שָׁלַח
𐤔𐤋𐤇
shâlach
H7971 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To send, stretch out, or extend (one's hand, an object, or a person) to a particular purpose or place; to dispatch, commission, or release someone or something from one’s possession; in some contexts, to set loose, dismiss, expel, or shoot forth. The sense of deliberate dispatch or transfer is central, whether referring to sending persons, objects, hands, or metaphorically, actions and consequences.
Semantic Range
to send, to send away, to dispatch, to release, to expel, to extend (a hand), to lay hands (on), to commission, to shoot forth (arrows, branches), to sow (scatter seed), to stretch forth
Root / Etymology
Root שׁ־ל־ח, meaning 'to send' or 'to stretch forth.' The verb שָׁלַח is a basic stem (qal) verb derived from this root, retaining the core action of sending or extending, though context determines whether this involves people, objects, or metaphorical projections (e.g. shooting, sowing).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שָׁלַח covers a wide range of sending-related actions. It often describes the dispatching of messengers, gifts, or threats (Genesis 32:4; Judges 6:8); the extending of a hand in aggression or protection (Genesis 22:12; Exodus 3:20); the release of individuals, animals, or captives (Deuteronomy 15:12-13; Leviticus 14:7); or even the effect of natural phenomena such as the sending forth of rivers (Job 38:26). In legal contexts, it may signify the dismissal or divorce of a spouse (Deuteronomy 24:1, 'send away' a wife). The root is flexible, allowing both literal and metaphorical applications, such as sowing seed or shooting arrows (Genesis 21:20). Although standard English translations often use 'send' or 'send away,' the verb’s scope involves broader nuances—release, expulsion, extension, or transmission—depending on narrative or legal context. Some idiomatic uses (such as 'put forth one's hand to,' i.e., to act) are not directly transparent in translation but are rooted in this broader semantic field.
Translation Consistency
“Send” captures the central, deliberate-dispatch sense common to שָׁלַח (to send, send away, dispatch, release, send forth). It is the most natural and frequent English equivalent (e.g. sent/sending/sends) and easily covers idioms like send away, send forth (arrows/branches), send out/let go, and send someone on a mission. Using “send” ensures consistent, natural-sounding renderings across the full semantic range.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שלח (Shilocha) — to send, stretch out, extend
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4916 | מִשְׁלוֹחַ | for sending-forth of |
| H7964 | שִׁלּוּחַ | her sendings-away |
| H7972 | שְׁלַח | Sent-One |
| H7973 | שֶׁלַח | with the spear |
| H7975 | שִׁלֹחַ | the sent-forth conduit |
Word Forms
180 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7971-136 |
וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֨ח | vayishelach | HC/Vqw3ms |
and sent | and he dispatched | and he sent | 190 |
H7971-41 |
שָׁלַ֥ח | shalach | HVqp3ms |
sent | to send off | he sent | 82 |
H7971-58 |
שְׁלָחַ֣/נִי | shelachani | HVqp3ms/Sp1cs |
has sent me | He sent me | He sent me | 26 |
H7971-141 |
וַֽ/יִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ | vayishelechu | HC/Vqw3mp |
and they sent | and they dispatched | and they sent | 25 |
H7971-128 |
וַ/יְשַׁלַּ֧ח | vayeshalach | HC/Vpw3ms |
and sent | and he dispatched | and he sent | 22 |
H7971-160 |
וְ/שִׁלַּ֥חְתִּי | veshilacheti | HC/Vpq1cs |
and-I-will-send | and I will dispatch | and I will send | 20 |
H7971-87 |
שֹׁלֵ֔חַ | sholecha | HVqrmsa |
am sending | the sending one | the sending one | 17 |
H7971-55 |
שְׁלַ֨ח | shelach | HVqv2ms |
send | Send forth! | Send forth! | 15 |
H7971-84 |
שִׁלְּח֖וּ | shilechu | HVpp3cp |
send | Send forth! | Send forth! | 15 |
H7971-177 |
יִשְׁלַ֖ח | yishelach | HVqj3ms |
will send | he will send forth | he will send forth | 13 |
Occurrences in Scripture
847 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7971-177 |
Genesis 3:22 | יִשְׁלַ֣ח | yishelach | HVqi3ms |
he reach out | he will send forth | he will send forth |
H7971-130 |
Genesis 3:23 | וַֽ/יְשַׁלְּחֵ֛/הוּ | vayeshalechehu | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3ms |
sent him out | and he dispatched him | and he sent him |
H7971-128 |
Genesis 8:7 | וַ/יְשַׁלַּ֖ח | vayeshalach | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he sent out | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-128 |
Genesis 8:8 | וַ/יְשַׁלַּ֥ח | vayeshalach | HC/Vpw3ms |
and he sent out | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-136 |
Genesis 8:9 | וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֤ח | vayishelach | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he put out | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-41 |
Genesis 8:10 | שַׁלַּ֥ח | shalach | HVpc |
he sent | to send off | to send off |
H7971-128 |
Genesis 8:12 | וַ/יְשַׁלַּח֙ | vayeshalach | HC/Vpw3ms |
and sent out | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-133 |
Genesis 12:20 | וַֽ/יְשַׁלְּח֥וּ | vayeshalechu | HC/Vpw3mp |
and they sent | and they dispatched | and they sent |
H7971-24 |
Genesis 18:16 | לְ/שַׁלְּחָֽ/ם | leshalecham | HR/Vpc/Sp3mp |
to send them off | to send them away | to send them away |
H7971-141 |
Genesis 19:10 | וַ/יִּשְׁלְח֤וּ | vayishelechu | HC/Vqw3mp |
reached out | and they dispatched | and they reached out |
H7971-132 |
Genesis 19:13 | וַ/יְשַׁלְּחֵ֥/נוּ | vayeshalechenu | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp1cp |
and he has sent us | and he dispatched us | and he sent us |
H7971-128 |
Genesis 19:29 | וַ/יְשַׁלַּ֤ח | vayeshalach | HC/Vpw3ms |
and sent | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-136 |
Genesis 20:2 | וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֗ח | vayishelach | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he sent | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-129 |
Genesis 21:14 | וַֽ/יְשַׁלְּחֶ֑/הָ | vayeshalecheha | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3fs |
and sent her away | and he sent her away | and he sent her away |
H7971-136 |
Genesis 22:10 | וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֤ח | vayishelach | HC/Vqw3ms |
reached out | and he dispatched | and he reached out |
H7971-101 |
Genesis 22:12 | תִּשְׁלַ֤ח | tishelach | HVqj2ms |
lay | may you send forth | send forth |
H7971-177 |
Genesis 24:7 | יִשְׁלַ֤ח | yishelach | HVqi3ms |
will send | he will send forth | he will send forth |
H7971-177 |
Genesis 24:40 | יִשְׁלַ֨ח | yishelach | HVqi3ms |
will send | he will send forth | he will send forth |
H7971-52 |
Genesis 24:54 | שַׁלְּחֻ֥/נִי | shalechuni | HVpv2mp/Sp1cs |
send me away | You men, dispatch me | send me away |
H7971-52 |
Genesis 24:56 | שַׁלְּח֕וּ/נִי | shalechuni | HVpv2mp/Sp1cs |
send me away | You men, dispatch me | send me away |
H7971-133 |
Genesis 24:59 | וַֽ/יְשַׁלְּח֛וּ | vayeshalechu | HC/Vpw3mp |
So they sent away | and they dispatched | and they sent |
H7971-131 |
Genesis 25:6 | וַֽ/יְשַׁלְּחֵ֞/ם | vayeshalechem | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3mp |
and sent them | and he dispatched them | and he sent them |
H7971-126 |
Genesis 26:27 | וַ/תְּשַׁלְּח֖וּ/נִי | vateshalechuni | HC/Vpw2mp/Sp1cs |
and sent me away | and you men dispatched me | and you sent me away |
H7971-121 |
Genesis 26:29 | וַ/נְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲ/ךָ֖ | vaneshalechakha | HC/Vpw1cp/Sp2ms |
and we sent you away | and we dispatched you | and we sent you away |
H7971-131 |
Genesis 26:31 | וַ/יְשַׁלְּחֵ֣/ם | vayeshalechem | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3mp |
and sent them away | and he dispatched them | and he sent them |
H7971-127 |
Genesis 27:42 | וַ/תִּשְׁלַ֞ח | vatishelach | HC/Vqw3fs |
and she sent | and she dispatched | and she sent |
H7971-151 |
Genesis 27:45 | וְ/שָׁלַחְתִּ֖י | veshalacheti | HC/Vqq1cs |
and I will send | and I sent | and I will send |
H7971-136 |
Genesis 28:5 | וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֤ח | vayishelach | HC/Vqw3ms |
sent away | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-155 |
Genesis 28:6 | וְ/שִׁלַּ֤ח | veshilach | HC/Vpp3ms |
and sent | and he sent away | and he sent away |
H7971-49 |
Genesis 30:25 | שַׁלְּחֵ֨/נִי֙ | shalecheni | HVpv2ms/Sp1cs |
Send me away | send me away | send me away |
H7971-136 |
Genesis 31:4 | וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֣ח | vayishelach | HC/Vqw3ms |
sent | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-115 |
Genesis 31:27 | וָֽ/אֲשַׁלֵּחֲ/ךָ֛ | vaashalechakha | HC/Vpi1cs/Sp2ms |
that I might send you away | I dispatch you | that I might send you away |
H7971-76 |
Genesis 31:42 | שִׁלַּחְתָּ֑/נִי | shilachetani | HVpp2ms/Sp1cs |
you would have sent me away | you dispatched me | you would have sent me away |
H7971-136 |
Genesis 32:4 | וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֨ח | vayishelach | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he sent | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-120 |
Genesis 32:6 | וָֽ/אֶשְׁלְחָ/ה֙ | vaeshelechah | HC/Vqw1cs/Sh |
and I have sent them | and I dispatched | and I sent |
H7971-71 |
Genesis 32:19 | שְׁלוּחָ֔ה | sheluchah | HVqsfsa |
sent | sent-out one | sent one (feminine singular) |
H7971-49 |
Genesis 32:27 | שַׁלְּחֵ֔/נִי | shalecheni | HVpv2ms/Sp1cs |
Let me go | send me away | send me away |
H7971-03 |
Genesis 32:27 | אֲשַֽׁלֵּחֲ/ךָ֔ | ashalechakha | HVpi1cs/Sp2ms |
I will let you go | I will dispatch you | I will send you away |
H7971-143 |
Genesis 37:13 | וְ/אֶשְׁלָחֲ/ךָ֣ | veeshelachakha | HC/Vqi1cs/Sp2ms |
and I will send you | and I will dispatch you | and I will send you |
H7971-138 |
Genesis 37:14 | וַ/יִּשְׁלָחֵ֨/הוּ֙ | vayishelachehu | HC/Vqw3ms/Sp3ms |
so he sent him | and he dispatched him | and he dispatched him |
H7971-107 |
Genesis 37:22 | תִּשְׁלְחוּ | tishelechu | HVqj2mp |
lay/put forth | may you send forth | stretch out |
H7971-133 |
Genesis 37:32 | וַֽ/יְשַׁלְּח֞וּ | vayeshalechu | HC/Vpw3mp |
and they sent | and they dispatched | and they sent |
H7971-01 |
Genesis 38:17 | אֲשַׁלַּ֥ח | ashalach | HVpi1cs |
will send | I will dispatch | I will send |
H7971-48 |
Genesis 38:17 | שָׁלְחֶֽ/ךָ | shalechekha | HVqc/Sp2ms |
you send it | your sending forth | you send it |
H7971-136 |
Genesis 38:20 | וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֨ח | vayishelach | HC/Vqw3ms |
sent | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-44 |
Genesis 38:23 | שָׁלַ֨חְתִּי֙ | shalacheti | HVqp1cs |
I sent | I dispatched | I sent |
H7971-46 |
Genesis 38:25 | שָׁלְחָ֤ה | shalechah | HVqp3fs |
sent | she sent | she sent |
H7971-136 |
Genesis 41:8 | וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֗ח | vayishelach | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he sent | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-136 |
Genesis 41:14 | וַ/יִּשְׁלַ֤ח | vayishelach | HC/Vqw3ms |
sent | and he dispatched | and he sent |
H7971-41 |
Genesis 42:4 | שָׁלַ֥ח | shalach | HVqp3ms |
did send | to send off | sent |