שָׁקָה
𐤔𐤒𐤄
shâqâh
H8248 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To give someone or something a drink, to supply water, to cause to drink, or to irrigate. Used both concretely (providing water or beverage for people or animals) and figuratively (providing satisfaction, abundance, or even overwhelming someone in judgment).
Semantic Range
to give to drink; to provide water for people, animals, or crops; to irrigate; to refresh by providing liquid; to overwhelm (figuratively, often in judgment); to moisten
Root / Etymology
From the triliteral root שקה, which conveys the idea of providing liquid or causing to drink. It is the causative (hiphil) form derived from the root that relates to drinking. Distinguished from שתה (H8354), which refers to the act of drinking itself, שָׁקָה emphasizes causing another to drink or facilitating the process.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שָׁקָה is most commonly used in contexts involving giving water to people, animals, or land (e.g., Gen 24:14 'the young woman to whom I say 'let me drink...and she says...drink, and I will give your camels also''). In agricultural contexts, it extends to watering crops and fields (e.g., Deut 11:10 'the land that you water with your foot'). It appears both in literal settings (offering water, irrigation) and in metaphorical imagery (e.g., causing someone to 'drink the cup of wrath' as a form of judgment; see Isa 51:17). Later biblical and post-biblical usage sometimes broadens to mean 'to provide drink' as hospitality, or 'to make drunk' in a negative sense by overwhelming. The term is closely related to roots שׁתה and שׁכר, but should be distinguished from them; שתה pertains specifically to the one drinking, while שָׁקָה is the act of providing. English translations as 'give drink,' 'water,' or 'irrigate' capture core meanings, but may miss the nuance of causation or hospitality embedded in the biblical context.
Translation Consistency
Most natural and flexible single-word choice that matches the usual English rendering (“give to drink,” “gave drink,” “give water”) and covers the full range: supplying water/irrigating, providing a drink to people or animals, and the figurative senses (refreshing, overwhelming). It is the most frequent render in existing P2 data and lets translators add the appropriate object (drink/water) in context; variants like “water” are narrower and less natural for human-serving contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to quaff, i.e. (causatively) to irrigate or furnish apotion to; cause to (give, give to, let, make to) drink, drown, moisten, water. See שָׁכַר, שָׁתָה.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שקה (shâqâh) — to give to drink, to water, to cause to drink
Word Forms
39 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8248-09 |
לְ/הַשְׁק֣וֹת | lehasheqot | HR/Vhc |
to water | to cause to drink | to give to drink | 5 |
H8248-22 |
וַ/יַּ֖שְׁקְ | vayasheqe | HC/Vhw3ms |
and watered | and he caused to drink | and he gave to drink | 5 |
H8248-27 |
וְ/הִשְׁקָ֖ה | vehisheqah | HC/Vhq3ms |
and-he-makes-her-drink | and he gave drink | and he gave drink | 4 |
H8248-05 |
הַשְׁקִֽי/נִי | hasheqini | HVhv2fs/Sp1cs |
give me a drink | Cause me to drink | give me to drink | 3 |
H8248-30 |
וְ/הִשְׁקִ֥יתָ | vehisheqita | HC/Vhq2ms |
and give-to-drink | and you caused to drink | and you gave to drink | 3 |
H8248-37 |
יַשְׁק֖וּ | yashequ | HVhi3mp |
give to drink | they cause to drink | they will give to drink | 3 |
H8248-01 |
אַשְׁקֶ֑ה | asheqeh | HVhi1cs |
I will water | I will cause to drink | I will give a drink | 2 |
H8248-11 |
מַשְׁקֵ֣ה | masheqeh | HVhrmsc |
He waters | drink-provider | drink-giver | 2 |
H8248-18 |
וַ/תַּשְׁקֵֽ/הוּ | vatasheqehu | HC/Vhw3fs/Sp3ms |
and gave him drink | and she caused him to drink | and she gave him to drink | 2 |
H8248-20 |
וַ/תַּשְׁקֶ֧יןָ | vatasheqeyna | HC/Vhw3fp |
and they made drink | and they caused to drink | and they gave to drink | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
62 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8248-27 |
Genesis 2:6 | וְ/הִשְׁקָ֖ה | vehisheqah | HC/Vhq3ms |
and watered | and he gave drink | and it gave drink |
H8248-09 |
Genesis 2:10 | לְ/הַשְׁק֖וֹת | lehasheqot | HR/Vhc |
to water | to cause to drink | to give to drink |
H8248-12 |
Genesis 19:32 | נַשְׁקֶ֧ה | nasheqeh | HVhi1cp |
let us make drink | we will cause to drink | let us make drink |
H8248-20 |
Genesis 19:33 | וַ/תַּשְׁקֶ֧יןָ | vatasheqeyna | HC/Vhw3fp |
they made drink | and they caused to drink | and they gave to drink |
H8248-13 |
Genesis 19:34 | נַשְׁקֶ֨/נּוּ | nasheqenu | HVhh1cp/Sp3ms |
let us make him drink | let us give him drink | let us make him drink |
H8248-20 |
Genesis 19:35 | וַ/תַּשְׁקֶ֜יןָ | vatasheqeyna | HC/Vhw3fp |
and they made drink | and they caused to drink | and they gave to drink |
H8248-17 |
Genesis 21:19 | וַ/תַּ֖שְׁקְ | vatasheqe | HC/Vhw3fs |
and gave ... to drink | and she caused to drink | and she gave drink |
H8248-01 |
Genesis 24:14 | אַשְׁקֶ֑ה | asheqeh | HVhi1cs |
I will water | I will cause to drink | I will give a drink |
H8248-18 |
Genesis 24:18 | וַ/תַּשְׁקֵֽ/הוּ | vatasheqehu | HC/Vhw3fs/Sp3ms |
and gave him drink | and she caused him to drink | and she gave him to drink |
H8248-10 |
Genesis 24:19 | לְ/הַשְׁקֹת֑/וֹ | lehasheqoto | HR/Vhc/Sp3ms |
giving him to drink | to give him drink | to give him drink |
H8248-05 |
Genesis 24:43 | הַשְׁקִֽי/נִי | hasheqini | HVhv2fs/Sp1cs |
give me a drink | Cause me to drink | give me to drink |
H8248-05 |
Genesis 24:45 | הַשְׁקִ֥י/נִי | hasheqini | HVhv2fs/Sp1cs |
give me a drink | Cause me to drink | give me to drink |
H8248-01 |
Genesis 24:46 | אַשְׁקֶ֑ה | asheqeh | HVhi1cs |
I will water | I will cause to drink | I will give a drink |
H8248-07 |
Genesis 24:46 | הִשְׁקָֽתָה | hisheqatah | HVhp3fs |
she watered | she caused to drink | she gave a drink |
H8248-37 |
Genesis 29:2 | יַשְׁק֖וּ | yashequ | HVhi3mp |
they watered | they cause to drink | they will give to drink |
H8248-33 |
Genesis 29:3 | וְ/הִשְׁק֖וּ | vehishequ | HC/Vhp3cp |
and watered | and they caused to drink | and they watered |
H8248-06 |
Genesis 29:7 | הַשְׁק֥וּ | hashequ | HVhv2mp |
Water | Give drink! | Give drink |
H8248-29 |
Genesis 29:8 | וְ/הִשְׁקִ֖ינוּ | vehisheqinu | HC/Vhq1cp |
then we water | we caused to drink | we give drink |
H8248-22 |
Genesis 29:10 | וַ/יַּ֕שְׁקְ | vayasheqe | HC/Vhw3ms |
and watered | and he caused to drink | and he gave to drink |
H8248-09 |
Exodus 2:16 | לְ/הַשְׁק֖וֹת | lehasheqot | HR/Vhc |
to water | to cause to drink | to give to drink |
H8248-22 |
Exodus 2:17 | וַ/יַּ֖שְׁקְ | vayasheqe | HC/Vhw3ms |
and watered | and he caused to drink | and he gave to drink |
H8248-22 |
Exodus 2:19 | וַ/יַּ֖שְׁקְ | vayasheqe | HC/Vhw3ms |
and watered | and he caused to drink | and he gave to drink |
H8248-22 |
Exodus 32:20 | וַ/יַּ֖שְׁקְ | vayasheqe | HC/Vhw3ms |
and made drink | and he caused to drink | and he gave to drink |
H8248-27 |
Numbers 5:24 | וְ/הִשְׁקָה֙ | vehisheqah | HC/Vhq3ms |
and he shall make drink | and he gave drink | and he gave drink |
H8248-35 |
Numbers 5:26 | יַשְׁקֶ֥ה | yasheqeh | HVhi3ms |
he shall make drink | he will cause to drink | he will cause to drink |
H8248-27 |
Numbers 5:27 | וְ/הִשְׁקָ֣/הּ | vehisheqah | HC/Vhq3ms/Sp3fs |
and-he-makes-her-drink | and he gave drink | and he gave drink |
H8248-30 |
Numbers 20:8 | וְ/הִשְׁקִיתָ֥ | vehisheqita | HC/Vhq2ms |
and-you-shall-give-drink | and you caused to drink | and you gave to drink |
H8248-30 |
Deuteronomy 11:10 | וְ/הִשְׁקִ֥יתָ | vehisheqita | HC/Vhq2ms |
and irrigated | and you caused to drink | and you gave to drink |
H8248-05 |
Judges 4:19 | הַשְׁקִי/נִי | hasheqini | HVhv2fs/Sp1cs |
give-me-to-drink | Cause me to drink | give me to drink |
H8248-18 |
Judges 4:19 | וַ/תַּשְׁקֵ֖/הוּ | vatasheqehu | HC/Vhw3fs/Sp3ms |
and gave-him-to-drink | and she caused him to drink | and she gave him to drink |
H8248-24 |
1 Samuel 30:11 | וַ/יַּשְׁקֻ֖/הוּ | vayashequhu | HC/Vhw3mp/Sp3ms |
and they made him drink | they caused him to drink | and they caused him to drink |
H8248-36 |
2 Samuel 23:15 | יַשְׁקֵ֣/נִי | yasheqeni | HVhi3ms/Sp1cs |
would give me drink | he will cause me to drink | give me to drink |
H8248-03 |
Isaiah 27:3 | אַשְׁקֶ֑/נָּה | asheqenah | HVhi1cs/Sp3fs |
I will water it | I will give her drink | I will give her drink |
H8248-09 |
Isaiah 43:20 | לְ/הַשְׁק֖וֹת | lehasheqot | HR/Vhc |
to give drink | to cause to drink | to give to drink |
H8248-23 |
Jeremiah 8:14 | וַ/יַּשְׁקֵ֣/נוּ | vayasheqenu | HC/Vhw3ms/Sp1cp |
and has given us to drink | and he caused us to drink | and he caused us to drink |
H8248-32 |
Jeremiah 9:14 | וְ/הִשְׁקִיתִ֖י/ם | vehisheqitim | HC/Vhq1cs/Sp3mp |
and I will make them drink | and I will give them drink | and I will give them drink |
H8248-37 |
Jeremiah 16:7 | יַשְׁק֤וּ | yashequ | HVhi3mp |
give to drink | they cause to drink | they will give to drink |
H8248-32 |
Jeremiah 23:15 | וְ/הִשְׁקִתִ֖י/ם | vehisheqitim | HC/Vhq1cs/Sp3mp |
and make them drink | and I will give them drink | and I will give them drink |
H8248-31 |
Jeremiah 25:15 | וְ/הִשְׁקִיתָ֤ה | vehisheqitah | HC/Vhq2ms |
and make drink | and you caused to drink | and you make drink |
H8248-16 |
Jeremiah 25:17 | וָֽ/אַשְׁקֶה֙ | vaasheqeh | HC/Vhw1cs |
and I made drink | and I caused to drink | and I caused to drink |
H8248-30 |
Jeremiah 35:2 | וְ/הִשְׁקִיתָ֥ | vehisheqita | HC/Vhq2ms |
and give-to-drink | and you caused to drink | and you gave to drink |
H8248-09 |
Ezekiel 17:7 | לְ/הַשְׁק֣וֹת | lehasheqot | HR/Vhc |
to water | to cause to drink | to give to drink |
H8248-28 |
Ezekiel 32:6 | וְ/הִשְׁקֵיתִ֨י | vehisheqeyti | HC/Vhq1cs |
and-I-will-water | and I will cause to drink | and I will cause to drink |
H8248-27 |
Joel 4:18 | וְ/הִשְׁקָ֖ה | vehisheqah | HC/Vhq3ms |
and will water | and he gave drink | and he gave drink |
H8248-21 |
Amos 2:12 | וַ/תַּשְׁק֥וּ | vatashequ | HC/Vhw2mp |
and-you-made-drink | and you caused to drink | and you caused to drink |
H8248-34 |
Amos 8:8 | ו/נשקה | vnshqh | HC/VNq3fs |
and subside | and she was given drink | and it will be given drink |
H8248-11 |
Habakkuk 2:15 | מַשְׁקֵ֣ה | masheqeh | HVhrmsc |
who makes drink | drink-provider | drink-giver |
H8248-15 |
Psalms 36:9 | תַשְׁקֵֽ/ם | tasheqem | HVhi2ms/Sp3mp |
you-will-give-them-to-drink | you will give them drink | you will give them drink |
H8248-08 |
Psalms 60:5 | הִ֝שְׁקִיתָ֗/נוּ | hisheqitanu | HVhp2ms/Sp1cp |
you-have-made-drink-us | you made us drink | you made us drink |
H8248-38 |
Psalms 69:22 | יַשְׁק֥וּ/נִי | yashequni | HVhi3mp/Sp1cs |
they gave me to drink | they make me drink | they made me drink |