שְׂמָאלִי
𐤔𐤌𐤀𐤋𐤉
sᵉmâʼlîy
H8042 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Pertaining to, or situated on, the left side. Used as an adjective describing location or orientation relative to an object or person (on the left, at the left hand), and as a personal or tribal designation for a person or group identified by association with the left side, especially in geographical or ritual instructions.
Semantic Range
left, left side (literally or directionally), person or group on the left, pertaining to the left (hand, side, direction), left-handed (by association)
Root / Etymology
From the root שׂמל (שְׂמֹאל), meaning 'left side' or 'left hand.' The form שְׂמָאלִי is an adjective derived from this noun base, with the suffix י indicating adjectival relation ('pertaining to the left'). The root itself is related to terms for 'left' in other Northwest Semitic languages.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שְׂמָאלִי denotes both spatial orientation (left side, as opposed to right or יָמִין) and can refer to the left-handed or those positioned on the left, such as in tribal camp arrangements or ritual settings. The word is occasionally used to distinguish sides or directions in legal, ceremonial, or military contexts in the Hebrew Bible. When referring to individuals (e.g., men of the left hand), the term may carry implications about physical ability or tribal roles, as seen with certain Benjaminite warriors. In later Hebrew and in some post-biblical use, the ideological or spiritual significance associated with the left versus right may deepen, but in biblical texts, the term is primarily descriptive or functional. English translations often render שְׂמָאלִי simply as 'left' or 'left hand/side,' which may obscure instances where it characterizes a group or tribe rather than merely denoting orientation. There is no evidence in biblical texts that the term carried distinctly negative connotations as 'left' sometimes does in later Western symbolism.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שְׂמֹאול; situated on the left side; left.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׂמל (ś-m-l) — to be left, to go to the left, left hand/side
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8042-02 |
הַ/שְּׂמָאלִֽית | hasemalit | HTd/Aafsa |
the left | the left-side | 6 |
H8042-01 |
הַ/שְּׂמָאלִ֔י | hasemali | HTd/Aamsa |
left | the left-side one | 2 |
H8042-03 |
מֵֽ/הַ/שְּׂמֹ֑אול | mehasemovl | HR/Td/Ncmsa |
on the left | from the left side | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8042-02 |
Leviticus 14:15 | הַ/שְּׂמָאלִֽית | hasemalit | HTd/Aafsa |
the left | the left-side |
H8042-02 |
Leviticus 14:16 | הַ/שְּׂמָאלִ֑ית | hasemalit | HTd/Aafsa |
left | the left-side |
H8042-02 |
Leviticus 14:26 | הַ/שְּׂמָאלִֽית | hasemalit | HTd/Aafsa |
left | the left-side |
H8042-02 |
Leviticus 14:27 | הַ/שְּׂמָאלִ֑ית | hasemalit | HTd/Aafsa |
the left | the left-side |
H8042-01 |
1 Kings 7:21 | הַ/שְּׂמָאלִ֔י | hasemali | HTd/Aamsa |
left | the left-side one |
H8042-02 |
2 Kings 11:11 | הַ/שְּׂמָאלִ֔ית | hasemalit | HTd/Aafsa |
the left | the left-side |
H8042-01 |
Ezekiel 4:4 | הַ/שְּׂמָאלִ֔י | hasemali | HTd/Aamsa |
the left | the left-side one |
H8042-03 |
2 Chronicles 3:17 | מֵֽ/הַ/שְּׂמֹ֑אול | mehasemovl | HR/Td/Ncmsa |
on the left | from the left side |
H8042-02 |
2 Chronicles 23:10 | הַ/שְּׂמָאלִ֔ית | hasemalit | HTd/Aafsa |
the left | the left-side |