Job 36:26

שגיא (śaggîʾ) Strongs #7689

Adj. [from √ שׂ־ג־א, rare poetic root; cf. Aram. סְגִי, סְגָא, Syr. sgāʾ]

Semantic Field:

greatly increased, grown immense, amplified, enlarged, magnified.

Definition:

Describes that which has become exceedingly great, magnified, numerous, or exalted—whether in status, power, or magnitude—often to the point of inaccessibility or incomprehensibility. Applied especially to divine attributes, nations, or deeds of overwhelming scale. 

שגא (śāgāʾ, H7679) is a primitive Semitic root meaning:

"to grow," "to increase," "to be or become great/exalted."

The root concept carries the implication of "rising from smallness"— hence magnified, a trajectory toward greatness/magnitude.

• It focuses on the state or act of enlargement

• It can describe process (in Hiphil: “to make great”) or resultant state (in the adjective שגיא).

• This implies a process of change — it is telic (goal-oriented).

• While the initial state is not lexically specified, the logic of growth entails that it must be lesser than the result.

• Thus, “small beginnings” are not the lexical meaning but a semantic entailment of the notion of increase/enlargement.

Usage Notes:

• Occurs predominantly in poetic and wisdom texts (esp. Job), typically with theological or metaphysical connotation.

• Semantically suggests not only growth or increase but a resultant state of eminence or transcendence.

• Related in nuance to רוּם, שָׂגַב, and נָשָׂא, but with stronger poetic and exaltational overtones.

Examples:

• Job 36:26 – "הן אל שגיא ולא נדע" — “Behold, a mighty one is mag, and we do not know.”

• Job 12:23 – "משגיא לגוים ויאבדם" — “He grows nations great, then destroys them, he spreads abroad the nations and guides them.”

"And the Little Child was increasing, and was strengthening" (Luke 2:40 RBT)