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שָׁכָה

𐤔𐤊𐤄

shâkâh

H7904 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שׁכה to wander, to roam, to stray

Definition

An infrequently attested verb, likely meaning 'to roam, wander, or stray', possibly with connotations of unrestrained or aimless movement. In some instances, it may carry the sense of straying from a moral or societal path, especially when associated with desire or impulsive action. The word also appears in a textual variant that might be a confusion with a different root related to morning activity, suggesting its meaning or form is sometimes ambiguous.

Semantic Range

to roam, to wander, to stray, to go about aimlessly; (rare textual confusion) to rise early (archaic or erroneous reading)

Root / Etymology

Root: שָׁכָה (sh-k-h). The root's basic sense appears to center on the idea of wandering or straying, but it is rare and uncertain—possibly a denominative or secondary verbal form. Its meaning is distinct from the similar root שׁכם (sh-k-m, to rise early).

Historical & Contextual Notes

שָׁכָה is attested only rarely in the Hebrew Bible, and its precise meaning is debated by lexicographers. One attestation (Job 24:2) is sometimes interpreted as 'to roam about' or 'to wander', but the context does not definitively clarify whether the action is driven by lust, predation, or simple lawlessness. The reference to 'in the morning' in some lexica stems from a possible textual confusion with שָׁכַם (H7925), which means 'to rise early', but there is insufficient evidence to support this as a primary lexical meaning of שָׁכָה. The verb may occur in poetic or archaic registers and is distinct from שָׁכָה (H7812, to bow down). English translations vary, sometimes narrowing the term to describe immoral or lustful wandering—likely influenced by context and later interpretative traditions. Care should be taken not to read later moral overtones into all uses of the verb. The term does not have sustained usage through later periods, and its sense did not develop significantly beyond its occasional biblical use.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to roam (through lust); in the morning (by mistake for שָׁכַם).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שכה (sh-k-h) — to wander, to roam, to stray

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5393 נִשְׁכָּה his storage-chamber
H7906 שֵׂכוּ in the Lookout
H7907 שֶׂכְוִי to the rooster

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7904-01 מַשְׁכִּ֣ים mashekim HVhrmpa well-fed those leading astray 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7904-01 Jeremiah 5:8 מַשְׁכִּ֣ים mashekim HVhrmpa well-fed those leading astray
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