H8040

שְׂמֹאול

sᵉmôʼwl · sem-ole'

properly, dark (as enveloped), i.e. the north; hence (by orientation), the left hand

Lexicon

Derivation: or שְׂמֹאל; a primitive word (rather perhaps from the same as H8071 (שִׂמְלָה) (by insertion of the aleph) through the idea of wrapping up);

properly, dark (as enveloped), i.e. the north; hence (by orientation), the left hand

properly, dark (as enveloped), i.e. the north
hence, (by orientation), the left hand

Definition from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Wording is Strong's own, including his etymological notes, which are not separate meanings.

KJV renderings: left (hand, side).

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
מMem40
Picture: waves of water
Concrete
water · sea · blood · liquid
Extended
chaos · mighty and uncontrollable · the masses · from / out of
אAlef1
Picture: ox head
Concrete
ox · bull · cattle
Extended
strength · leader · first · the one in front
וVav6
Picture: tent peg or hook
Concrete
nail · peg · hook
Extended
to fasten · to secure · to establish · and (joining)
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 › water, chaos, the mighty deep › strength, the leader › to fasten and establish › authority, the one who leads

To consume, to destroy of water, chaos, the mighty deep of strength, the leader that works to fasten and establish of authority, the one who leads.

Interpretive, not lexical. The dictionary sense of שְׂמֹאול 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

54 occurrences · 54 OT · 0 NT · 44 distinct forms

KJV renderings of this word, by how often each one is used.

or to the left8 · 16%
nor to the left6 · 12%
on the left6 · 12%
on the left hand3 · 6%
and on his left3 · 6%
left hand2 · 4%
and his left hand2 · 4%
and on their left2 · 4%
his left hand2 · 4%
and on the left2 · 4%
i pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand1 · 2%
which is on the left hand1 · 2%
to the left1 · 2%
in his left hand1 · 2%
his left1 · 2%
in their left1 · 2%
with his left1 · 2%
or to thy left1 · 2%
stood on the left hand1 · 2%
and on his left hand1 · 2%
and in her left hand1 · 2%
at his left1 · 2%
on the left side1 · 2%
at thy left hand1 · 2%
out of thy left1 · 2%

Where it is used, by book.

Inflected forms found in the text.

וּשְׂמֹ֑אול5וּשְׂמֹֽאול׃4שְׂמֹאלוֹ֙2וּשְׂמֹֽאל׃2וּמִשְּׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃2שְׂמֹאל֔וֹ1וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָֽם׃1וּשְׂמֹ֖אול1וּשְׂמֹאלוֹ֙1מִשְּׂמֹ֖אל1הַשְּׂמֹ֣אל1שְׂמֹ֣אול1

Counts are computed from the tagged Hebrew and Greek text aligned to the King James Version, not from an estimate.