סָרָה noun common feminine singular absolute homonym 2   
1480.0 סוּר (sûr) turn aside, depart.

(1480a) סָרָה (s¹râ) turning aside, defection.

The primary meaning of the root is "to turn aside." It appears to be a distinctively Northwest Semitic word, being attested particularly in Hebrew and Phoenician. Intransitive in the basic stem, it is accordingly frequently found with many prepositions, yielding such ideas as "turn aside from/into," and "withdraw from."

The verbal root occurs 191 times. In many cases it is a simple verb of motion, the act of turning aside (Exo 3:3-4; Jud 4:18; Ruth 4:1) or departing (Num 12:10).

The idea of departing could also involve spiritual issues. Thus, Samson "knew not that the Lord had departed from him" (Jud 16:20). The Lord departed from Saul" (1Sam 16:14; 1Sam 28:16). Tragically, it was said repeatedly of Israel and its leaders that they did not depart "from the sins of Jeroboam" (2Kings 10:31; 2Kings 13:2, 6, 11; 2Kings 14:24; 2Kings 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 2Kings 17:22; cf. 3:3). God complained against Jerusalem that the heart of his people had departed from him (Ezek 6:9). Unfortunately, those who had "departed not from following the Lord" (2Kings 18:6) were all too few.

The root is often used of Israel's apostasy. In many cases it is translated, "turn aside/away" (e.g. Exo 32:8; Deut 9:12; Deut 11:16). Conversely, "not to turn aside" was a way of affirming a man's steadfastness before the Lord (1Kings 22:43). Such a course of following strictly the will of God is frequently depicted by wedding the root to the familiar right hand-left hand motif. Thus, it was said of Josiah that he "did not turn aside to the right hand, nor to the left" (2Kings 22:2; cf. Deut 2:27; Deut 5:32 [H 29]; Josh 1:7).

In the Hiphil stem, the meaning "remove" is most common. Asa removes Maacah for her continued idolatry (2Chr 15:16). Hezekiah removes the places and cult objects of idolatry (2Kings 18:4; 2Chr 30:14). God's people are urged to remove or "put away" those things that will do spiritual harm to them: strange gods (Gen 35:2), all evil (Isa 1:16), wine (1Sam 1:14), false ways (Psa 119:29), and false worship (Amos 5:21-23).

The root is also found frequently in the wisdom literature, being used of the most basic spiritual issues. Job (Job 15:30) is reminded that the wicked will ultimately perish at God's command. Godly wisdom and the fear of the Lord, however, turn one aside from the snares of death (Prov 13:14; Prov 14:27). This is to be learned thoroughly in one's youth so that it will become a pattern throughout life (Prov 22:6).

Rather than turning aside from God's commands and will for the life, the wise course of action is ever to "fear the Lord and turn away from evil" (Prov 3:7, cf. Prov 16:6, 17; Job 28:28; Psa 34:14 [H 15]; Psa 37:27).

s¹râ. Turning aside, defection, rebellion. The derivative s¹râ also deals with man's relation to God and is used in two ways: (1) of any moral or legal defection (Deut 19:16) and (2) of distinct defection from God (Deut 13:5 [H 6]; Isa 31:6; Isa 59:13; Jer 28:16; Jer 29:32).

Bibliography: THAT, II, pp.148-49. R.D.P.