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שָׁכַם

𐤔𐤊𐤌

shâkam

H7925 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To rise or set out early in the morning; to undertake an activity at daybreak with purposeful intent. While the primary usage is temporal—describing the act of beginning a journey, task, or activity at dawn—there is also connotation of preparedness and diligence.

Semantic Range

to rise early in the morning, to start out early, to set out on a journey at dawn, to prepare or act promptly at daybreak, to energetically initiate a task in the early morning

Root / Etymology

From the root שׁ־כ־ם (שׁכם), which is associated with the noun שֶׁכֶם (shoulder, as in the upper back). The verb originally conveyed the act of putting the load upon the shoulder early in the day, hence the sense of rising or departing early. Though denominative from שֶׁכֶם ('shoulder'), the actual lexical sense focuses on the act of early rising/preparation more than the literal act of shouldering a burden.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שָׁכַם occurs almost exclusively in the piel and hifil stems in the Hebrew Bible, typically connoting action taken by someone intent on beginning their task or journey at the earliest opportunity. The term emphasizes not just the time but also the motivation—diligent preparation, eagerness, or urgent purpose. It is often used in narrative literature to mark the outset of significant journeys (e.g., Abraham, Moses, Samuel, etc.) or important decisions, signaling the seriousness of intent. In later biblical Hebrew and post-biblical usages, the actual sense of 'shouldering' a burden diminished, with 'rising early' retaining the main semantic force. English translations often render the word as 'rose up early' or 'got up early,' but these can flatten the sense of diligent preparation. The practice of rising early for important endeavors was culturally valued and can be contrasted with verbs for ordinary or belated rising (e.g., קוּם).

Translation Consistency

primary "rise" 49 occurrences

The primary sense of שָׁכַם is to get up or begin activity at dawn; the most common English renderings in the P2 data are "rose" and "rising." Using the simple verb "rise" gives a natural, flexible base that covers "rose early," "rising at dawn," and related idioms (including starting out/setting out early) while remaining consistent and easy to inflect across all forms.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"make an early start" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to incline (the shoulder to a burden); but used only as denominative from שְׁכֶם; literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e. to start early in the morning; (arise, be up, get (oneself) up, rise up) early (betimes), morning.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

שׁכם (Shekhem) — to rise early, to shoulder a burden, to begin energetically

Root שׁכם to rise early, to shoulder a burden, to begin energetically
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7926 שְׁכֶם from his shoulder
H7927 שְׁכֶם in Shekem
H7930 שִׁכְמִי the Shikmite

Word Forms

13 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7925-09 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֧ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and rose early and he started early and he rose early 20
H7925-10 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֣מוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they arose early and they rose early and they rose early 16
H7925-02 הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם hashekem HVha rising early Cause yourself to rise early Cause yourself to rise early 12
H7925-03 הַשְׁכֵּ֣ים hashekeym HVha rising early to set out early rising early 3
H7925-12 וְ/הִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֣ם vehishekametem HC/Vhq2mp and you shall rise early and you caused yourselves to rise early and you caused yourselves to rise early 3
H7925-05 מַשְׁכִּ֥ים mashekim HVhrmsa early those who rise early those who rise early 2
H7925-06 מַשְׁכִּימֵ֥י mashekimey HVhrmpc risers early those who rise early those who rise early 2
H7925-13 וְ/הִשְׁכִּים֙ vehishekim HC/Vhq3ms and-he-would-rise-early and he rose early and he rose early 2
H7925-01 אַשְׁכֵּ֥ים ashekeym HVha rising early to rise early rising early 1
H7925-04 הִשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ hishekimu HVhp3cp they rose early they rose early they rose early 1

Occurrences in Scripture

65 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7925-12 Genesis 19:2 וְ/הִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֖ם vehishekametem HC/Vhp2mp and rise early and you caused yourselves to rise early and you caused yourselves to rise early
H7925-09 Genesis 19:27 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and got up early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-09 Genesis 20:8 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms arose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-09 Genesis 21:14 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-09 Genesis 22:3 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-10 Genesis 26:31 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp they rose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-09 Genesis 28:18 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-09 Genesis 32:1 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and he rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-02 Exodus 8:16 הַשְׁכֵּ֤ם hashekem HVhv2ms Rise early Cause yourself to rise early Cause yourself to rise early
H7925-02 Exodus 9:13 הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם hashekem HVhv2ms Rise up early Cause yourself to rise early Cause yourself to rise early
H7925-09 Exodus 24:4 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-10 Exodus 32:6 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֨ימוּ֙ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they rose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-09 Exodus 34:4 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and rose and he started early and he rose early
H7925-10 Numbers 14:40 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֣מוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp And they rose up early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-09 Joshua 3:1 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּם֩ vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-09 Joshua 6:12 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms And Joshua rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-10 Joshua 6:15 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֨מוּ֙ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they rose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-09 Joshua 7:16 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֤ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-09 Joshua 8:10 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֤ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-10 Joshua 8:14 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֡ימוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and rose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-10 Judges 6:28 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֜ימוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they arose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-09 Judges 6:38 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּם֙ vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and-he-rose-early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-09 Judges 7:1 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and-rose-early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-08 Judges 9:33 תַּשְׁכִּ֖ים tashekim HVhi2ms you shall rise early you will make an early start you will make an early start
H7925-10 Judges 19:5 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֥ימוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they rose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-09 Judges 19:8 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and he arose and he started early and he rose early
H7925-12 Judges 19:9 וְ/הִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֤ם vehishekametem HC/Vhq2mp and you shall rise early and you caused yourselves to rise early and you caused yourselves to rise early
H7925-10 Judges 21:4 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they rose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-10 1 Samuel 1:19 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֣מוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp they rose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-10 1 Samuel 5:3 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֤מוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they arose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-10 1 Samuel 5:4 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֣מוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they arose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-10 1 Samuel 9:26 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֗מוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they arose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-09 1 Samuel 15:12 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֧ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and-he-arose-early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-02 1 Samuel 17:16 הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם hashekem HVha morning Cause yourself to rise early to rise early
H7925-09 1 Samuel 17:20 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms And David rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-02 1 Samuel 29:10 הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם hashekem HVhv2ms rise early Cause yourself to rise early Cause yourself to rise early
H7925-12 1 Samuel 29:10 וְ/הִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֣ם vehishekametem HC/Vhq2mp and you shall rise early and you caused yourselves to rise early and you caused yourselves to rise early
H7925-09 1 Samuel 29:11 וַ/יַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and-he-arose-early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-13 2 Samuel 15:2 וְ/הִשְׁכִּים֙ vehishekim HC/Vhq3ms and-he-would-rise-early and he rose early and he rose early
H7925-10 2 Kings 3:22 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they rose up early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-09 2 Kings 6:15 וַ֠/יַּשְׁכֵּם vayashekem HC/Vhw3ms and he rose early and he started early and he rose early
H7925-10 2 Kings 19:35 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and they arose early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-06 Isaiah 5:11 מַשְׁכִּימֵ֥י mashekimey HVhrmpc who rise early those who rise early those who rise early
H7925-10 Isaiah 37:36 וַ/יַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ vayashekimu HC/Vhw3mp and-they-arose-early and they rose early and they rose early
H7925-02 Jeremiah 7:13 הַשְׁכֵּ֤ם hashekem HVha rising early Cause yourself to rise early Cause yourself to rise early
H7925-02 Jeremiah 7:25 הַשְׁכֵּ֥ם hashekem HVha rising early Cause yourself to rise early Cause yourself to rise early
H7925-02 Jeremiah 11:7 הַשְׁכֵּ֥ם hashekem HVha rising-early Cause yourself to rise early Cause yourself to rise early
H7925-01 Jeremiah 25:3 אַשְׁכֵּ֥ים ashekeym HVha rising early to rise early rising early
H7925-02 Jeremiah 25:4 הַשְׁכֵּ֥ם hashekem HVha rising early Cause yourself to rise early Cause yourself to rise early
H7925-11 Jeremiah 26:5 וְ/הַשְׁכֵּ֥ם vehashekem HC/Vha rising early causing an early start rising early
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