שָׂכַל (H7919) — Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂכַל

𐤔𐤊𐤋

sâkal

H7919 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To act with insight, understanding, or skill; to comprehend a situation and respond appropriately and prudently. The term encompasses the capacity to achieve successful outcomes through perceptiveness, careful judgment, or competence. In causative forms, it extends to making someone understand, instructing, or enabling prudent behavior. The semantic range covers both intellectual insight and practical skill, often associated with success or prosperity derived from wise action.

Semantic Range

to be prudent, to act with insight or intelligence, to be skillful, to comprehend, to instruct or teach, to guide wisely, to achieve success or prosperity through prudent action, to make wise, to enable understanding

Root / Etymology

From the root שׂכל, which fundamentally expresses the capacity for insight, comprehension, prudence, and intelligence. The verb שָׂכַל in the qal stem typically means to be wise or act with insight; in the hiphil, it means 'to make wise,' 'to instruct,' or 'to prosper,' reflecting causative nuance. The root is attested in other Semitic languages with overlapping senses of discernment or skill, though specific usage varies.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, שָׂכַל and its derivatives are used to describe both cognitive abilities (wisdom, understanding) and the effective, often successful, execution of actions (especially in administrative, military, or practical contexts). While later English translations often render it as 'wisdom' or 'understanding,' the word frequently denotes the application of insight to achieve effective, skillful, or prosperous results. The meaning can shade toward moral, spiritual, or practical insight, depending on context. In Deuteronomistic texts, it often denotes success resulting from attentive observance of instruction. It is closely related to, but partially distinct from, חָכַם (H2450 'to be wise'), with חָכַם focusing on innate wisdom or general intellectual capability and שָׂכַל emphasizing applied insight and prudence that leads to success or prosperity. The hiphil stem widespread in post-exilic literature denotes making someone prudent or enabling success, with particular emphasis on didactic and instructional contexts.

Translation Consistency

primary "be wise" 5 occurrences

Sâkal primarily conveys acting with insight, prudence, and skill (and in causative uses, causing understanding or prudence). 'Be wise' naturally captures the central idea of possessing and exercising wisdom or prudence and easily extends to causative senses ('make wise', 'cause to be wise', 'teach to be wise') while remaining natural English.

Alternatives (58 occurrences):

"wise" (6x) "act with insight" (6x) "acted with insight" (6x) "who makes wise" (6x) "understanding" (4x) "act wisely" (3x) "who acts with insight" (2x) "understand" (2x) "guided" (1x) "insight" (1x) "acted wisely" (1x) "successful" (1x) "acting with insight" (1x) "prospered" (1x) "skilled" (1x) "prudent one" (1x) "make you understand" (1x) "who understands" (1x) "me make wise" (1x) "become more understanding" (1x) "who gives heed" (1x) "prospers" (1x) "prudent" (1x) "instructing" (1x) "skillful" (1x) "causing insight" (1x) "give heed" (1x) "give you insight" (1x) "those who impart wisdom of" (1x) "make them act with insight" (1x) "made wise" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to be (causatively, make or act) circumspect and hence, intelligent; consider, expert, instruct, prosper, (deal) prudent(-ly), (give) skill(-ful), have good success, teach, (have, make to) understand(-ing), wisdom, (be, behave self, consider, make) wise(-ly), guide wittingly.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

שׂכל (ś-k-l) — prudence, insight, understanding, skillful success

Root שׂכל to be prudent, to act with insight, to understand, to prosper

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4905	מַשְׂכִּיל	insight-imparting composition
H7920	שְׂכַל	conducting himself wisely
H7922	שֶׂכֶל	with insight
H7924	שׇׂכְלְתָנוּ	understanding

Word Forms

33 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H7919-15`	מַשְׂכִּ֑יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	wise	one who makes wise	one who makes wise	13
`H7919-32`	יַשְׂכִּ֔יל	yasekil	`HVhi3ms`	and prospered	he will make wise	he acted wisely	5
`H7919-09`	הִשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ	hisekilu	`HVhp3cp`	they understood	they acted with insight	they acted with insight	5
`H7919-20`	תַּשְׂכִּ֔יל	tasekil	`HVhi2ms`	you may prosper	you will act with insight	you will act with insight	3
`H7919-05`	הַשְׂכֵּל֮	hasekel	`HVha`	of understanding	to make wise	to make be wise	3
`H7919-21`	תַּשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ	tasekilu	`HVhi2mp`	will you be wise	you will act with insight	will you be wise	2
`H7919-22`	וּ/לְ/הַשְׂכִּ֖יל	ulehasekil	`HC/R/Vhc`	and to give heed	and to make wise	and to cause to understand	2
`H7919-04`	הַ/מַּשְׂכִּילִ֣ים	hamasekilim	`HTd/Vhrmpa`	the wise	the ones who make wise	the ones who make others be wise	2
`H7919-28`	וְ/הַשְׂכֵּֽיל	vehasekeyl	`HC/Vha`	and-understanding	to make wise	and to cause to be wise	2
`H7919-10`	לְ/הַשְׂכִּ֔יל	lehasekil	`HR/Vhc`	for making wise	to make wise	to act wisely	2
`H7919-26`	וְ/הַ֨/מַּשְׂכִּלִ֔ים	vehamasekilim	`HC/Td/Vhrmpa`	And those who have insight	the ones who make wise	and the ones who make others be wise	2
`H7919-31`	וְ/יַשְׂכִּ֨ילוּ֙	veyasekilu	`HC/Vhi3mp`	and understand	they will act with insight	and they may act with insight	1
`H7919-23`	וּ/מַשְׂכִּ֣ילֵי	umasekiley	`HC/Vhrmpc`	and-the-wise	and those who make-wise of	and those who impart wisdom of	1
`H7919-13`	לְ/מַשְׂכִּ֑יל	lemasekil	`HR/Vhrmsa`	for the wise	the one causing insight	for the wise	1
`H7919-06`	הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ	hasekilu	`HVhv2mp`	be wise	Act with insight	Act with insight	1
`H7919-25`	וּ/בְ/הַשְׂכִּ֥יל	uvehasekil	`HC/R/Vhc`	and-when instructed	and in making wise	and in instructing	1
`H7919-33`	יַשְׂכִּ֣ילוּ	yasekilu	`HVhi3mp`	they would understand	they will make wise	they would have insight	1
`H7919-29`	וְ/הִשְׂכִּ֔יל	vehisekil	`HC/Vhq3ms`	and-shall-deal-wisely	and he made wise	and he will act wisely	1
`H7919-01`	אַשְׂכִּ֤ילָה	asekilah	`HVhh1cs`	I will give heed	Let me make wise	Let me make wise	1
`H7919-08`	הִשְׂכִּ֑יל	hisekil	`HVhp3ms`	made wise	he made wise	he made wise	1
`H7919-27`	וְ/הַשְׂכֵּ֖ל	vehasekel	`HC/Vha`	and-skill	and causing insight	and causing insight	1
`H7919-11`	לְ/הַשְׂכִּילָ֑/ם	lehasekilam	`HR/Vhc/Sp3mp`	to-make-them-wise	to make them act with insight	to make them act with insight	1
`H7919-02`	אַשְׂכִּֽילְ/ךָ֨	asekilekha	`HVhi1cs/Sp2ms`	I will instruct you	I will make you understand	I will make you understand	1
`H7919-03`	הַ/מַּשְׂכִּ֛יל	hamasekil	`HTd/Vhrmsa`	the prudent	the one who makes wise	the prudent one	1
`H7919-14`	מַשְׂכָּֽלֶת	masekalet	`HVhrfsa`	prudent	she who makes wise	prudent	1
`H7919-17`	מֵ/הַשְׂכִּ֖יל	mehasekil	`HR/Vhc`	from understanding	from making wise	from understanding	1
`H7919-07`	הִשְׂכַּ֑לְתִּי	hisekaleti	`HVhp1cs`	I have more understanding	I made wise	I have become more understanding	1
`H7919-30`	וְ/תַשְׂכֵּ֜ל	vetasekel	`HC/Vhi2ms`	and-consider	you will make wise	and you will understand	1
`H7919-16`	מַשְׁכִּ֔יל	mashekil	`HVhrmsa`	skilled	one who makes wise	skilled	1
`H7919-18`	שָׂכַ֤ל	sakhal	`HVqp3ms`	behaved wisely	he acted with insight	he acted with insight	1
`H7919-24`	וּ/מַשְׂכִּילִ֣ים	umasekilim	`HC/Vhrmpa`	skillful	insight-givers	and skillful	1
`H7919-19`	שִׂכֵּל֙	sikel	`HVpp3ms`	guided	he made wise	he guided	1
`H7919-12`	לְ/הַשְׂכִּילְ/ךָ֥	lehasekilekha	`HR/Vhc/Sp2ms`	to give you insight	to make you wise	to give you insight	1

Occurrences in Scripture

63 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H7919-10`	Genesis 3:6	לְ/הַשְׂכִּ֔יל	lehasekil	`HR/Vhc`	for making wise	to make wise	to cause to be wise
`H7919-19`	Genesis 48:14	שִׂכֵּל֙	sikel	`HVpp3ms`	guided	he made wise	he guided
`H7919-21`	Deuteronomy 29:8	תַּשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ	tasekilu	`HVhi2mp`	you-may-prosper	you will act with insight	you may act with insight
`H7919-33`	Deuteronomy 32:29	יַשְׂכִּ֣ילוּ	yasekilu	`HVhi3mp`	they would understand	they will make wise	they would have insight
`H7919-20`	Joshua 1:7	תַּשְׂכִּ֔יל	tasekil	`HVhi2ms`	you prosper	you will act with insight	you will act with insight
`H7919-20`	Joshua 1:8	תַּשְׂכִּֽיל	tasekil	`HVhi2ms`	you shall have success	you will act with insight	you will act with insight
`H7919-32`	1 Samuel 18:5	יַשְׂכִּ֔יל	yasekil	`HVhi3ms`	and prospered	he will make wise	he acted wisely
`H7919-15`	1 Samuel 18:14	מַשְׂכִּ֑יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	prospering	one who makes wise	successful
`H7919-15`	1 Samuel 18:15	מַשְׂכִּ֣יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	was prospering	one who makes wise	was acting with insight
`H7919-18`	1 Samuel 18:30	שָׂכַ֤ל	sakhal	`HVqp3ms`	behaved wisely	he acted with insight	he acted with insight
`H7919-20`	1 Kings 2:3	תַּשְׂכִּ֗יל	tasekil	`HVhi2ms`	you may prosper	you will act with insight	you will act with insight
`H7919-32`	2 Kings 18:7	יַשְׂכִּ֑יל	yasekil	`HVhi3ms`	he-prospered	he will make wise	he prospered
`H7919-31`	Isaiah 41:20	וְ/יַשְׂכִּ֨ילוּ֙	veyasekilu	`HC/Vhi3mp`	and understand	they will act with insight	and they may act with insight
`H7919-17`	Isaiah 44:18	מֵ/הַשְׂכִּ֖יל	mehasekil	`HR/Vhc`	from understanding	from making wise	from understanding
`H7919-32`	Isaiah 52:13	יַשְׂכִּ֖יל	yasekil	`HVhi3ms`	will prosper	he will make wise	he will act wisely
`H7919-28`	Jeremiah 3:15	וְ/הַשְׂכֵּֽיל	vehasekeyl	`HC/Vha`	and-understanding	to make wise	and understanding
`H7919-05`	Jeremiah 9:23	הַשְׂכֵּל֮	hasekel	`HVha`	understanding	to make wise	to make be wise
`H7919-09`	Jeremiah 10:21	הִשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ	hisekilu	`HVhp3cp`	prospered	they acted with insight	they acted with insight
`H7919-09`	Jeremiah 20:11	הִשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ	hisekilu	`HVhp3cp`	they have acted wisely	they acted with insight	they acted with insight
`H7919-29`	Jeremiah 23:5	וְ/הִשְׂכִּ֔יל	vehisekil	`HC/Vhq3ms`	and-shall-deal-wisely	and he made wise	and he will act wisely
`H7919-16`	Jeremiah 50:9	מַשְׁכִּ֔יל	mashekil	`HVhrmsa`	skilled	one who makes wise	skilled
`H7919-03`	Amos 5:13	הַ/מַּשְׂכִּ֛יל	hamasekil	`HTd/Vhrmsa`	the prudent	the one who makes wise	the prudent one
`H7919-06`	Psalms 2:10	הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ	hasekilu	`HVhv2mp`	be wise	Act with insight	Act with insight
`H7919-15`	Psalms 14:2	מַשְׂכִּ֑יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	who understands	one who makes wise	one who acts with insight
`H7919-02`	Psalms 32:8	אַשְׂכִּֽילְ/ךָ֨	asekilekha	`HVhi1cs/Sp2ms`	I will instruct you	I will make you understand	I will make you understand
`H7919-10`	Psalms 36:4	לְ/הַשְׂכִּ֣יל	lehasekil	`HR/Vhc`	to act wisely	to make wise	to act wisely
`H7919-15`	Psalms 41:2	מַשְׂכִּ֣יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	is he who considers	one who makes wise	one who acts with insight
`H7919-15`	Psalms 47:8	מַשְׂכִּֽיל	masekil	`HNcmsa`	with understanding	one who makes wise	with understanding
`H7919-15`	Psalms 53:3	מַשְׂכִּ֑יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	any who understands	one who makes wise	one who understands
`H7919-09`	Psalms 64:10	הִשְׂכִּֽילוּ	hisekilu	`HVhp3cp`	they considered	they acted with insight	they acted with insight
`H7919-21`	Psalms 94:8	תַּשְׂכִּֽילוּ	tasekilu	`HVhi2mp`	will you be wise	you will act with insight	will you be wise
`H7919-01`	Psalms 101:2	אַשְׂכִּ֤ילָה	asekilah	`HVhh1cs`	I will give heed	Let me make wise	Let me make wise
`H7919-09`	Psalms 106:7	הִשְׂכִּ֬ילוּ	hisekilu	`HVhp3cp`	they understood	they acted with insight	they acted with insight
`H7919-07`	Psalms 119:99	הִשְׂכַּ֑לְתִּי	hisekaleti	`HVhp1cs`	I have more understanding	I made wise	I have become more understanding
`H7919-05`	Proverbs 1:3	הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל	hasekel	`HVha`	of wise behavior	to make wise	to make be wise
`H7919-15`	Proverbs 10:5	מַשְׂכִּ֑יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	wise	one who makes wise	one who makes wise
`H7919-15`	Proverbs 10:19	מַשְׂכִּֽיל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	is wise	one who makes wise	one who makes wise
`H7919-15`	Proverbs 14:35	מַשְׂכִּ֑יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	wise	one who makes wise	one who makes wise
`H7919-13`	Proverbs 15:24	לְ/מַשְׂכִּ֑יל	lemasekil	`HR/Vhrmsa`	for the wise	the one causing insight	for the wise
`H7919-15`	Proverbs 16:20	מַשְׂכִּ֣יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	gives heed	one who makes wise	one who gives heed
`H7919-32`	Proverbs 16:23	יַשְׂכִּ֣יל	yasekil	`HVhi3ms`	instructs	he will make wise	he will cause to be wise
`H7919-15`	Proverbs 17:2	מַשְׂכִּ֗יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	wise	one who makes wise	one who makes wise
`H7919-32`	Proverbs 17:8	יַשְׂכִּֽיל	yasekil	`HVhi3ms`	he prospers	he will make wise	he prospers
`H7919-14`	Proverbs 19:14	מַשְׂכָּֽלֶת	masekalet	`HVhrfsa`	prudent	she who makes wise	prudent
`H7919-25`	Proverbs 21:11	וּ/בְ/הַשְׂכִּ֥יל	uvehasekil	`HC/R/Vhc`	and-when instructed	and in making wise	and in instructing
`H7919-15`	Proverbs 21:12	מַשְׂכִּ֣יל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	considers	one who makes wise	one who makes wise
`H7919-05`	Proverbs 21:16	הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל	hasekel	`HVha`	of understanding	to make wise	of understanding
`H7919-15`	Job 22:2	מַשְׂכִּֽיל	masekil	`HVhrmsa`	the wise	one who makes wise	one who makes wise
`H7919-09`	Job 34:27	הִשְׂכִּֽילוּ	hisekilu	`HVhp3cp`	they understood	they acted with insight	they acted with insight
`H7919-28`	Job 34:35	בְ/הַשְׂכֵּֽיל	vehasekeyl	`HR/Vhc`	with insight	to make wise	and to cause to be wise
`H7919-24`	Daniel 1:4	וּ/מַשְׂכִּילִ֣ים	umasekilim	`HC/Vhrmpa`	skillful	insight-givers	and skillful
`H7919-27`	Daniel 1:17	וְ/הַשְׂכֵּ֖ל	vehasekel	`HC/Vha`	and-skill	and causing insight	and causing insight
`H7919-22`	Daniel 9:13	וּ/לְ/הַשְׂכִּ֖יל	ulehasekil	`HC/R/Vhc`	and to give heed	and to make wise	and to give heed
`H7919-12`	Daniel 9:22	לְ/הַשְׂכִּילְ/ךָ֥	lehasekilekha	`HR/Vhc/Sp2ms`	to give you insight	to make you wise	to give you insight
`H7919-30`	Daniel 9:25	וְ/תַשְׂכֵּ֜ל	vetasekel	`HC/Vhi2ms`	and-consider	you will make wise	and you will understand
`H7919-23`	Daniel 11:33	וּ/מַשְׂכִּ֣ילֵי	umasekiley	`HC/Vhrmpc`	and-the-wise	and those who make-wise of	and those who impart wisdom of
`H7919-04`	Daniel 11:35	הַ/מַּשְׂכִּילִ֣ים	hamasekilim	`HTd/Vhrmpa`	the wise	the ones who make wise	the ones who make others be wise
`H7919-26`	Daniel 12:3	וְ/הַ֨/מַּשְׂכִּלִ֔ים	vehamasekilim	`HC/Td/Vhrmpa`	And those who have insight	the ones who make wise	and the ones who make others be wise
`H7919-26`	Daniel 12:10	וְ/הַ/מַּשְׂכִּלִ֖ים	vehamasekilim	`HC/Td/Vhrmpa`	but the wise	the ones who make wise	and the wise
`H7919-22`	Nehemiah 8:13	וּ/לְ/הַשְׂכִּ֖יל	ulehasekil	`HC/R/Vhc`	to understand	and to make wise	and to cause to understand
`H7919-11`	Nehemiah 9:20	לְ/הַשְׂכִּילָ֑/ם	lehasekilam	`HR/Vhc/Sp3mp`	to-make-them-wise	to make them act with insight	to make them act with insight
`H7919-08`	1 Chronicles 28:19	הִשְׂכִּ֑יל	hisekil	`HVhp3ms`	made wise	he made wise	he made wise
`H7919-04`	2 Chronicles 30:22	הַ/מַּשְׂכִּילִ֥ים	hamasekilim	`HTd/Vhrmpa`	who showed good insight	the ones who make wise	the ones who make others be wise

← H7918 Hebrew Lexicon H7920 →