Set (To)

"to put, place, set, station, fix." In addition to biblical Hebrew, this verb is found frequently in ancient Ugaritic. It occurs more than 80 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, for the first time in Gen 3:15: "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman…."

Generally speaking, this word is a term of physical action, typically expressing movement from one place to another. Often it expresses "putting" hands on someone or something: "… Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes [close your eyes]" (Gen 46:4). One may "put on" ornaments (Exod 33:4); Naomi laid her "grandchild" Obed in her bosom (Ruth 4:16); a fine may be "laid" on someone for injury (Exod 21:22). Sheep may be "set" or stationed, at a particular place (Gen 30:40). "To set" one's heart to something is to give heed to, to pay attention (Exod 7:23; rsv, "he did not lay even this to heart"). To set one's heart may also be to reflect: "Then I saw, and considered it [set my heart to it] …" (Prov 24:32). "To set" boundaries is "to set," or "fix," limits: "And I will set thy bounds from the Red Sea even unto the sea of the Philistines …" (Exod 23:31). When Job cries: "Oh … that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!" (Job 14:13), he wants limits "set" for him.

Sit is sometimes used to express the making of something: "… I will make him prince …" (1Kings 11:34); "And I will lay it waste …" (Isa 5:6); "… I will make thee a wilderness …" (Jer 22:6).