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שְׂמֹאול

𐤔𐤌𐤀𐤅𐤋

sᵉmôʼwl

H8040 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The side of the body associated with the left hand; the direction leftward when facing east (the usual orientation in biblical times); by extension, also the geographic north, since orientation was performed with the face toward the sunrise. In some cases, the word can refer simply to the left hand or left side, either literally (in physical action or movement) or metaphorically (as the place of lesser honor or secondary importance, contrasting with the right hand).

Semantic Range

left hand, left side, north (by orientation), direction leftward, the less honored side (in contrast to the right)

Root / Etymology

Root is שׂמל, likely meaning 'to wind, wrap, envelop.' שְׂמֹאול appears to derive from the same root as שִׂמְלָה (simlah, 'garment'), possibly through an association with wrapping or covering, though the exact morphological development is uncertain. The word incorporates an aleph infix, whose origin is obscure, but may serve as a formative element.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שְׂמֹאול is used throughout the Hebrew Bible to identify the left hand or left side, often in contrast to יָמִין (yamin), 'right hand' or 'right side.' By conventional orientation—facing east—the left side became associated with the geographic north; thus, the term is sometimes used for 'north' in poetic or descriptive passages (e.g., Ezek 16:46). In narratives and legal texts, שְׂמֹאול generally retains the more concrete meaning of 'left side/hand.' Unlike later textual traditions where left and right might acquire symbolic moral connotations, biblical usage tends to mark practical differences (e.g., Exod 14:22; Josh 23:6). The association of שְׂמֹאול with the north is based on the Israelite habit of orienting oneself eastward; thus, left (שְׂמֹאול) points north, while right (יָמִין) points south. English translations sometimes render the term as 'north,' which can obscure the directional nuance. Later Hebrew (Mishnaic and post-biblical) continues to use the term for 'left,' and its semantic field remains consistent over time. Unlike 'left' and 'right' in English, which are simple spatial directions, the Hebrew system embedded orientation within the landscape and sacred geography.

Translation Consistency

primary "left" 48 occurrences

Most natural and frequent rendering across occurrences (41/54). 'Left' covers the primary senses: the left hand/side, direction leftward, and by extension the north when oriented eastward, and it conveys the contrasted lesser-honored side. It is short, natural English and works as noun/adjective consistently for all forms of this lemma.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"north of" (1x) "left-side one" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or שְׂמֹאל; a primitive word (rather perhaps from the same as 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; left (hand, side).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

e1dedc (sᵉmôʼwl) — to wind, wrap, envelop

Root e1dedc to wind, wrap, envelop

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H8040-24 וּ/שְׂמֹ֑אול usemovl HC/Ncmsa or left left side and left side 12
H8040-10 מִ/שְּׂמֹ֛אול misemovl HR/Ncmsa on the left from the left side from the left side 4
H8040-15 שְׂמֹאל֖/וֹ semolo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his left hand his left side his left hand 4
H8040-16 שְׂמֹ֥אול semovl HNcmsa left left side left side 4
H8040-08 מִ/שְּׂמֹ֖אל misemol HR/Ncmsa on the left left side left side 3
H8040-21 וּ/מִ/שְּׂמֹאלֽ/וֹ umisemolo HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and-from-his-left and from his left side and from his left 3
H8040-05 הַ/שְּׂמֹ֑אול hasemovl HTd/Ncmsa the left the left side the left side 2
H8040-06 לִ/שְׂמֹאלֽ/וֹ lisemolo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms his-left to his left side to his left side 2
H8040-20 וּ/מִ/שְּׂמֹאלָֽ/ם umisemolam HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3mp and on their left and from their left side and from their left side 2
H8040-22 וּ/שְׂמֹֽאל usemol HC/Ncmsa or left and left side and left side 2

Occurrences in Scripture

54 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H8040-04 Genesis 13:9 הַ/שְּׂמֹ֣אל hasemol HTd/Ncmsa the left the left side the left side
H8040-08 Genesis 14:15 מִ/שְּׂמֹ֖אל misemol HR/Ncmsa north of left side north of
H8040-11 Genesis 24:49 שְׂמֹֽאל semol HNcmsa the left left side left side
H8040-08 Genesis 48:13 מִ/שְּׂמֹ֣אל misemol HR/Ncmsc toward Israel's left left side left side
H8040-25 Genesis 48:13 בִ/שְׂמֹאל֖/וֹ visemolo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his left hand in his left side in his left hand
H8040-15 Genesis 48:14 שְׂמֹאל֖/וֹ semolo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his left hand his left side his left hand
H8040-20 Exodus 14:22 וּ/מִ/שְּׂמֹאלָֽ/ם umisemolam HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3mp and on their left and from their left side and from their left side
H8040-20 Exodus 14:29 וּ/מִ/שְּׂמֹאלָֽ/ם umisemolam HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3mp and on their left and from their left side and from their left side
H8040-24 Numbers 20:17 וּ/שְׂמֹ֔אול usemovl HC/Ncmsa or left left side and left side
H8040-24 Numbers 22:26 וּ/שְׂמֹֽאול usemovl HC/Ncmsa or to the left left side and left side
H8040-24 Deuteronomy 2:27 וּ/שְׂמֹֽאול usemovl HC/Ncmsa or left left side and left side
H8040-22 Deuteronomy 5:32 וּ/שְׂמֹֽאל usemol HC/Ncmsa or left and left side and left side
H8040-22 Deuteronomy 17:11 וּ/שְׂמֹֽאל usemol HC/Ncmsa or left and left side and left side
H8040-24 Deuteronomy 17:20 וּ/שְׂמֹ֑אול usemovl HC/Ncmsa or left left side and left side
H8040-24 Deuteronomy 28:14 וּ/שְׂמֹ֑אול usemovl HC/Ncmsa or left left side and left side
H8040-24 Joshua 1:7 וּ/שְׂמֹ֑אול usemovl HC/Ncmsa or left left side and left side
H8040-08 Joshua 19:27 מִ/שְּׂמֹֽאל misemol HR/Ncmsa on the left left side left side
H8040-24 Joshua 23:6 וּ/שְׂמֹֽאול usemovl HC/Ncmsa or-left left side and left side
H8040-15 Judges 3:21 שְׂמֹאל֔/וֹ semolo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his left his left side his left side
H8040-13 Judges 7:20 שְׂמאוֹלָ/ם֙ semolam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their left their left side their left side
H8040-01 Judges 16:29 בִּ/שְׂמֹאלֽ/וֹ bisemolo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms with his left hand with his left side with his left hand
H8040-24 1 Samuel 6:12 וּ/שְׂמֹ֑אול usemovl HC/Ncmsa or left left side and left side
H8040-05 2 Samuel 2:19 הַ/שְּׂמֹ֔אול hasemovl HTd/Ncmsa the left the left side the left side
H8040-14 2 Samuel 2:21 שְׂמֹאלֶ֔/ךָ semolekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your left your left side your left side
H8040-21 2 Samuel 16:6 וּ/מִ/שְּׂמֹאלֽ/וֹ umisemolo HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and-from-his-left and from his left side and from his left
H8040-09 1 Kings 7:39 מִ/שְּׂמֹאל֑/וֹ misemolo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms on its left from his left side on its left side
H8040-10 1 Kings 7:49 מִ/שְּׂמֹ֛אול misemovl HR/Ncmsa on the left from the left side from the left side
H8040-21 1 Kings 22:19 וּ/מִ/שְּׂמֹאלֽ/וֹ umisemolo HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and on his left and from his left side and at his left
H8040-24 2 Kings 22:2 וּ/שְׂמֹֽאול usemovl HC/Ncmsa or to the left left side and left side
H8040-16 2 Kings 23:8 שְׂמֹ֥אול semovl HNcmsa left left side left side
H8040-16 Isaiah 9:19 שְׂמֹ֖אול semovl HNcmsa the left left side left side
H8040-24 Isaiah 54:3 וּ/שְׂמֹ֖אול usemovl HC/Ncmsa and left left side and left side
H8040-07 Ezekiel 1:10 מֵֽ/הַ/שְּׂמֹ֖אול mehasemovl HR/Td/Ncmsa from the left from the left side from the left side
H8040-19 Ezekiel 16:46 שְׂמֹאולֵ֑/ךְ semovlekhe HNcmsc/Sp2fs your-left your left side your left side
H8040-18 Ezekiel 39:3 שְׂמֹאולֶ֑/ךָ semovlekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your left your left side your left side
H8040-06 Jonah 4:11 לִ/שְׂמֹאל֔/וֹ lisemolo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms his-left to his left side to his left side
H8040-12 Zechariah 4:3 שְׂמֹאלָֽ/הּ semolah HNcmsc/Sp3fs its left her left side her left side
H8040-17 Zechariah 4:11 שְׂמֹאולָֽ/הּ semovlah HNcmsc/Sp3fs its left her left side her left side
H8040-16 Zechariah 12:6 שְׂמֹ֛אול semovl HNcmsa left left side left side
H8040-02 Proverbs 3:16 בִּ֝/שְׂמֹאולָ֗/הּ bisemovlah HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs in her left hand in her left side in her left hand
H8040-24 Proverbs 4:27 וּ/שְׂמֹ֑אול usemovl HC/Ncmsa nor to the left left side and left side
H8040-16 Job 23:9 שְׂמֹ֣אול semovl HNcmsa on the left hand left side left side
H8040-15 Song of Songs 2:6 שְׂמֹאל/וֹ֙ semolo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his left hand his left side his left hand
H8040-15 Song of Songs 8:3 שְׂמֹאל/וֹ֙ semolo HNcmsc/Sp3ms his left hand his left side his left hand
H8040-06 Ecclesiastes 10:2 לִ/שְׂמֹאלֽ/וֹ lisemolo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms to his left to his left side to his left side
H8040-23 Daniel 12:7 וּ/שְׂמֹאל/וֹ֙ usemolo HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and his left hand and his left side and his left side
H8040-21 Nehemiah 8:4 וּ/מִ/שְּׂמֹאל֗/וֹ umisemolo HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and on his left hand and from his left side and from his left
H8040-05 1 Chronicles 6:29 הַ/שְּׂמֹ֑אול hasemovl HTd/Ncmsa the left the left side the left side
H8040-03 2 Chronicles 3:17 הַ/שְּׂמָאלִ֖י hasemali HTd/Aamsa of the left the left-side one the left-side one
H8040-10 2 Chronicles 4:6 מִ/שְּׂמֹאול֙ misemovl HR/Ncmsa on the left from the left side from the left side
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