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שַׁחַר

𐤔𐤇𐤓

shachar

H7837 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׁ־ח־ר to seek, to search, to look for early

Definition

Dawn; the earliest light of morning, marking the transition from night to day. The term denotes both the specific time just before sunrise and the gradual breaking of daylight, sometimes extending figuratively to signify new beginnings or hope. In poetry and wisdom literature, it may reference the daily renewal of light and the start of human activities.

Semantic Range

dawn, daybreak, the earliest light of morning, breaking of day, figuratively: beginning, renewal, anticipation

Root / Etymology

Root שׁחר (shaḥar), meaning 'to seek earnestly, to look for, to search for with diligence.' The noun form שַׁחַר develops from the verb, focusing specifically on the appearance of dawn as that which is sought or eagerly anticipated each day. Over time, the noun became fixed in Biblical Hebrew as the standard word for 'dawn' or 'daybreak.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שַׁחַר most frequently refers to the literal time of early morning before sunrise, often marking the start of daily activities, temple rituals, or periods of prayer (see, e.g., Psalms 57:9; 108:2). Ancient Israelite society depended on solar timekeeping, and 'dawn' marked the division between night and day. Figuratively, שַׁחַר can denote renewal, anticipation, or the arrival of deliverance (as in poetic or prophetic texts). The term does not carry later theological associations with resurrection or metaphysical 'light,' but later Jewish liturgy (post-biblical) developed theological uses. In contrast, בֹּקֶר (boqer) simply designates 'morning' as a temporal unit, while שַׁחַר focuses more on the emergent light or the act of breaking dawn. English translations such as 'dayspring,' 'morning,' or 'early' often reflect interpretive choices, sometimes obscuring the distinct nuance of 'first light.' The word does not denote a person or deity, and there is no evidence for a mythological meaning in biblical usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׁחַר; dawn (literal, figurative or adverbial); day(-spring), early, light, morning, whence riseth.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שחר (š-ḥ-r) — to seek, to search, to look for early

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4891 מִשְׁחָר earliest dawn-light
H6890 צֶרֶת הַשַּׁחַר the dawn-light
H7815 שְׁחוֹר black soot
H7835 שָׁחַר dawn-light
H7836 שָׁחַר I earnestly-seek you

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7837-02 הַ/שַּׁ֣חַר hashachar HTd/Ncmsa the dawn the dawn 10
H7837-05 שָֽׁחַר shachar HNcmsa the dawn dawn-light 9
H7837-04 כְּ/שַׁ֖חַר keshachar HR/Ncmsa like dawn like dawn-light 2
H7837-06 שַׁחְרָ֔/הּ shacherah HVpc/Sp3fs its-dawning to diligently seek her 1
H7837-03 כַּ/שַּׁ֨חַר֙ kashachar HRd/Ncmsa like the dawn like dawn 1
H7837-07 שחר shchr HNcmsa dawn dawn-light 1
H7837-01 בַּ/שַּׁ֕חַר bashachar HRd/Ncmsa at dawn in the dawn 1

Occurrences in Scripture

25 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7837-02 Genesis 19:15 הַ/שַּׁ֣חַר hashachar HTd/Ncmsa dawn the dawn
H7837-02 Genesis 32:25 הַ/שָּֽׁחַר hashachar HTd/Ncmsa and was dislocated the dawn
H7837-02 Genesis 32:27 הַ/שָּׁ֑חַר hashachar HTd/Ncmsa the dawn the dawn
H7837-02 Joshua 6:15 הַ/שַּׁ֔חַר hashachar HTd/Ncmsa the dawn the dawn
H7837-02 Judges 19:25 הַ/שָּֽׁחַר hashachar HTd/Ncmsa of the dawn the dawn
H7837-02 1 Samuel 9:26 הַ/שַּׁ֨חַר֙ hashachar HTd/Ncmsa the dawn the dawn
H7837-05 Isaiah 8:20 שָֽׁחַר shachar HNcmsa light dawn-light
H7837-05 Isaiah 14:12 שָׁ֑חַר shachar HNcmsa of the dawn dawn-light
H7837-06 Isaiah 47:11 שַׁחְרָ֔/הּ shacherah HVpc/Sp3fs its-dawning to diligently seek her
H7837-03 Isaiah 58:8 כַּ/שַּׁ֨חַר֙ kashachar HRd/Ncmsa like the dawn like dawn
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