Hebrew word · H8324

שׁוֹרֵר

shorai

enemy

"One who watches (with hostile intent), one who lies in wait." BDB and many interpreters connect it with the verb shûr, "to look at, watch closely" (Num 23:9; Job 35:5). Others connect it with sharar, "to be hostile." It is found only in the Psalms (5:8; 27:11; 54:5; 56:2; 59:10; 92:11).

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

(Qal) to be an enemy

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Psalm 56:2

Range of meaning

"One who watches (with hostile intent), one who lies in wait." BDB and many interpreters connect it with the verb shûr, "to look at, watch closely" (Num 23:9; Job 35:5). Others connect it with sharar, "to be hostile." It is found only in the Psalms (5:8; 27:11; 54:5; 56:2; 59:10; 92:11). In every case it means enemies who are watching for a chance to strike.

Against the English

Most English versions say simply "enemies" or "foes." That is accurate but flat. The word's picture is surveillance: people tracking you and waiting for you to slip.

Used elsewhere in the period

Psalm 5:8 and 27:11 ask God to lead the speaker "because of my shôrĕray": lead me on a level path so the watchers have nothing to seize on. Psalm 92:11 says "my eye has looked on my watchers," so the watched man ends up watching them.

From the study of Psalm 5:8

Range of meaning

Hostile watcher, someone lying in wait, adversary. It is found only in the Psalms (5:8; 27:11; 54:5; 56:2; 59:10). It is most likely connected to the verb שׁוּר 'to look at, watch, lie in wait', as used in Hos 13:7: 'like a leopard I will lurk by the way'.

Against the English

'Enemies' or 'foes' (most versions) is correct but general. YLT's 'those observing me' and some scholarly renderings ('my watchers', 'those who lie in wait for me') keep the picture of an ambush and of people watching for a fall.

Used elsewhere in the period

Psalm 27:11 has nearly the same prayer: 'lead me on a level path because of my šôrərîm.' Psalm 56:6 describes enemies who 'watch my steps', which fits the 'watcher' sense. Older lexicons (BDB) and HALOT both list it as 'adversary', with the 'watcher/lurker' derivation as the main explanation.

From the study of Psalm 27:11

Range of meaning

A participle (a verb used as a noun) from šûr, 'look at, gaze, watch,' with a hostile sense: one who watches you with hostile intent, who lies in wait. BDB: 'watchful foe.' HALOT: 'adversary, one who lies in wait.' Compare Hos 13:7, 'like a leopard I will lurk (ʾāšûr) beside the way.'

Against the English

KJV/WEB/ESV 'enemies' and BSB/NIV 'oppressors' give the general idea of hostility but lose the watching. YLT 'beholders' keeps the looking but loses the hostility. The fullest sense is 'those who watch me, waiting for me to fall.'

Used elsewhere in the period

Found only in the Psalms: 5:9 [Eng 5:8]; 27:11; 54:7 [Eng 54:5]; 56:3 [Eng 56:2]; 59:11 [Eng 59:10]; 92:12 [Eng 92:11] ('my eye has looked on my watchers'). Jerome's translation from the Hebrew renders it insidiatores, 'those who lie in ambush.'

Where it appears

Psalms · 5

  1. Psalm 5:8 שׁוֹרְרָ֑י enemies my

    Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me.

    Here: A rare word found only in the Psalms, probably from a verb 'to watch, lurk'. These are enemies who keep a hostile eye on him and wait for a slip. YLT's 'those observing me' keeps the picture.

  2. Psalm 27:11 שׁוֹרְרָֽי׃ enemies my

    Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path, because of my oppressors.

    Here: 'My watchers': enemies who keep their eyes on him, waiting for him to slip. The word comes from a root meaning 'to look at, watch, lurk', which is why YLT says 'beholders.'

  3. Psalm 54:5 לְשֹׁרְרָ֑י to enemies my

    He will reward my enemies with evil. In Your faithfulness, destroy them.

  4. Psalm 56:2 שׁ֭וֹרְרַי enemies my

    My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me.

    Here: "My watchers": enemies who keep an eye on him and lie in wait. This is a psalm word for foes who track a man's every step (compare verse 6, "they watch my steps").

  5. Psalm 59:10 בְשֹׁרְרָֽי׃ on enemies my

    My God of loving devotion will come to meet me; God will let me stare down my foes.

    Here: 'On those who watch me', meaning enemies who spy on and lie in wait for him. This matches the heading of the psalm, where Saul's men watch David's house. The ones who watched him will end up being watched by him.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.