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סָקַל

𐤎𐤒𐤋

çâqal

H5619 verb

SILEX Entry

Root סקל to throw stones, to stone, to clear of stones

Definition

To stone, to execute by pelting with stones as a judicial or punitive act, or to clear of stones. The root meaning of the verb סָקַל pertains to the act of throwing stones, especially in the formal context of execution or punishment. In other occurrences, it refers to the physical removal of stones from a field or area in preparation for agriculture or construction.

Semantic Range

to execute by stoning, to stone as punishment, to throw stones, to remove stones from a field or area, to damage by stoning

Root / Etymology

The word derives from the root סקל, which likely means 'to stone' or 'to throw stones.' Although phonetically similar to roots meaning 'to be weighty' in related Semitic languages, in Hebrew the lexical meaning is centered around the action of stoning rather than any abstract sense of weightiness. The verbal stem (qal, piel, pual, etc.) affects nuance—qal typically refers to the general act, piel is frequently used for intensive or judicial stoning.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, סָקַל appears primarily in judicial and legal contexts, most often referring to the execution of justice by stoning—an act carried out by a collective group as prescribed by certain legal codes (e.g., Leviticus 20:2; Deuteronomy 17:5). This form of execution was a communal, sanctioned act, in contrast to spontaneous or illegal violence. The word is also used in agricultural contexts (Isaiah 5:2), meaning 'to clear stones from a field.' The semantic field does not include the sense of 'to be weighty' in any clear usage within Biblical Hebrew, despite possible connections to broader Semitic roots. English Bibles usually render the term as 'to stone' or 'to clear of stones' as the context requires, which reliably captures its Hebrew usage. The action of stoning as a form of punishment was rooted in ancient Israelite legal tradition and recurs throughout the monarchic and exilic periods. There is no evidence for a religious or ritual sense beyond its judicial role, and the term's use is distinct from terms for bludgeoning or striking in general. Later translation traditions, especially the Septuagint, sometimes use Greek terms with wider semantic range, but this has not influenced the Hebrew usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to be weighty; but used only in the sense of lapidation or its contrary (as if a delapidation); (cast, gather out, throw) stone(-s), [idiom] surely.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

סקל (s-q-l) — to throw stones, to stone, to clear of stones

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5619-15 יִסָּקֵל֙ yisaqel HVNi3ms shall be stoned he will be stoned 4
H5619-10 וַ/יְסַקֵּ֤ל vayesaqel HC/Vpw3ms and-he-threw and he stoned 2
H5619-04 סֻקַּ֥ל suqal HVPp3ms had been stoned was stoned 2
H5619-03 סָק֤וֹל saqol HVqa stoning to stone 2
H5619-02 סַקְּל֣וּ saqelu HVpv2mp remove Stone to death! 1
H5619-16 יִסְקְלֻֽ/נוּ yiseqelunu HVqi3mp/Sp1cp stone us they will stone us 1
H5619-08 וּ/סְקָלוּ/הָ֩ useqaluha HC/Vqq3cp/Sp3fs and shall stone her and they stoned her 1
H5619-05 וּ/סְקַלְתָּ֥/ם useqaletam HC/Vqq2ms/Sp3mp and you shall stone them and you stone them 1
H5619-13 וַ/יִּסְקְלֻ֥/הוּ vayiseqeluhu HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms and stoned him they stoned him 1
H5619-14 וְ/סִקְלֻ֖/הוּ vesiqeluhu HC/Vqv2mp/Sp3ms and stone him Stone him 1

Occurrences in Scripture

22 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5619-16 Exodus 8:22 יִסְקְלֻֽ/נוּ yiseqelunu HVqi3mp/Sp1cp stone us they will stone us
H5619-09 Exodus 17:4 וּ/סְקָלֻֽ/נִי useqaluni HC/Vqq3cp/Sp1cs and they will stone me and they stoned me
H5619-03 Exodus 19:13 סָק֤וֹל saqol HVqa stoning to stone
H5619-15 Exodus 19:13 יִסָּקֵל֙ yisaqel HVNi3ms he shall be stoned he will be stoned
H5619-03 Exodus 21:28 סָק֨וֹל saqol HVqa surely stoned to stone
H5619-15 Exodus 21:28 יִסָּקֵ֜ל yisaqel HVNi3ms shall be stoned he will be stoned
H5619-15 Exodus 21:29 יִסָּקֵ֔ל yisaqel HVNi3ms shall be stoned he will be stoned
H5619-15 Exodus 21:32 יִסָּקֵֽל yisaqel HVNi3ms shall be stoned he will be stoned
H5619-07 Deuteronomy 13:11 וּ/סְקַלְתּ֥/וֹ useqaleto HC/Vqq2ms/Sp3ms and you shall stone him and you stoned him
H5619-05 Deuteronomy 17:5 וּ/סְקַלְתָּ֥/ם useqaletam HC/Vqq2ms/Sp3mp and you shall stone them and you stone them
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