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

primary "give" 37 occurrences

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.

Alternatives (13 occurrences):
"drink" (2x) "caused to drink" (2x) "us make drink" (1x) "us make him drink" (1x) "watered" (1x) "caused him to drink" (1x) "caused us to drink" (1x) "make drink" (1x) "drink-giver" (1x) "made us drink" (1x) "made me drink" (1x)

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

Root שקה to cause to drink, provide liquid, irrigate
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H8249 שִׁקֻּו my draughts
H8268 שֹׁקֶת in watering-troughs of

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