7696. shaga
Lexical Summary
shaga: To err, to go astray, to wander

Original Word: שָׁגַע
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shaga`
Pronunciation: shaw-gaw'
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-gah')
KJV: (be, play the) mad (man)
NASB: act the madman, behaving as a madman, demented, driven mad, mad fellow, madman, madmen
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to rave through insanity

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
play the mad man

A primitive root; to rave through insanity -- (be, play the) mad (man).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be mad
NASB Translation
act the madman (1), behaving as a madman (1), demented (1), driven mad (1), mad fellow (1), madman (1), madmen (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[שָׁגַע] Pu`al be mad (Arabic coo, of male pigeon, utter long whinny, of camel (compare HoffmZAW iii (1883), 89 RSJPhil. Xiv. 119 f. GoldziherArab. Philol. i. 59 ff. LagBN 202); Ethiopic be mad (n insert, Di1055 BaES 50); Assyrian šegû, rage, howl; on meaning in Hebrew see especially WeSkizzen iii. 130); —

Pu`al Participle as adjective : predicate וְהָיִיתָ מְשֻׁגָּע Deuteronomy 28:34 thou shalt be maddened (מִן because of), figurative for driven to despair; ׳מ of prophets, contemptuously Hosea 9:7, ׳כָּלאִֿישׁ מ וּמִתְנַבֵּא Jeremiah 29:26, as substantive 2 Kings 9:11; plural מְשֻׁגָּעִים 1 Samuel 21:16 madmen.

Hithpa`el shew madness; Participle אִישׁ מִשְׁתַּגֵּעַ 1 Samuel 21:15; Infinitive construct לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּעַ v.1 Samuel 21:16.

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Shāgaʿ depicts a state or display of madness, whether genuine, divinely imposed, pretended, or alleged. The verb describes mental disorientation in covenant curses, a strategy of self-preservation, and the charges leveled against prophets whose words were unwelcome. Through these varied settings Scripture exposes both the frailty of the human mind apart from God and the sovereignty of God in turning even madness—real or perceived—into an avenue for His purposes.

Occurrences in Scripture

Deuteronomy 28:34
1 Samuel 21:15 (three verbal occurrences in this verse)
2 Kings 9:11
Jeremiah 29:26
Hosea 9:7

Covenant Warnings and Divine Judgment

Deuteronomy 28:34 places shāgaʿ within the catalogue of curses for covenant infidelity: “You will be driven mad by the sights you see.”. Madness here is not merely a psychological phenomenon; it is an expression of divine sentence. The threatened insanity underlines how rebellion against the LORD shatters human wholeness. Mental anguish becomes part of the exile motif: a people who had once been set apart for wisdom (Deuteronomy 4:6) would, through disobedience, forfeit soundness of mind.

Feigned Madness and Providential Protection

In 1 Samuel 21 David “pretended to be insane” before Achish. The king protests, “Why have you brought this man to me? Do I lack madmen?” (1 Samuel 21:15). David’s ruse exploits Philistine cultural fears of the deranged and illustrates God’s providence in unlikely guise. The scene affirms that deliverance can arrive through unexpected means; the anointed king escapes death precisely by appearing cursed. Pastoral application: God’s rescue may offend human expectations, yet remains fully consistent with His covenant loyalty.

Perceived Madness and Prophetic Ministry

2 Kings 9:11. Jehu’s officers call Elisha’s messenger “this madman,” revealing the tension between heavenly revelation and earthly perception.

Jeremiah 29:26. Shemaiah accuses Jeremiah of madness, demanding that he be chained.

Hosea 9:7. Israel decries the prophet: “The prophet is a fool; the inspired man is insane”.

Taken together, these texts show that authentic prophecy is often branded irrational by a rebellious culture. What appears lunacy to the unspiritual is the wisdom of God (compare 1 Corinthians 2:14). The label of madness becomes a mark of faithful proclamation in hostile times.

Theological Insights

1. Human sanity is covenantal. Soundness of mind flows from obedience; rejection of God invites confusion (Romans 1:21-22 echoes the same principle).
2. God may turn apparent weakness into strength. David’s acted insanity prefigures the paradox of the cross where seeming defeat secures victory.
3. Prophetic voices should anticipate mischaracterization. When the message confronts sin, society may dismiss the messenger as unbalanced.

Historical and Cultural Notes

Ancient Near Eastern cultures associated madness with divine affliction or demonic influence. Consequently, madmen were feared and avoided. This backdrop explains Achish’s reaction and the officers’ contempt in 2 Kings 9:11. Priestly supervision of the temple (Jeremiah 29:26) included restraining those deemed mad, showing institutional attempts to maintain order by suppressing disturbing spiritual claims.

Ministry Significance Today

• Pastoral Care: Mental illness does not automatically equal divine judgment, yet Deuteronomy 28 reminds believers that sin has holistic consequences and that only in Christ is true wholeness restored.
• Apologetics: Accusations of irrationality against Scripture or its messengers are not new. Faithful ministries should respond with patience, grounding arguments in the revealed Word.
• Spiritual Discernment: Not every ecstatic display signals inspiration. The false prophet may simulate zeal, while the true prophet can be mislabeled mad. Discernment rests on conformity to Scripture and the fruit of righteousness.

Summary

Shāgaʿ traces a thread from covenant curse to prophetic confrontation to personal deliverance, revealing that sanity and madness are ultimately theological matters. Whether exposing judgment, shielding a fugitive king, or marking a rejected prophet, the concept underscores God’s absolute rule over the human mind and history.

Forms and Transliterations
הַמְשֻׁגָּ֥ע המשגע לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּ֖עַ להשתגע מְשֻׁגָּ֑ע מְשֻׁגָּ֖ע מְשֻׁגָּע֙ מְשֻׁגָּעִים֙ מִשְׁתַּגֵּ֔עַ משגע משגעים משתגע ham·šug·gā‘ hamshugGa hamšuggā‘ lə·hiš·tag·gê·a‘ lehishtagGea ləhištaggêa‘ mə·šug·gā‘ mə·šug·gā·‘îm meshugGa meshuggaIm məšuggā‘ məšuggā‘îm miš·tag·gê·a‘ mishtagGea mištaggêa‘
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Englishman's Concordance
Deuteronomy 28:34
HEB: וְהָיִ֖יתָ מְשֻׁגָּ֑ע מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה עֵינֶ֖יךָ
NAS: You shall be driven mad by the sight
KJV: So that thou shalt be mad for the sight
INT: become shall be driven the sight eyes

1 Samuel 21:15
HEB: תִרְאוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִשְׁתַּגֵּ֔עַ לָ֛מָּה תָּבִ֥יאוּ
NAS: Do I lack madmen, that you have brought
KJV: Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought
INT: advise self he madmen that you have brought

1 Samuel 21:15
HEB: -16 חֲסַ֤ר מְשֻׁגָּעִים֙ אָ֔נִי כִּי־
NAS: one to act the madman
KJV: that ye have brought this [fellow] to play the mad man in my presence? shall this [fellow] come
INT: about lack to act I for

1 Samuel 21:15
HEB: אֶת־ זֶ֔ה לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּ֖עַ עָלָ֑י הֲזֶ֖ה
NAS: to act the madman in my presence?
INT: come this the madman and one

2 Kings 9:11
HEB: מַדּ֛וּעַ בָּֽא־ הַמְשֻׁגָּ֥ע הַזֶּ֖ה אֵלֶ֑יךָ
NAS: did this mad fellow come
KJV: wherefore came this mad [fellow] to thee? And he said
INT: how come mad this to you

Jeremiah 29:26
HEB: לְכָל־ אִ֥ישׁ מְשֻׁגָּ֖ע וּמִתְנַבֵּ֑א וְנָתַתָּ֥ה
NAS: over every madman who prophesies,
KJV: for every man [that is] mad, and maketh himself a prophet,
INT: every man madman prophesies to put

Hosea 9:7
HEB: אֱוִ֣יל הַנָּבִ֗יא מְשֻׁגָּע֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָר֔וּחַ
NAS: man is demented, Because
KJV: man [is] mad, for the multitude
INT: fool the prophet is demented man the inspired

7 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7696
7 Occurrences


ham·šug·gā‘ — 1 Occ.
lə·hiš·tag·gê·a‘ — 1 Occ.
mə·šug·gā‘ — 3 Occ.
mə·šug·gā·‘îm — 1 Occ.
miš·tag·gê·a‘ — 1 Occ.

7695
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