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שַׁכּוּל

𐤔𐤊𐤅𐤋

shakkûwl

H7909 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root שכל to be bereaved, to lose children

Definition

An adjective describing one who has lost children, especially through death; primarily refers to being bereft of offspring (bereaved). Used of both humans (especially mothers) and animals deprived of their young. It denotes not only the condition of being childless due to loss, but also the emotional and existential state of bereavement and emptiness this implies. In certain contexts, it can be extended figuratively to describe devastation or ruined condition as a result of loss.

Semantic Range

bereaved of children, one who has lost offspring, deprived of young (of animals), tragically childless, condition of bereavement due to loss, figurative: devastated, desolate

Root / Etymology

From the root שָׁכַל (sh-k-l), meaning 'to be bereaved, to lose children.' שַׁכּוּל is the passive/adjectival form, denoting the state or condition resulting from such loss (i.e., 'bereaved'). Though formally derived from the verbal root, its usage specifies the result (state of bereavement) rather than the action itself.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שַׁכּוּל is ascribed mainly to women, especially mothers (e.g., Exodus 23:26; Hosea 9:14), as well as to animals whose offspring are lost (e.g., Deuteronomy 32:25). The term emphasizes the painful state following the loss of offspring rather than infertility or general barrenness, which would be referred to by other words (e.g., עֲקָרָה for 'barren woman'). The Septuagint often translates this term using Greek words connected with bereavement or loss. In ancient Israelite culture, to be שַׁכּוּל carried serious social and emotional implications, as the loss of children not only caused grief, but also threatened lineage and survival. Later translations sometimes render the term as 'barren,' but this obscures the word’s characteristic association with a previous state of motherhood or parenthood—emphasizing tragic loss over inherent infertility. In prophetic texts, the term may be used metaphorically to denote devastation of the nation or land, personifying them as bereaved mothers.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or שַׁכֻּל; from שָׁכֹל; bereaved; barren, bereaved (robbed) of children (whelps).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שכל (sh-k-l) — to be bereaved, to lose children

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7908 שְׁכוֹל child-loss bereavement
H7921 שָׁכֹל I will be bereaved
H7923 שִׁכֻּלִים your child-bereavements

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7909-01 שַׁכּ֖וּל shakul HAamsa bereaved bereaved of children 3
H7909-03 וְ/שַׁכֻּלָ֖ה veshakulah HC/Aafsa barren child-bereaved woman 2
H7909-02 שַׁכֻּלוֹת֙ shakulot HAafpa bereaved bereaved women 1

Occurrences in Scripture

6 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7909-01 2 Samuel 17:8 שַׁכּ֖וּל shakul HAamsa bereaved bereaved of children
H7909-02 Jeremiah 18:21 שַׁכֻּלוֹת֙ shakulot HAafpa bereaved bereaved women
H7909-01 Hosea 13:8 שַׁכּ֔וּל shakul HAamsa bereaved bereaved of children
H7909-01 Proverbs 17:12 שַׁכּ֣וּל shakul HAamsa robbed-of-her-cubs bereaved of children
H7909-03 Song of Songs 4:2 וְ/שַׁכֻּלָ֖ה veshakulah HC/Aafsa barren child-bereaved woman
H7909-03 Song of Songs 6:6 וְ/שַׁכֻּלָ֖ה veshakulah HC/Aafsa bereaved child-bereaved woman
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