Meaning
To forsake is to abandon, leave, reject, or cease to support or follow someone or something.
Biblical Usage
In Scripture, forsake refers to abandoning, leaving, rejecting, or turning away from a person, place, practice, covenant, or course of action. The term may describe people leaving one another, abandoning possessions or places, or turning away from God and His commandments.
The term is also used in statements concerning God’s relationship with His people, including passages affirming that He does not forsake those who seek Him. It can therefore describe both human abandonment and God’s continued presence.
Key References
- Genesis 2:24
- Deuteronomy 4:31
- Deuteronomy 31:6
- Joshua 24:16-20
- Judges 10:13
- 1 Samuel 12:10
- 1 Kings 8:57
- Psalm 9:10
- Psalm 27:9
- Psalm 37:25
- Isaiah 55:7
- Jeremiah 2:13
- Matthew 27:46
- Hebrews 13:5
Related Terms
- Abandon
- Leave
- Reject
- Depart
- Apostasy
- Choose
- Serve
- Obedience
- Covenant