Lexical Summary sathar: hide, hidden, hid Original Word: סָתַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be absent, keep close, conceal, hide self, keep secret, surely A primitive root; to hide (by covering), literally or figuratively -- be absent, keep close, conceal, hide (self), (keep) secret, X surely. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to hide, conceal NASB Translation absent (1), conceal (3), concealed (4), cover (1), hid (11), hidden (16), hide (33), hides (4), hiding (3), placed (1), secret things (1), surely hide (1), undetected (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs סָתַר verb hide, conceal (Late Hebrew id., derived species; ᵑ7 סְתַר Pa`el, Ithpa`al, Syriac  Pe`al Passive participle, chiefly Pa`el, Ithpa`al, id.; Arabic  veil, conceal, hide, Lane1304; Ethiopic  (rare) Di354); — Niph`al Perfect3masculine singular נִסְתָּ֑ר Proverbs 27:12 + Proverbs 22:3 Qr (Kt וַיִּסָּתֵר); 2 masculine singular נִסְתַּ֫רְתָּ 1 Samuel 20:19; 1plural נִסְתָּ֑רְנוּ Isaiah 28:15, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִסָּתֵר Hosea 13:14 +; 1 singular אֶסָּתֵר Genesis 4:14 +; 3 masculine plural יִסָּֽתְרוּ Amos 9:3; 1plural נִסָּתֵר Genesis 31:49, etc.; Imperative masculine singular הִסָּתֵר Jeremiah 36:19; Infinitive construct לְהִסָּ֫תֶר שָׁם Job 34:22; Participle נִסְתָּר Psalm 19:7; plural נִסְתָּרִים Deuteronomy 7:20; feminine plural נִסְתָּרֹת Deuteronomy 29:28, וֺת- Psalm 19:13; — 1 hide oneself, with בְּ local, 1 Samuel 20:5,24; 1 Kings 17:3; Jeremiah 23:24, so (figurative) Isaiah 28:15; with שָׁם 1 Samuel 20:19; Job 34:22; absolute Jeremiah 36:19; Proverbs 22:3; Proverbs 27:12; Proverbs 28:28; Psalm 89:47; with מִמְּנֵי person Deuteronomy 7:20; Job 13:20, with מִן person Psalm 55:13. 2 be hid, concealed, especially figurative of escaping God's notice, with מִמְּנֵי person Genesis 4:14 (J), מִלִּפְנֵי Jeremiah 16:17, מִנֶּגֶד עֵינַי Amos 9:3, מֵעֵינַי Isaiah 65:16; Hosea 13:14 (subject נֹחַם, i.e. I will not repent, change my purpose of judgment), מִן Psalm 38:10; Isaiah 40:27; from heat of sun Psalm 19:7 (i.e. it penetrates everywhere); from birds Job 28:21 (of place of wisdom); reciprocal אִישׁ מֵרֵעֵהוּ ׳נִסּ Genesis 31:49 (J) when we are hidden each from the other (i.e. separated); absolute Numbers 5:13; Job 3:23 (whose way is hid that is, from himself), Zephaniah 2:3 (i.e. escape ׳י's judgment); participle hidden, secret things, in General Deuteronomy 29:28; of sins Psalm 19:13. Pi`el Imperative feminine singular סַתְּרִי Isaiah 16:3 carefully hide (i.e. shelter) the outcasts (Moab speaks to Zion). Pu`al Participle feminine singular אַהֲבָה מְסֻתָּ֑רֶת Proverbs 27:5 love carefully concealed. Hithpa`el Imperfect3feminine singular תִּסְתַּתָּ֑ר Isaiah 29:14; Participle מִסְתַּתֵּר 1 Samuel 23:19 3t.; — hide oneself carefully, of David's taking refuge with (עִם) Ziphites 1 Samuel 23:19 = Psalm 54:2 (title), in (בְּ) a hill 1 Samuel 26:1; ׳אֵל מ Isaiah 45:15 a God that completely hides himself. Hiph`il Perfect3masculine singular הִסְתִּיר Psalm 10:11; Psalm 22:25; 2masculine singular הִסְתַּ֫רְתָּ Psalm 30:8; Isaiah 64:6; etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יַסְתִּיר 1 Samuel 20:2, וַיַּסְתֵּר Exodus 3:6; Job 3:10, suffix יַסְתִּרֵ֫נִי Psalm 27:5, וַיַּסְתִּרֵם Jeremiah 36:26; 3feminine singular suffix וַתַּסְתִּירֵ֫הוּ2Chronicles 22:11; 1 singular וָאַסְתִּר Ezekiel 39:23,24, etc.; Imperative masculine singular הַסְתֵּר Psalm 51:11; Infinitive absolute הַסְתֵּר Deuteronomy 31:18; Isaiah 57:17; construct הַסְתֵּר Proverbs 25:2 (see Köi. 213 and references; yet compare infinitive absolute אָכֹל Proverbs 25:27), לַסְתִּר Isaiah 29:15 (Ges§ 53q); Participle מַסְתִּיר Isaiah 8:17; — conceal, hide: 1 a person from (מִמְּנֵי) enemy 2 Kings 11:2 2Chronicles 22:11; subject ׳י, with מִן Psalm 64:3, absolute Jeremiah 36:26; hide anything from (מִן) one 1 Samuel 20:2, a thing, in General, Proverbs 25:2; anything (from ׳י; מִן in "" clause) Isaiah 29:15; in General = shelter a person Job 14:13, with בְּ local (subject ׳י) Psalm 17:8; Psalm 27:5; Psalm 31:21 (all metaphor); toil (עָמָל), מֵעֵינָ֑י Job 3:10; commands from, מִן person (subject ׳י) Psalm 119:19; hide one as arrow in quiver Isaiah 49:2. 2 especially hide the face: a. literally, of Moses Exodus 3:6 (E), usually figurative: b. subject ׳י with מִן i.e. be not observant of sin Psalm 51:11, absolute Psalm 10:11; more often c. ׳י hides his face from (מִן person), i.e. withdraws his favour, Micah 3:4; Isaiah 8:17; Isaiah 54:8; Isaiah 64:6; Deuteronomy 31:17; Deuteronomy 32:20; Jeremiah 33:5; Ezekiel 39:23,24,29; Psalm 13:2; Psalm 22:25; Psalm 27:9; Psalm 69:18; Psalm 88:15; Psalm 102:3; Psalm 143:7; absolute Deuteronomy 31:18; Job 13:24; Job 34:29; Psalm 30:8; compare Psalm 104:29; Psalm 44:25; מָּנִים omitted Isaiah 57:17; compare Isaiah 59:2 your sins have hidden (his) face from (מִן) you; of hiding one's face from (מִן) shame, i.e. avoiding it Isaiah 50:6 (of servant of ׳י). I. [סְתַר] verb Pa`el hide (see Biblical Hebrew); — Passive participle feminine plural emphatic מְסַתְּרָתָא Daniel 2:22 the hidden things. Topical Lexicon Overview of the Biblical Motifסָתַר pictures the act of hiding, covering, or concealing, either reflexively (“to hide oneself”) or transitively (“to hide something or someone”). The verb occurs about eighty times, stretching from the books of Moses to the post-exilic prophets. Two dominant theological themes emerge: (1) the self-concealment of God—either in judgment or in mercy, and (2) the divine protection that flows from being hidden by God. Around these poles, Scripture also describes human efforts to hide from God, to hide evil, or to hide the righteous in times of danger. Distribution across the Old Testament Torah – approximately 10 occurrences Historical Books – about 15 occurrences Poetic/Wisdom Books – roughly 25 occurrences (especially Psalms) Major and Minor Prophets – around 30 occurrences This spread shows that the idea of hiding is woven into every major literary genre of the Hebrew Scriptures. God Hides His Face: Judgment and Discipline When the covenant people reject Him, the Lord sometimes “hides His face,” withdrawing the felt blessing of His presence. Deuteronomy 31:17 – “My anger will burn against them… and I will surely hide My face in that day.” Deuteronomy 32:20 – “I will hide My face from them; I will see what their end will be.” Isaiah 54:8 – “In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you.” The motif functions covenantally: divine concealment warns Israel that broken fellowship, not divine impotence, lies behind calamity. Yet even in discipline, the promise of renewed mercy always stands (Isaiah 8:17; Micah 3:4 vs. Micah 7:8-9). God Hides His People: Protection and Refuge In striking contrast, the same verb describes the Lord as a secure hiding place for the faithful. Psalm 27:5 – “For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high upon a rock.” Psalm 31:20 – “You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the schemes of men; You conceal them in Your shelter from accusing tongues.” Isaiah 26:20 – “Come, My people, enter your chambers and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until the wrath has passed.” The covenant king (David), the nation as a whole, and individual believers all experience the Lord’s protective concealment. The word thereby joins the vocabulary of salvation, expressing both immediate deliverance from enemies and the eschatological safety yet to come. Human Attempts to Hide from God Sinful humanity reverses the intended order of things by trying to hide from the Creator. Job 34:22 – “There is no darkness or deep shadow where evildoers can hide.” Jeremiah 23:24 – “Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” The futility of such concealment underscores divine omniscience. Whenever men manage to hide from other humans, they remain exposed before God (Isaiah 29:15; Amos 9:3). Hiding Sin versus Confessing Sin Because סָתַר describes the effort to cover wrongdoing, it supplies vivid imagery for the choice between hypocrisy and repentance. Proverbs 28:13 (cf. broader OT motif) – “He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.” While another Hebrew root appears in this specific verse, the broader biblical usage of סָתַר enhances the contrast: God both sees and will expose hidden sin (Numbers 32:23; Ecclesiastes 12:14). Conversely, those who expose their sin before God find that He, not they, becomes the One who hides them from judgment. Hiding the Righteous in Times of Persecution God’s people sometimes act as agents of deliverance by hiding others. 1 Kings 18:4 – Obadiah “had taken a hundred prophets, hidden them in two caves, and provided them with bread and water.” Jeremiah 38:6-13 – Ebed-melech arranges to pull Jeremiah out of the cistern after the prophet had been hidden away in the mud. These texts illustrate covenant solidarity. Risking their lives, the faithful shelter the endangered because they share the Lord’s commitment to preserve His servants. Prophetic and Eschatological Nuances Isaiah and the Minor Prophets employ סָתַר in oracles of both doom and hope. The hiddenness of God becomes a signpost to the coming day of salvation. Isaiah 45:15 – “Truly You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, the Savior!” Habakkuk 3:4 (implicit) – Divine brightness flashes forth while His power remains partially concealed, intensifying the awe of the theophany. By coupling hiddenness with revelation, the prophets prepare readers for a salvation that is already at work yet still veiled, waiting to be fully unveiled in God’s appointed time. Christological and New Testament Echoes Although סָתַר itself is Hebrew, its theology resonates in the New Testament. Colossians 3:3 – “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Revelation 6:16 – The impenitent cry to the mountains, “Hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne.” Thus the gospel draws together both sides of the Old Testament picture: wrath for those who remain exposed, refuge for those whose lives are hidden in the Messiah. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Assurance of Protection – Believers facing persecution or uncertainty can pray Psalm 27:5 and Psalm 31:20 with confidence that the Lord still hides His own. Historical Reflections Throughout Israel’s history, periods of exile, occupation, and oppression repeatedly brought the language of hiding to the fore. In caves during Elijah’s day, in Babylon during exile, and in the intertestamental era under Antiochus, the faithful clung to promises that God would shelter them even when He seemed concealed. Early church fathers likewise adopted the imagery, interpreting martyrdom as a momentary hiddenness that would end in resurrection glory. Conclusion סָתַר gathers into one word the paradox of a God who both hides and reveals, judges and protects. From Moses to Malachi, and echoing into the New Testament, the verb instructs God’s people to forsake futile self-concealment, to seek refuge in the only sure Hiding Place, and to mirror that refuge to others until the day when “nothing is concealed that will not be disclosed” (Matthew 10:26). Forms and Transliterations אֶסָּתֵ֑ר אֶסָּתֵֽר׃ אַסְתִּ֤יר אַסְתִּ֤ירָה אַסְתִּ֥יר אסתיר אסתירה אסתר אסתר׃ הִסְתִּ֣יר הִסְתִּ֥יר הִסְתִּ֧ירוּ הִסְתִּירָֽנִי׃ הִסְתַּ֔רְתִּי הִסְתַּ֤רְתִּי הִסְתַּ֤רְתָּ הִסְתַּ֥רְתָּ הִסְתַּ֨רְתִּי הִסָּתֵ֖ר הַ֨נִּסְתָּרֹ֔ת הַמַּסְתִּ֥יר הַסְתֵּ֣ר המסתיר הנסתרת הסתיר הסתירו הסתירני׃ הסתר הסתרת הסתרתי וְאֶסָּתֵ֥ר וְהִסְתַּרְתִּ֨י וְהַנִּסְתָּרִ֖ים וְיַסְתֵּ֣ר וְיַסְתֵּ֨ר וְנִסְתְּרָ֖ה וְנִסְתַּרְתִּ֣י וְנִסְתַּרְתָּ֙ וְנִסְתָּ֑ר וַיִּסָּתֵ֥ר וַיַּסְתִּ֧רוּ וַיַּסְתִּרֵ֖ם וַיַּסְתֵּ֤ר וַיַּסְתֵּ֥ר וַתַּסְתִּירֵ֡הוּ וָאַסְתִּ֥ר ואסתר והנסתרים והסתרתי ויסתר ויסתרו ויסתרם ונסתר ונסתרה ונסתרת ונסתרתי ותסתירהו יִסָּ֨תְר֜וּ יִסָּתֵ֣ר יִסָּתֵ֥ר יִסָּתֵ֨ר יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי יַסְתִּ֨יר יסתיר יסתר יסתרו יסתרני לְהִסָּ֥תֶר לַסְתִּ֣ר להסתר לסתר מְסֻתָּֽרֶת׃ מִֽנִּסְתָּר֥וֹת מִסְתַּתֵּ֑ר מִסְתַּתֵּ֥ר מִסְתַּתֵּ֨ר מִסְתַּתֵּר֙ מנסתרות מסתרת׃ מסתתר נִ֝סְתָּ֗ר נִסְתְּר֖וּ נִסְתְּרָ֤ה נִסְתַּ֥רְתָּ נִסְתָּ֑ר נִסְתָּ֑רָה נִסְתָּֽרְנוּ׃ נִסְתָּֽרָה׃ נִסָּתֵ֖ר נסתר נסתרה נסתרה׃ נסתרו נסתרנו׃ נסתרת סַתְּרִי֙ סתרי תִּסְתַּתָּֽר׃ תִּסָּ֣תְר֔וּ תִּסָּתֵ֣ר תַּ֭סְתִּירֵנִי תַּסְתִּ֖יר תַּסְתִּ֥יר תַּסְתִּירֵ֤ם ׀ תַּסְתִּירֵֽנִי׃ תַּסְתֵּ֣ר תַּסְתֵּ֥ר תַּסְתֵּ֬ר תַסְתִּ֑יר תסתיר תסתירם תסתירני תסתירני׃ תסתר תסתרו תסתתר׃ ’as·tî·rāh ’as·tîr ’astîr ’astîrāh ’es·sā·ṯêr ’essāṯêr asTir asTirah essaTer ham·mas·tîr hammasTir hammastîr han·nis·tā·rōṯ hannistaRot hannistārōṯ has·têr hasTer hastêr his·sā·ṯêr his·tar·tā his·tar·tî his·tî·rā·nî his·tî·rū his·tîr hissaTer hissāṯêr hisTarta histartā hisTarti histartî hisTir histîr histiRani histîrānî hisTiru histîrū las·tir lastir lə·his·sā·ṯer lehisSater ləhissāṯer mə·sut·tā·reṯ mesutTaret məsuttāreṯ min·nis·tā·rō·wṯ minnistaRot minnistārōwṯ mis·tat·têr mistatTer mistattêr nis·sā·ṯêr nis·tā·rāh nis·tā·rə·nū nis·tār nis·tar·tā nis·tə·rāh nis·tə·rū nissaTer nissāṯêr nisTar nistār nisTarah nistārāh nisTarenu nistārənū nisTarta nistartā nisteRah nistərāh nisteRu nistərū sat·tə·rî satteRi sattərî tas·têr tas·tî·rê·nî tas·tî·rêm tas·tîr ṯas·tîr tasTer tastêr tasTir tastîr ṯastîr tastiRem tastîrêm Tastireni tastîrênî tis·sā·ṯə·rū tis·sā·ṯêr tis·tat·tār tissaTer tissāṯêr tisSateRu tissāṯərū tistatTar tistattār vaasTir vaiyasTer vaiyastiRem vaiyasTiru vaiyissaTer vattastiRehu veessaTer vehannistaRim vehistarTi venisTar venistarTa venistarTi venisteRah veyasTer wā’astir wā·’as·tir wat·tas·tî·rê·hū wattastîrêhū way·yas·têr way·yas·ti·rêm way·yas·ti·rū way·yis·sā·ṯêr wayyastêr wayyastirêm wayyastirū wayyissāṯêr wə’essāṯêr wə·’es·sā·ṯêr wə·han·nis·tā·rîm wə·his·tar·tî wə·nis·tār wə·nis·tar·tā wə·nis·tar·tî wə·nis·tə·rāh wə·yas·têr wəhannistārîm wəhistartî wənistār wənistartā wənistartî wənistərāh wəyastêr yas·ti·rê·nî yas·tîr yasTir yastîr Yastireni yastirênî yis·sā·ṯə·rū yis·sā·ṯêr yissaTer yissāṯêr yisSateRu yissāṯərūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 4:14 HEB: הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ אֶסָּתֵ֑ר וְהָיִ֜יתִי נָ֤ע NAS: and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant KJV: thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive INT: of the ground your face will be hidden to pass vagrant Genesis 31:49 Exodus 3:6 Numbers 5:13 Deuteronomy 7:20 Deuteronomy 29:29 Deuteronomy 31:17 Deuteronomy 31:18 Deuteronomy 32:20 1 Samuel 20:2 1 Samuel 20:5 1 Samuel 20:19 1 Samuel 20:24 1 Samuel 23:19 1 Samuel 26:1 1 Kings 17:3 2 Kings 11:2 2 Chronicles 22:11 Job 3:10 Job 3:23 Job 13:20 Job 13:24 Job 14:13 Job 28:21 Job 34:22 80 Occurrences |
    |