One of the most frequently used verbs (over 1,060 occurrences), shub means "to turn" or "to return." In theological contexts, it is the primary OT word for repentance — turning away from sin and back to God. It captures the physical metaphor at the heart of biblical repentance: you reverse course.
The prophets' message can be summarized in one word: shub — "Return!" Repentance in the OT is not primarily an emotion but an action. The word also carries the promise of restoration: God will shub (restore, bring back) His people from exile.
The beautiful reciprocity is captured in Malachi 3:7: "Return to me, and I will return to you." Lamentations 5:21 makes this a prayer: "Restore us [shub] to yourself, LORD, that we may return." The Greek metanoia (G3341) shifts emphasis from physical turning to inner transformation.