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H7599 · Hebrew · Old Testament
שָׁאַן
shaan
Verb
be at ease, rest securely, be undisturbed

Definition

Shaan means to be at ease, to rest quietly and securely without disturbance. It is a state of undisturbed comfort and security — the opposite of anxiety or alarm. In positive contexts it describes righteous rest in God's provision; in negative contexts it describes dangerous complacency in nations that feel safe from judgment.

Usage & Theological Significance

The prophets use shaan with sharp irony: Moab is like wine undisturbed on its lees — it has 'settled comfortably' (shaan) and never been poured out (Jeremiah 48:11). This false security is spiritual danger. Yet for God's people, shaan in God is entirely appropriate: Proverbs 1:33 promises that those who listen to wisdom will 'live in safety and be at ease [shaan], without fear of harm.' The theology distinguishes between human-sourced complacency and God-given peace. True rest comes not from absence of threat but from presence of the Protector.

Key Bible Verses

Jeremiah 48:11 Moab has been at rest [shaan] from youth, like wine left on its dregs, not poured from one jar to another.
Proverbs 1:33 But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease [shaan], without fear of harm.
Job 3:18 There the prisoners also enjoy their ease [shaan]; they no longer hear the slave driver's shout.
Amos 6:1 Woe to you who are complacent [shaan] in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria.
Isaiah 32:18 My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.

Related Words

External Resources

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