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 Origina prim. root
Definitionto be mad
NASB Translationact the madman (1), behaving as a madman (1), demented (1), driven mad (1), mad fellow (1), madman (1), madmen (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (Arabic
coo, of male pigeon,
utter long whinny, of camel (compare Hoffm
ZAW iii (1883), 89 RS
JPhil. Xiv. 119 f. Goldziher
Arab. Philol. i. 59 ff. Lag
BN 202); Ethiopic
be mad (
n insert, Di
1055 Ba
ES 50); Assyrian
šegû, rage, howl; on meaning in Hebrew see especially We
Skizzen iii. 130); —
Participle as adjective : predicateDeuteronomy 28:34thou shalt be maddened ( because of), figurative for driven to despair; of prophets, contemptuouslyHosea 9:7,Jeremiah 29:26, as substantive2 Kings 9:11; plural1 Samuel 21:16madmen.
shew madness; Participle1 Samuel 21:15;Infinitive construct v.1 Samuel 21:16.
Topical Lexicon
OverviewShāgaʿ 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
In1 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 (compare1 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 in2 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, yetDeuteronomy 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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