סָמַךְ (H5564) — Hebrew Lexicon

סָמַךְ

𐤎𐤌𐤊

çâmak

H5564 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To support, lean or rest upon, provide physical or figurative stability or reinforcement. The primary sense is to place or cause something to rest, either literally—such as laying a hand upon someone or leaning upon an object—or metaphorically in the sense of providing support, reliability, or endorsement. In various contexts, it can signify the act of upholding or sustaining a person, structure, or cause.

Semantic Range

to lean on, to rest upon, to lay (a hand) on, to support, to sustain, to uphold, to confer or impart by touch, to rely upon (figuratively), to establish (by supportive act), to endorse or authenticate (through gesture)

Root / Etymology

Root: ס-מ-ך. This root conveys the meaning 'to support, to lean,' and from it derive verbs and nouns related to supporting, propping, and sustaining. The verb סָמַךְ (sāmak) directly reflects the core sense of physical or metaphorical support or reliance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

סָמַךְ is used widely in diverse contexts: physically (a hand laid on a sacrifice, Lev 1:4), metaphorically (supporting or sustaining someone, Ps 3:6), and institutionally (conferring authority or recognition). In priestly texts, 'laying hands' is not merely a physical gesture but confers identification, endorsement, or transference. In wisdom literature and poetry, it can describe trust or dependence, especially in prayers or laments, emphasizing reliance on the divine or on other figures. Some nuances appear in later Hebrew, where the sense of official appointment or ordination develops, but this is primarily post-biblical. English translations often narrow the range to 'lean' or 'support,' but biblical usage also involves complex ritual and relational dimensions. Compared to related verbs (e.g., עָזַר, 'to help', or תָּמַךְ, 'to support/hold'), סָמַךְ emphasizes initial placement or act of support, especially with hands or physical props, rather than ongoing holding or assistance. The meaning remains consistent from the earliest to the latest biblical periods, though post-biblical usage becomes increasingly institutionalized (as in rabbinic סמיכה, 'ordination').

Translation Consistency

primary "support" 20 occurrences

“Support” best covers the full semantic range of סָמַךְ — physical leaning or propping, laying a hand on to uphold or confer, sustaining or upholding someone or something, and figurative reliance or endorsement. It’s natural English and broad enough to be used consistently for literal and metaphorical senses across all forms.

Alternatives (28 occurrences):

"lay" (13x) "laid" (5x) "sustain" (2x) "leaned" (1x) "lean" (1x) "laid siege" (1x) "supporters of" (1x) "supporter" (1x) "among those who uphold" (1x) "rested" (1x) "relied" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense); bear up, establish, (up-) hold, lay, lean, lie hard, put, rest self, set self, stand fast, stay (self), sustain.

Bantu Hebrew

Language	Bantu Word	Meaning
Bemba	imika	to uphold or give support to someone or something
Chichewa	kumika	to support, to fix upright, to prop up
Kikuyu	gũmica	to cause to rest, lay (an object) down, to support
Luganda	okumika	to support, to prop up, to reinforce
Shona	kumika	to support, to reinforce, to fix in position
Swahili	-simika	to set upright, to fix in position, to establish
Tumbuka	kumika	to support, to establish, to set up
Zulu	ukumisa	to make stand, to erect, to set upright, to support

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

סמך (s-m-k) — support, lean, prop, uphold

Root סמך to support, to lean, to prop

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H3253	יִסְמַכְיָהוּ	and Yahweh-will-sustain
H5565	סְמַכְיָהוּ	and YHWH-has-supported
H8063	שְׂמִיכָה	in the support-cloth

Word Forms

26 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H5564-20`	וְ/סָמַ֨ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay	12
`H5564-22`	וְ/סָ֨מְכ֜וּ	vesamekhu	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and let them lay	and they supported	and they supported	4
`H5564-18`	וַֽ/יִּסְמְכ֞וּ	vayisemekhu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they laid	and they supported	and they laid	3
`H5564-13`	סוֹמֵ֑ךְ	somekhe	`HVqrmsa`	holds	supporting one	supporting one	3
`H5564-08`	סָמ֔וּךְ	samukhe	`HVqsmsa`	steadfast	supported	supported	2
`H5564-24`	יִסָּמֵ֥ךְ	yisamekhe	`HVNi3ms`	leans	he will be supported	it will be supported	2
`H5564-19`	וַ/יִּסְמֹ֨ךְ	vayisemokhe	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and laid	and he supported	and he laid	2
`H5564-04`	סָמַ֥ךְ	samakhe	`HVqp3ms`	had laid	he supported	has laid siege	2
`H5564-26`	יִסְמְכ֣וּ	yisemekhu	`HVqi3mp`	shall-lay-their-hands	they will support	they shall lay	1
`H5564-03`	נִסְמָ֑כוּ	nisemakhu	`HVNp3cp`	they lean	they were supported	they were supported	1
`H5564-07`	סַמְּכ֨וּ/נִי֙	samekhuni	`HVpv2mp/Sp1cs`	Sustain me	Support me	Support me	1
`H5564-05`	סָמְכָ֣ה	samekhah	`HVqp3fs`	has rested	she supported	has rested	1
`H5564-21`	וְ/סָמַכְתָּ֥	vesamakheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and you shall lay	and you shall support	and you shall lay	1
`H5564-06`	סָמְכֵ֣/נִי	samekheni	`HVqv2ms/Sp1cs`	sustain me	Support me	Support me	1
`H5564-14`	סֹמְכֵ֣י	somekhey	`HVqrmpc`	supporters-of	supporting ones of	supporters of	1
`H5564-17`	וַ/יִּסָּמְכ֣וּ	vayisamekhu	`HC/VNw3mp`	and relied	and they leaned themselves	and they relied	1
`H5564-01`	בְּֽ/סֹמְכֵ֥י	besomekhey	`HR/Vqrmpc`	among those who uphold	among supporters of	among those who uphold	1
`H5564-16`	וַ/יִּסָּמֵ֖ךְ	vayisamekhe	`HC/VNw3ms`	and leaned	and he leaned himself	and he leaned himself	1
`H5564-25`	יִסְמְכֵֽ/נִי	yisemekheni	`HVqi3ms/Sp1cs`	will sustain me	he will support me	he will sustain me	1
`H5564-09`	סְמָכָֽתְ/הוּ	semakhatehu	`HVqp3fs/Sp3ms`	sustained him	she supported him	supported him	1
`H5564-15`	תִסְמְכֵֽ/נִי	tisemekheni	`HVqi2ms/Sp1cs`	will sustain me	you will support me	will sustain me	1
`H5564-23`	וְ/סוֹמֵ֖ךְ	vesomekhe	`HC/Vqrmsa`	but YHWH sustains	the supporting one	but the supporter	1
`H5564-10`	סְמָכָֽתְ/נִי	semakhateni	`HVqp3fs/Sp1cs`	upheld-me	she supported me	it supported me	1
`H5564-02`	נִסְמַ֬כְתִּי	nisemakheti	`HVNp1cs`	I have been sustained	I was supported	I have been supported	1
`H5564-11`	סְמַכְתִּ֑י/ו	semakhetiv	`HVqp1cs/Sp3ms`	I have sustained him	I supported him	I supported him	1
`H5564-12`	סְמוּכִ֣ים	semukhim	`HVqsmpa`	upheld	supported ones	supported ones	1

Occurrences in Scripture

48 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H5564-11`	Genesis 27:37	סְמַכְתִּ֑י/ו	semakhetiv	`HVqp1cs/Sp3ms`	I have sustained him	I supported him	I supported him
`H5564-20`	Exodus 29:10	וְ/סָמַ֨ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay
`H5564-22`	Exodus 29:15	וְ/סָ֨מְכ֜וּ	vesamekhu	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and they shall lean	and they supported	and they supported
`H5564-20`	Exodus 29:19	וְ/סָמַ֨ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay
`H5564-20`	Leviticus 1:4	וְ/סָמַ֣ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay
`H5564-20`	Leviticus 3:2	וְ/סָמַ֤ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay
`H5564-20`	Leviticus 3:8	וְ/סָמַ֤ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay
`H5564-20`	Leviticus 3:13	וְ/סָמַ֤ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay
`H5564-20`	Leviticus 4:4	וְ/סָמַ֤ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay
`H5564-22`	Leviticus 4:15	וְ֠/סָמְכוּ	vesamekhu	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and shall lay	and they supported	and they supported
`H5564-20`	Leviticus 4:24	וְ/סָמַ֤ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay
`H5564-20`	Leviticus 4:29	וְ/סָמַךְ֙	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay
`H5564-20`	Leviticus 4:33	וְ/סָמַךְ֙	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and he shall lay	and he supported	and he supported
`H5564-19`	Leviticus 8:14	וַ/יִּסְמֹ֨ךְ	vayisemokhe	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and laid	and he supported	and he laid
`H5564-18`	Leviticus 8:18	וַֽ/יִּסְמְכ֞וּ	vayisemekhu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they laid	and they supported	and they supported
`H5564-18`	Leviticus 8:22	וַֽ/יִּסְמְכ֞וּ	vayisemekhu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they laid	and they supported	and they laid
`H5564-20`	Leviticus 16:21	וְ/סָמַ֨ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and shall lay	and he supported	and he shall lay
`H5564-22`	Leviticus 24:14	וְ/סָמְכ֧וּ	vesamekhu	`HC/Vqp3cp`	and let them lay	and they supported	and they supported
`H5564-22`	Numbers 8:10	וְ/סָמְכ֧וּ	vesamekhu	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and-they-shall-lay	and they supported	and they shall lay
`H5564-26`	Numbers 8:12	יִסְמְכ֣וּ	yisemekhu	`HVqi3mp`	shall-lay-their-hands	they will support	they shall lay
`H5564-21`	Numbers 27:18	וְ/סָמַכְתָּ֥	vesamakheta	`HC/Vqq2ms`	and you shall lay	and you shall support	and you shall lay
`H5564-19`	Numbers 27:23	וַ/יִּסְמֹ֧ךְ	vayisemokhe	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and laid	and he supported	and he laid
`H5564-04`	Deuteronomy 34:9	סָמַ֥ךְ	samakhe	`HVqp3ms`	had laid	he supported	he laid
`H5564-16`	Judges 16:29	וַ/יִּסָּמֵ֖ךְ	vayisamekhe	`HC/VNw3ms`	and leaned	and he leaned himself	and he leaned himself
`H5564-24`	2 Kings 18:21	יִסָּמֵ֥ךְ	yisamekhe	`HVNi3ms`	leans	he will be supported	it will lean
`H5564-08`	Isaiah 26:3	סָמ֔וּךְ	samukhe	`HVqsmsa`	steadfast	supported	supported
`H5564-24`	Isaiah 36:6	יִסָּמֵ֥ךְ	yisamekhe	`HVNi3ms`	leans	he will be supported	it will be supported
`H5564-03`	Isaiah 48:2	נִסְמָ֑כוּ	nisemakhu	`HVNp3cp`	they lean	they were supported	they were supported
`H5564-09`	Isaiah 59:16	סְמָכָֽתְ/הוּ	semakhatehu	`HVqp3fs/Sp3ms`	sustained him	she supported him	supported him
`H5564-13`	Isaiah 63:5	סוֹמֵ֑ךְ	somekhe	`HVqrmsa`	to-uphold	supporting one	supporting one
`H5564-10`	Isaiah 63:5	סְמָכָֽתְ/נִי	semakhateni	`HVqp3fs/Sp1cs`	upheld-me	she supported me	it supported me
`H5564-04`	Ezekiel 24:2	סָמַ֤ךְ	samakhe	`HVqp3ms`	has laid siege	he supported	has laid siege
`H5564-14`	Ezekiel 30:6	סֹמְכֵ֣י	somekhey	`HVqrmpc`	supporters-of	supporting ones of	supporters of
`H5564-20`	Amos 5:19	וְ/סָמַ֤ךְ	vesamakhe	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and leaned	and he supported	and he supported
`H5564-25`	Psalms 3:6	יִסְמְכֵֽ/נִי	yisemekheni	`HVqi3ms/Sp1cs`	will sustain me	he will support me	he will sustain me
`H5564-23`	Psalms 37:17	וְ/סוֹמֵ֖ךְ	vesomekhe	`HC/Vqrmsa`	but YHWH sustains	the supporting one	but the supporter
`H5564-13`	Psalms 37:24	סוֹמֵ֥ךְ	somekhe	`HVqrmsa`	holds	supporting one	supporting one
`H5564-15`	Psalms 51:14	תִסְמְכֵֽ/נִי	tisemekheni	`HVqi2ms/Sp1cs`	will sustain me	you will support me	will sustain me
`H5564-01`	Psalms 54:6	בְּֽ/סֹמְכֵ֥י	besomekhey	`HR/Vqrmpc`	among those who uphold	among supporters of	among those who uphold
`H5564-02`	Psalms 71:6	נִסְמַ֬כְתִּי	nisemakheti	`HVNp1cs`	I have been sustained	I was supported	I have been supported
`H5564-05`	Psalms 88:8	סָמְכָ֣ה	samekhah	`HVqp3fs`	has rested	she supported	has rested
`H5564-12`	Psalms 111:8	סְמוּכִ֣ים	semukhim	`HVqsmpa`	upheld	supported ones	supported ones
`H5564-08`	Psalms 112:8	סָמ֣וּךְ	samukhe	`HVqsmsa`	steadfast	supported	supported
`H5564-06`	Psalms 119:116	סָמְכֵ֣/נִי	samekheni	`HVqv2ms/Sp1cs`	sustain me	Support me	Support me
`H5564-13`	Psalms 145:14	סוֹמֵ֣ךְ	somekhe	`HVqrmsa`	supports	supporting one	supporting one
`H5564-07`	Song of Songs 2:5	סַמְּכ֨וּ/נִי֙	samekhuni	`HVpv2mp/Sp1cs`	Sustain me	Support me	Support me
`H5564-18`	2 Chronicles 29:23	וַ/יִּסְמְכ֥וּ	vayisemekhu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they laid	and they supported	and they laid
`H5564-17`	2 Chronicles 32:8	וַ/יִּסָּמְכ֣וּ	vayisamekhu	`HC/VNw3mp`	and relied	and they leaned themselves	and they relied

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