους), We GuKau Now omit in translation; conjecture of HoutsmaTTijdschr ix (1875), 60 סֹד סֹבְאִים, a company of wine-bibbers, makes good sense. Topical Lexicon Overview סֹבֶא names the intoxicating drink itself, yet Scripture invariably employs the word as a moral and spiritual warning. Every occurrence places the term in a context of rebellion, corruption, or impending judgment, showing how physical excess mirrors spiritual disorder. Occurrences and Context • Deuteronomy 21:20: In the case of the “stubborn and rebellious son,” the parents testify that he is “a glutton and a drunkard.” The law links habitual drunkenness with obstinate disobedience deserving covenant-community discipline. Historical and Cultural Setting Fermented drink was a normal part of ancient Near-Eastern diet and celebration, but its abuse was also a recognized danger. Unlike neutral terms for “wine” (yayin) or “strong drink” (shekar), סֹבֶא is reserved for the negative side of that culture—overindulgence producing moral dullness. The ancients diluted wine for ordinary consumption; therefore the imagery of undiluted, potent liquor sharpened the reproof. Isaiah’s indictment of watered-down wine flips the picture, exposing a society that has lost even the vigor of genuine worship, replacing it with a cheap substitute. Theological Significance 1. Rebellion against Covenant Authority: In Deuteronomy 21:20 the drunkard resists parental and, by extension, divine authority. The link between drunkenness and insubordination reinforces the biblical theme that sin disorders every relational sphere. Patterns of Imagery • Dilution vs. Purity: Isaiah’s diluted wine contrasts the Lord’s demand for holiness. Implications for Ministry Today 1. Personal Holiness: Leaders must heed the pattern that substance abuse compromises discernment and testimony. See Also Yayin (wine), Shekar (strong drink), Proverbs 23:29-35; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:7-8 Forms and Transliterations וְסֹבֵֽא׃ וּכְסָבְאָ֖ם וכסבאם וסבא׃ סָבְאֵ֖ךְ סָבְאָ֑ם סבאך סבאם sā·ḇə·’ām sā·ḇə·’êḵ sāḇə’ām sāḇə’êḵ saveAm saveEch ū·ḵə·sā·ḇə·’ām uchesaveAm ūḵəsāḇə’ām vesoVe wə·sō·ḇê wəsōḇêLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 21:20 HEB: בְּקֹלֵ֑נוּ זוֹלֵ֖ל וְסֹבֵֽא׃ INT: our voice glutton drink Isaiah 1:22 Hosea 4:18 Nahum 1:10 4 Occurrences |