← H7925 H7927 →

שְׁכֶם

𐤔𐤊𐤌

shᵉkem

H7926 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׁכם to rise early, to put on the shoulder, to bear a burden

Definition

The upper back, especially the area between the shoulders; often translated as 'shoulder.' In concrete terms, it denotes the part of the body suitable for bearing burdens (such as loads or yoke). By extension, it can signify support, carrying, or acceptance (e.g., bearing responsibility). It is sometimes used figuratively for strength, effort, or willingness and, less commonly, for the hillside or slope ('spur'). In some idiomatic expressions, it conveys notions of agreement or cooperation.

Semantic Range

shoulder (body part), upper back, place of bearing load, carrying responsibility, effort, willingness, support, portion/share, spur or slope (geographic feature), idiomatically: consent, rebellion (turning the shoulder)

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root שׁכם, which primarily means 'to rise early,' but which also has associated meanings relating to the neck or shoulder because this is the part of the body presented first when rising or bearing a load. The noun שְׁכֶם develops from this root and denotes the physical 'shoulder,' the part for bearing loads. Etymology is clear and firmly connected to the root שׁכם.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שְׁכֶם is most often used for the anatomical 'shoulder.' It also appears in expressions relating to the bearing of burdens (e.g., Gen 49:15), or as a metaphor for willingness or effort (e.g., 'stretching out the shoulder to bear'). The term is also used idiomatically for 'giving the shoulder' in the sense of turning away (e.g., Neh 9:29), which later comes to mean rebellion or refusal. In some cases, it refers to a portion or share, perhaps harking back to the idea of an assigned load (e.g., Judg 9:37). The idea of a 'spur' or 'slope' is a secondary, less common use reflecting the resemblance between a hillside's contour and a human shoulder. The most famous nominal use outside the anatomical sense is as a place name (Shechem, not to be confused lexically here). English translations tend to render שְׁכֶם as 'shoulder,' which captures the basic physical sense but can obscure subtler idiomatic or figurative uses, especially where the word signifies willingness, support, or cooperation.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׁכַם; the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively, the spur of ahill; back, [idiom] consent, portion, shoulder.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

שכם (sh-k-m) — rise early, shoulder/load-bearing, bear burden

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7925 שָׁכַם to rise early
H7927 שְׁכֶם in Shekem
H7928 שֶׁכֶם shoulder of
H7929 שִׁכְמָה from her shoulder blade
H7930 שִׁכְמִי the Shikmite

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7926-07 שִׁכְמ/וֹ֙ shikhemo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his shoulder his shoulder 9
H7926-02 שְׁכֶ֣ם shekhem HNcmsc as your shoulder shoulder of 4
H7926-03 שִׁכְמָ֛/הּ shikhemah HNcmsc/Sp3fs her shoulder her shoulder 3
H7926-01 מִ/שִּׁכְמ֣/וֹ mishikhemo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms from his shoulders from his shoulder 2
H7926-05 שִׁכְמֶ֔/ךָ shikhemekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your shoulder your load-bearing shoulder 1
H7926-06 שִׁ֭כְמִ/י shikhemi HNcmsc/Sp1cs my shoulder my shoulder 1
H7926-04 שִׁכְמָֽ/ם shikhemam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their shoulders their shoulder 1

Occurrences in Scripture

21 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7926-02 Genesis 9:23 שְׁכֶ֣ם shekhem HNcmsc shoulders shoulder of
H7926-03 Genesis 21:14 שִׁכְמָ֛/הּ shikhemah HNcmsc/Sp3fs her shoulder her shoulder
H7926-03 Genesis 24:15 שִׁכְמָֽ/הּ shikhemah HNcmsc/Sp3fs her shoulder her shoulder
H7926-03 Genesis 24:45 שִׁכְמָ֔/הּ shikhemah HNcmsc/Sp3fs her shoulder her shoulder
H7926-02 Genesis 48:22 שְׁכֶ֥ם shekhem HNcmsa one portion shoulder of
H7926-07 Genesis 49:15 שִׁכְמ/וֹ֙ shikhemo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his shoulder his shoulder
H7926-04 Exodus 12:34 שִׁכְמָֽ/ם shikhemam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their shoulders their shoulder
H7926-07 Joshua 4:5 שִׁכְמ֔/וֹ shikhemo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his shoulder his shoulder
H7926-07 Judges 9:48 שִׁכְמ֑/וֹ shikhemo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his shoulder his shoulder
H7926-01 1 Samuel 9:2 מִ/שִּׁכְמ֣/וֹ mishikhemo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms from his shoulders from his shoulder
← H7925 Hebrew Lexicon H7927 →