שֶׂכֶר
𐤔𐤊𐤓
seker
H7938 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Wages, compensation or payment given for work performed; also used to refer more broadly to a reward or recompense, sometimes with a sense of what is earned or deserved. In a few contexts, may refer metaphorically to the result or outcome of action, whether positive (reward) or negative (recompense, sometimes even punishment). Rare, specialized usage refers to sluices or canal-works, likely involving a different etymological development.
Semantic Range
wages, payment, compensation for labor, reward, recompense, the deserved result of actions (positive or negative); possible specialized reference to sluices or canal-works in certain contexts
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שׂכר, meaning 'to hire, to rent, to reward.' שֶׂכֶר is a nominal formation denoting that which is given as payment, i.e., wages, recompense, or reward. The use of the term for 'sluices' in some contexts (e.g., Isaiah 19:10) is debated and may represent a divergent semantic development or a homonym from a different root; etymology for this sense is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שֶׂכֶר occurs chiefly in poetic or literary contexts and is not the most common term for 'wages'; שָׂכָר (sakar) is more common for general usage. שֶׂכֶר is typically found in contexts emphasizing the act of recompense, deservingness, or the value of labor (e.g., Ecclesiastes 4:9, Psalm 109:4). In Isaiah 19:10, the meaning is debated: some translations render it as 'wages' in an extended metaphorical sense, while others, based on context and parallel terms, have proposed 'sluices' or 'canal workers,' reflecting specialized terminology in the Egyptian setting. Later Hebrew uses of שֶׂכֶר are occasionally influenced by the biblical sense. In post-biblical Hebrew, the word is mostly superseded by forms directly from שָׂכָר. English translations usually render שֶׂכֶר as 'wages' or 'reward,' though 'sluices' appears rarely and usually only in versions prioritizing a specific reading of Isaiah 19:10.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׂכַר; wages; reward, sluices.
Bantu Hebrew
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שׂכר (ś-k-r) — to hire, to rent, to reward
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7938-01 |
שֶׂ֖כֶר | sekher | HNcmsa |
hire | wage-payment | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7938-01 |
Isaiah 19:10 | שֶׂ֖כֶר | sekher | HNcmsa |
hire | wage-payment |
H7938-01 |
Proverbs 11:18 | שֶׂ֣כֶר | sekher | HNcmsc |
reward | wage-payment |