שִׁכֻּלִים
𐤔𐤊𐤋𐤉𐤌
shikkulîym
H7923 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
State or experience of bereavement due to the loss of children, especially repeated or ongoing childlessness resulting from bereavement; denotes not simply the absence of children, but the specific suffering resulting from having lost children to death or calamity.
Semantic Range
bereavement of children, repeated child loss, ongoing state of childlessness due to bereavement, suffering from loss of offspring
Root / Etymology
From the root שָׁכַל (sh-k-l), meaning 'to be bereaved of children' or 'to lose children.' The form שִׁכֻּלִים is a masculine plural noun formation from this root, indicating repeated or multiple instances or the condition of ongoing bereavement due to child loss.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שִׁכֻּלִים is a rare noun, found in poetic or lamenting contexts (e.g., Jeremiah 18:21), emphasizing the suffering and social stigma associated with losing children, particularly among women, but also more broadly for communities or nations in metaphorical usage. In the ancient Israelite context, loss of children was regarded as a profound personal and social tragedy, both emotionally and because children were often seen as bearers of family legacy and economic security. The term is more intense than general 'childlessness' (עֲקָרוּת, 'barrenness'), since it refers specifically to children that have been born and then lost. Standard English translations such as 'bereavement' or 'childlessness' sometimes fail to capture the continuing, repetitive aspect implied by the plural. The word's usage in later texts may carry broader implications of tragedy and corporate suffering (e.g., for a nation depicted as a bereaved mother). No direct anachronistic connections to later terms such as 'Jew' are present in the limited biblical usage of this term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
plural from שָׁכֹל; childlessness (by continued bereavements); to have after loss of others.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שכל (sh-k-l) — to be bereaved, to lose children, to suffer loss
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7908 | שְׁכוֹל | child-loss bereavement |
| H7909 | שַׁכּוּל | bereaved of children |
| H7921 | שָׁכֹל | I will be bereaved |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7923-01 |
שִׁכֻּלָ֑יִ/ךְ | shikulayikhe | HNcmpc/Sp2fs |
of your bereavement | your child-bereavements | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7923-01 |
Isaiah 49:20 | שִׁכֻּלָ֑יִ/ךְ | shikulayikhe | HNcmpc/Sp2fs |
of your bereavement | your child-bereavements |