סָכַר
𐤎𐤊𐤓
çâkar
H5534 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To shut in or enclose, especially by closing or blocking access; in extended use, to deliver up, hand over, or surrender someone or something (often to an enemy or external power); to prevent escape or free movement. While less common, it may also imply the act of hindering, restraining, or stopping by enclosing, particularly in military or legal contexts.
Semantic Range
to shut up, to enclose, to bar, to hand over, to surrender, to confine, to halt passage, to give up control
Root / Etymology
Root: סכר (ס־כ־ר). This root carries the sense of enclosing or shutting. The verb סָכַר derives directly from the root and is a variant or near synonym of סָגַר (sagar, 'to shut, close'). The root meaning, 'to shut, enclose, block off,' aligns closely with the basic meaning of the derived verb.
Historical & Contextual Notes
סָכַר appears relatively infrequently and tends to be found in contexts involving confinement or the transfer of control, particularly when someone is handed over (surrendered) or shut in as an act of restriction. The main semantic range overlaps with related roots like סָגַר (sagar) but may carry a more specific sense of enclosing by barrier (e.g., damming, barring a passage). In military texts or legal proceedings, it can signify surrender to another party, often as an act of giving up control; in poetic or prophetic contexts, the enclosing or blocking sense may suggest restriction or loss of freedom. English translations sometimes render the sense narrowly as 'to shut up' or 'to surrender,' which may miss nuances of confinement or transfer of authority implicit in the verb. The relation to שָׂכַר (sakar, 'to hire, to reward') is a separate root with different meaning and is not directly connected etymologically, though the similarity has led to occasional confusion in older lexica.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to shut up; by implication, to surrender; stop, give over. See also סָגַר, שָׂכַר.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
סכר (s-k-r) — to shut in, to enclose, to block access
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5534-02 |
וְ/סִכַּרְתִּי֙ | vesikareti | HC/Vpq1cs |
and-I-will-give-over | and I will shut in | 1 |
H5534-03 |
יִ֝סָּכֵ֗ר | yisakher | HVNi3ms |
will be stopped | he will be shut in | 1 |
H5534-01 |
וַ/יִּסָּֽכְרוּ֙ | vayisakheru | HC/VNw3mp |
were closed | they were shut in | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5534-01 |
Genesis 8:2 | וַ/יִּסָּֽכְרוּ֙ | vayisakheru | HC/VNw3mp |
were closed | they were shut in |
H5534-02 |
Isaiah 19:4 | וְ/סִכַּרְתִּי֙ | vesikareti | HC/Vpq1cs |
and-I-will-give-over | and I will shut in |
H5534-03 |
Psalms 63:12 | יִ֝סָּכֵ֗ר | yisakher | HVNi3ms |
will be stopped | he will be shut in |