This verb ranks twelfth among the verbs most frequently used in the Hebrew Bible. It covers a wide variety of meanings from physical movement and traveling to spiritual conversion, to voluntary or forced migration.

In all its brevity, the book of Ruth testifies admirably to such wide variety of meaning, with no fewer than fifteen occurrences of the word shuv. The plot unfolds around the concept of return. At the outset, we hear that Naomi “started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab…to the land of Judah” (1:6-7), and she confesses: “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back (literally: “made me return”) empty” (1:21). When a son is born to Ruth, her daughterin-law, the women of Beth-Lehem will conclude: “He shall be to you a restorer of life” (4:15). The verb shuv is also used to speak about the awaited return of the people from Egypt to the land of Canaan (Gen 48:21) and, later on from Babylon to Zion (Ezra 2:1; Neh 7:6) and from Egypt to Judah (Jer 44:28; Zech 10:10).

Whenever the verb is used with God as the object, it may express either estrangement from God or conversion to God. The former phrase is used mainly about the rebellion of the people and the worship of idols: “What is this treachery that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away today from following the Lord, by building yourselves an altar today in rebellion against the Lord?” (Josh 22:16; see also Num 14:43; 1 Kgs 9:6). On the other hand, the verb shuv is a key word in the preaching of the prophets who keep calling both the people and individuals to genuine conversion to God: “Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings” (Jer 18:11; see also 25:5; 35:15; Ezek 33:11). Yet, while insisting upon concrete steps to be taken, prophets remain well aware of the giftedness of human conversion: “Bring me back, let me come back, for you are the Lord my God” (Jer 31:18); “Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored; renew our days as of old” (Lam 5:21).  GWT

Occurrences in Old Testament: 1076
1) JEREMIAH 115
2) PSALMS 74
3) GENESIS 68