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

primary "send" 46 occurrences

“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.

Alternatives (4 occurrences):
"reached out" (2x) "dispatched" (1x) "stretch out" (1x)

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

Root שלח to send, dispatch, extend, stretch out
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