שׂוֹךְ
𐤔𐤅𐤊
sôwk
H7754 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A branch or bough of a tree, particularly one characterized by intertwining or interlacing growth, such as is found in dense foliage; also used for a thicket, hedge, or brushwood formed by such overgrown branches. The term carries the nuance of interwoven or closely packed woody structures, whether describing a single limb, branching structure, or a mass of intertwined growths, especially those offering cover or protection.
Semantic Range
branch, bough, thicket, hedge, interlaced branch structure, intertwined brushwood, natural fence or cover, enclosure formed from branches
Root / Etymology
From the root שׂוּךְ (sûkh), meaning 'to entwine, interweave, hedge about.' שׂוֹךְ (sôwk) and its feminine form שׂוֹכָה (sôkhāh) are nominal derivatives indicating something made by or characterized by interweaving, especially a woody branch or thicket. The link to the root emphasizes the sense of weaving together or forming into a screen or enclosure.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, שׂוֹךְ appears in poetic passages (e.g., Psalm 80:13; Ezekiel 19:10) referring either to the spreading, entangled boughs of a vine or tree or to dense growth that provides a boundary or protection—often rendered 'thicket,' 'bough,' or 'hedge' in modern translations. The nuance is typically denser and more interwoven than the more generic עֵץ ('tree') or עָנָף ('branch'), and emphasizes natural enclosures or coverings formed by intertwined branches. Later Hebrew or rabbinic literature may extend the usage to fence-like enclosures or brushwood hedges. English 'bough' or 'branch' is sometimes too narrow, as the Hebrew includes also the sense of intertwined mass, useful in imagery for protection, abundance, or enclosure. English translations sometimes obscure this nuance by rendering the word simply as 'branch.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or (feminine) שׂוֹכָה; from שׂוּךְ; a branch (as interleaved); bough.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׂוך (s-w-kh) — entwine, interweave, hedge about
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4881 | מְשׂוּכָה | his thorn-hedge |
| H7753 | שׂוּךְ | hedging-in one |
| H7756 | שׂוּכָתִי | Sukathites |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7754-01 |
שׂוֹכַ֣ת | sokhat | HNcfsc |
branch | interwoven bough of | 1 |
H7754-02 |
שׂוֹכֹ֗/ה | sokhoh | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his bough | interwoven thicket | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7754-01 |
Judges 9:48 | שׂוֹכַ֣ת | sokhat | HNcfsc |
branch | interwoven bough of |
H7754-02 |
Judges 9:49 | שׂוֹכֹ֗/ה | sokhoh | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his bough | interwoven thicket |