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שָׁחַר

𐤔𐤇𐤓

shâchar

H7836 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שחר to dawn, to be early, to seek earnestly

Definition

To seek (especially earnestly), to look for, or to pursue, particularly with the sense of setting out early, often before or at daybreak. The verb can denote both the literal act of rising or appearing at dawn and, more often in biblical usage, the figurative sense of seeking eagerly or with diligence, frequently in reference to seeking YHWH or wisdom. The term emphasizes the initiative and intensity of seeking rather than merely the time of day.

Semantic Range

to appear at dawn, to rise early, to seek out (with eager intent), to search diligently, to approach with earnestness (especially in seeking deity or wisdom), to look for eagerly

Root / Etymology

The verb derives from the root שׁחר, which relates fundamentally to 'dawn' or 'morning,' suggesting the earliest part of the day. The verbal form, however, primarily carries the sense of undertaking an action early, thus extending metaphorically to seeking or pursuing with earnestness (as one would rise early to accomplish an important task).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In earlier biblical Hebrew (e.g., the Psalms, Proverbs, prophets), שָׁחַר most often appears in the context of seeking YHWH, wisdom, or assistance, with the implication of earnest intent (Psalm 63:2[1]; Proverbs 8:17; Hosea 5:15). The emphasis is not merely on chronological earliness but on the intensity and devotion in seeking. Later Hebrew (post-biblical) sometimes narrows the sense to literal 'getting up early.' English renderings like 'seek early' or 'diligently seek' often attempt to capture both the time and the intensity of the action, yet may not fully communicate the sense of proactive earnestness contained in the Hebrew. The root is distinct from other seeking verbs such as בָּקַשׁ (baqash), which simply connotes 'to seek,' usually without the same emphasis on eager initiative or timing. There is no necessary religious connotation, but many biblical contexts do associate this seeking with relationship to deity or pursuit of virtue. The noun form שַׁחַר refers specifically to 'dawn.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to dawn, i.e. (figuratively) be (up) early at any task (with the implication of earnestness); by extension, to search for (with painstaking); (do something) betimes, enquire early, rise (seek) betimes, seek diligently) early, in the morning).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שחר (sh-ḥ-r) — dawn, early rising, earnest seeking

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4891 מִשְׁחָר earliest dawn-light
H6890 צֶרֶת הַשַּׁחַר the dawn-light
H7815 שְׁחוֹר black soot
H7835 שָׁחַר dawn-light
H7837 שַׁחַר the dawn

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7836-01 אֲשַֽׁחֲרֶ֑/ךָּ ashacharekha HVpi1cs/Sp2ms I will seek you early I earnestly-seek you 2
H7836-10 יְשַׁחֲרֻֽ/נְנִי yeshacharuneni HVpi3mp/Sp1cs they will seek me they will earnestly seek me 2
H7836-09 וְ/שִֽׁחֲרוּ veshicharu HC/Vpq3cp and sought early and they sought earnestly 1
H7836-03 מְשַׁחֲרֵ֣י meshacharey HVprmpc seeking earnest seekers of 1
H7836-06 תְּשַׁחֵ֣ר teshacher HVpi2ms seek you earnestly seek 1
H7836-05 שֹׁ֣חֵֽר shocher HVqrmsa diligently seeks earnest seeker 1
H7836-04 שִֽׁחֲר֥/וֹ shicharo HVpp3ms/Sp3ms diligently seeks he earnestly sought him 1
H7836-08 וְ/שִׁ֖חֲרְתַּ֣/נִי veshicharetani HC/Vpq2ms/Sp1cs and you will seek me and you earnestly sought me 1
H7836-07 וּ֝/מְשַׁחֲרַ֗/י umeshacharay HC/Vprmpc/Sp1cs and those who seek me early and those earnestly seeking me 1
H7836-02 לְ/שַׁחֵ֥ר leshacher HR/Vpc to seek to earnestly seek 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7836-01 Isaiah 26:9 אֲשַֽׁחֲרֶ֑/ךָּ ashacharekha HVpi1cs/Sp2ms I will seek you early I earnestly-seek you
H7836-10 Hosea 5:15 יְשַׁחֲרֻֽ/נְנִי yeshacharuneni HVpi3mp/Sp1cs they will seek me they will earnestly seek me
H7836-01 Psalms 63:2 אֲֽשַׁחֲ֫רֶ֥/ךָּ ashacharekha HVpi1cs/Sp2ms I seek I earnestly-seek you
H7836-09 Psalms 78:34 וְ/שִֽׁחֲרוּ veshicharu HC/Vpq3cp and sought early and they sought earnestly
H7836-10 Proverbs 1:28 יְ֝שַׁחֲרֻ֗/נְנִי yeshacharuneni HVpi3mp/Sp1cs they will seek me they will earnestly seek me
H7836-02 Proverbs 7:15 לְ/שַׁחֵ֥ר leshacher HR/Vpc to seek to earnestly seek
H7836-07 Proverbs 8:17 וּ֝/מְשַׁחֲרַ֗/י umeshacharay HC/Vprmpc/Sp1cs and those who seek me early and those earnestly seeking me
H7836-05 Proverbs 11:27 שֹׁ֣חֵֽר shocher HVqrmsa diligently seeks earnest seeker
H7836-04 Proverbs 13:24 שִֽׁחֲר֥/וֹ shicharo HVpp3ms/Sp3ms diligently seeks he earnestly sought him
H7836-08 Job 7:21 וְ/שִׁ֖חֲרְתַּ֣/נִי veshicharetani HC/Vpq2ms/Sp1cs and you will seek me and you earnestly sought me
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