סוּךְ
𐤎𐤅𐤊
çûwk
H5480 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To rub, smear, or anoint with a substance, usually oil, for practical, ritual, or symbolic purposes. The verb can refer to the general act of applying a substance, most commonly oil, to persons or objects—often as part of rituals of hospitality, healing, or consecration. The sense is broader than technical acts of anointing for high office (as with מָשַׁח, mashach), and can describe simply oiling the body, smearing ointments, or anointing household items.
Semantic Range
to smear oil on a person (for personal care or hospitality), to anoint an object (e.g. a shield), to apply a substance in a ritual context, to rub or cover with ointment or oil, to anoint oneself
Root / Etymology
From the root סוּךְ, meaning 'to smear, rub, anoint.' The root conveys the idea of spreading or applying a liquid over a surface. The derived verb takes on the more specific sense of applying (especially oil) to a person or object. Distinct from משח (mashach), which means 'to anoint as a recognition of office or status.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
סוּךְ occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible, found primarily in the books of Samuel and Micah. In contrast to מָשַׁח (mashach), which is reserved for anointing kings, priests, or holy objects, סוּךְ is used for more general acts of smearing or anointing, sometimes for personal grooming or hospitality, as well as for anointing shields with oil (Isaiah 21:5). The use of סוּךְ does not carry the technical or official connotation of religious consecration. Later Hebrew and Aramaic usage continue this more general sense of smearing or applying a substance. Some English translations consistently render both סוּךְ and מָשַׁח as 'anoint,' potentially obscuring the contextual nuance and broader sense of סוּךְ.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to smear over (with oil), i.e. anoint; anoint (self), [idiom] at all.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
סוך (s-w-k) — smearing, rubbing, anointing
Word Forms
8 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5480-02 |
תָס֔וּךְ | tasukhe | HVqi2ms |
will anoint | you will smear | 2 |
H5480-07 |
וַ/יְסֻכ֗וּ/ם | vayesukhum | HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3mp |
and anointed them | and they smeared them | 1 |
H5480-01 |
סָ֑כְתִּי | sakheti | HVqp1cs |
I anointed | I smeared with oil | 1 |
H5480-03 |
תָּס֨וּכִי֙ | tasukhi | HVqj2fs |
you anoint yourself | may you smear | 1 |
H5480-06 |
וַ/יָּ֗סֶךְ | vayasekhe | HC/Vqw3ms |
and anointed | and he applied oil | 1 |
H5480-04 |
וָ/אֲסֻכֵ֖/ךְ | vaasukhekhe | HC/Vqw1cs/Sp2fs |
and I anointed you | and I smeared you | 1 |
H5480-08 |
וְ/ס֣וֹךְ | vesokhe | HC/Vqa |
and anointing | and to smear | 1 |
H5480-05 |
וָ/סַ֗כְתְּ | vasakhete | HC/Vqq2fs |
and-anoint-yourself | and you smeared | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5480-02 |
Deuteronomy 28:40 | תָס֔וּךְ | tasukhe | HVqi2ms |
you shall anoint | you will smear |
H5480-06 |
2 Samuel 12:20 | וַ/יָּ֗סֶךְ | vayasekhe | HC/Vqw3ms |
and anointed | and he applied oil |
H5480-03 |
2 Samuel 14:2 | תָּס֨וּכִי֙ | tasukhi | HVqj2fs |
you anoint yourself | may you smear |
H5480-04 |
Ezekiel 16:9 | וָ/אֲסֻכֵ֖/ךְ | vaasukhekhe | HC/Vqw1cs/Sp2fs |
and I anointed you | and I smeared you |
H5480-02 |
Micah 6:15 | תָס֣וּךְ | tasukhe | HVqi2ms |
will anoint | you will smear |
H5480-05 |
Ruth 3:3 | וָ/סַ֗כְתְּ | vasakhete | HC/Vqq2fs |
and-anoint-yourself | and you smeared |
H5480-08 |
Daniel 10:3 | וְ/ס֣וֹךְ | vesokhe | HC/Vqa |
and anointing | and to smear |
H5480-01 |
Daniel 10:3 | סָ֑כְתִּי | sakheti | HVqp1cs |
I anointed | I smeared with oil |
H5480-07 |
2 Chronicles 28:15 | וַ/יְסֻכ֗וּ/ם | vayesukhum | HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3mp |
and anointed them | and they smeared them |