שָׂכַל
sâkal · saw-kal'
to be (causatively, make or act) circumspect and hence, intelligent
Lexicon
Derivation: a primitive root;
to be (causatively, make or act) circumspect and hence, intelligent
Definition from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Wording is Strong's own, including his etymological notes, which are not separate meanings.
KJV renderings: consider, expert, instruct, prosper, (deal) prudent(-ly), (give) skill(-ful), have good success, teach, (have, make to) understand(-ing), wisdom, (be, behave self, consider, make) wise(-ly), guide wittingly.
Letters
- שShin300
Picture: two front teeth (or a composite bow)
- Concrete
- teeth · sharp · press · bow
- Extended
- to consume · to destroy · to press or grind · to change · again
- כKaf20
Picture: open palm
- Concrete
- palm · open hand · sole of the foot
- Extended
- to open · to allow · to cover · to tame · like / as
- לLamed30
Picture: shepherd's staff or goad
- Concrete
- staff · goad · yoke · cattle prod
- Extended
- authority · to lead · to teach · to bind · toward
Possible cultural reading (auto-composed)
to consume, to destroy › the open hand that covers › authority, the one who leads
To consume, to destroy of the open hand that covers of authority, the one who leads.
Interpretive, not lexical. The dictionary sense of שָׂכַל above is the attested meaning; this pictographic reading is a tradition about how the sign-shapes may have been heard. Both can be held at once, they are answering different questions.
Usage
62 occurrences · 62 OT · 0 NT · 50 distinct forms
KJV renderings of this word, by how often each one is used.
- that thou mayest prosper2 · 7%
- and understand2 · 7%
- wisely2 · 7%
- wittingly1 · 4%
- that he behaved1 · 4%
- them, that ye may prosper1 · 4%
- him, and behaved himself wisely1 · 4%
- and then thou shalt have good success1 · 4%
- and would not consider1 · 4%
- behaved himself wisely1 · 4%
- i will instruct1 · 4%
- behaved himself more wisely1 · 4%
- was with him; and he prospered1 · 4%
- made me understand1 · 4%
- even to understand1 · 4%
- that taught1 · 4%
- to instruct1 · 4%
- he that is wise1 · 4%
- that they understood1 · 4%
- were without wisdom1 · 4%
- be wise1 · 4%
- were any that did understand1 · 4%
- guiding1 · 4%
- to be wise1 · 4%
- to make one wise1 · 4%
Where it is used, by book.
Inflected forms found in the text.
Counts are computed from the tagged Hebrew and Greek text aligned to the King James Version, not from an estimate.