בִ/שְׂמֹאל֖/וֹ
𐤁/𐤔𐤌𐤀𐤋/𐤅
sᵉmôʼwl
in his left hand
The side of the body associated with the left hand; the direction leftward when facing east (the usual orientation in biblical times); by extension, also the geographic north, since orientation was performed with the face toward the sunrise. In some cases, the word can refer simply to the left hand or left side, either literally (in physical action or movement) or metaphorically (as the place of lesser honor or secondary importance, contrasting with the right hand).
Genesis 48:13 · Word #12
Lexicon H8040
| Lemma | שְׂמֹאול |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤔𐤌𐤀𐤅𐤋 |
| Transliteration | sᵉmôʼwl |
| Strong's | H8040 |
| Definition | The side of the body associated with the left hand; the direction leftward when facing east (the usual orientation in biblical times); by extension, also the geographic north, since orientation was performed with the face toward the sunrise. In some cases, the word can refer simply to the left hand or left side, either literally (in physical action or movement) or metaphorically (as the place of lesser honor or secondary importance, contrasting with the right hand). |
Morphology HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | c — Construct — The noun is bound to the following word |
Common Translation
| Phrase | in his left hand |
SIBI-P1 Translation H8040-25
in his left side
| Morphological Notes | Noun, masculine singular construct + 3ms pronominal suffix, with prefixed ב preposition. |
| Rendering Rationale | שְׂמֹאל denotes the left side (originally associated with the idea of enveloping or wrapping), and the construct form with a 3ms suffix yields "his left." The prefixed ב preposition adds "in," producing "in his left side." |
View full lexicon entry for H8040 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
in his left hand
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | P1 'in his left side' is not usual English for anatomical context; 'in his left hand' is more accurate as per the verse and contrasts with the previous hand. |