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שָׁקַל

𐤔𐤒𐤋

shâqal

H8254 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שקל to weigh, to balance, to assess value by weight

Definition

To weigh or measure out, particularly by means of a balance, with the nuances of ascertaining the value or quantity of an object (most commonly metal, such as silver or gold, but also goods more broadly), to pay or deliver by measured weight, to assess the worth of something. The root meaning extends into transactional contexts involving weighing out an item as payment, receiving such weighed items, and the related sense of expending or spending via what has been weighed. In certain idiomatic occurrences, it may also refer to carefully considering or evaluating (by analogy to balancing on scales).

Semantic Range

to weigh on a balance, to measure or ascertain weight, to pay by weighing out, to deliver as payment by weight, to spend or expend via measured quantity, to receive (especially by weighing), to assess worth, to deliberate or consider (figurative; rare)

Root / Etymology

Root שׁ-ק-ל (שקל), signifying the idea of 'weighing' or determining weight. The verb שָׁקַל reflects the root's basic sense of placing an object on a scale, from which comes both the literal meaning (to weigh) and its extension to payment by weight (as in barter or monetary transaction). Related to the noun שֶׁקֶל (sheqel), originally a unit of weight and later a coin, which derives its name from the same root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שָׁקַל is attested throughout the Hebrew Bible, especially in contexts describing commercial activity, tribute, offerings, or exchanges, where precious metals were weighed for payment before coinage became widespread. In the pre-monetary economy of the patriarchal and monarchic periods, exchange by weighed metals (especially silver) was standard, hence the frequent idiom of weighing silver to pay for goods or persons (e.g., Genesis 23:16 regarding Abraham's purchase of Ephron's field). Later, as standardized measures evolved (such as the sheqel), the verb acquired extended senses but remained tied to the action of weighing out a set amount. In post-exilic periods, the verb's sense sometimes broadened to encompass valuation or even abstract consideration. English translations often render שָׁקַל simply as 'to weigh' or 'to pay by weight,' but may omit the cultural and economic context that undergirds the verb's significance in describing early Israelite commerce and sacrificial offerings.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to suspend or poise (especially in trade); pay, receive(-r), spend, [idiom] throughly, weigh.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שקל (š-q-l) — to weigh, to balance, to assess value by weight

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4946 מִשְׁקוֹל by weight-measure
H4948 מִשְׁקָל by the weight
H4949 מִשְׁקֶלֶת plumb-weight
H8255 שֶׁקֶל by a sheqel-weight
H831 אַשְׁקְלוֹן Ashkelon the Weighing-Place

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8254-06 תִשְׁקְלוּ tisheqelu HVqi2mp do-you-spend you will weigh out 2
H8254-05 שֹׁקֵ֤ל shoqel HVqrmsa weighing one who weighs 2
H8254-08 וָֽ/אֶשְׁקֲלָ/ה vaesheqalah HC/Vqw1cs/Sh and I weighed and I weighed out 2
H8254-15 יִשָּׁקֵ֣ל yishaqel HVNi3ms be weighed he will be weighed 2
H8254-13 וְ/שָׁקַל֙ veshaqal HC/Vqq3ms and he weighed and he weighed out 2
H8254-11 וַ/יִּשְׁקְל֥וּ vayisheqelu HC/Vqw3mp And they weighed out and they weighed out 1
H8254-04 שָׁק֣וֹל shaqol HVqa were weighed to weigh 1
H8254-18 יִשְׁקֹ֑לוּ yisheqolu HVqi3mp they weigh they will weigh out 1
H8254-14 ו/אשקול/ה vshqvlh HC/Vqw1cs/Sh and I weighed it out and I will weigh out 1
H8254-07 תִּשְׁקֽוֹל tisheqol HVqi2ms you shall pay you will weigh 1

Occurrences in Scripture

23 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8254-12 Genesis 23:16 וַ/יִּשְׁקֹ֤ל vayisheqol HC/Vqw3ms weighed out and he weighed
H8254-17 Exodus 22:16 יִשְׁקֹ֔ל yisheqol HVqi3ms he shall pay he will weigh out
H8254-13 2 Samuel 14:26 וְ/שָׁקַל֙ veshaqal HC/Vqq3ms and he weighed and he weighed out
H8254-05 2 Samuel 18:12 שֹׁקֵ֤ל shoqel HVqrmsa weighing one who weighs
H8254-07 1 Kings 20:39 תִּשְׁקֽוֹל tisheqol HVqi2ms you shall pay you will weigh
H8254-05 Isaiah 33:18 שֹׁקֵ֔ל shoqel HVqrmsa who weighed one who weighs
H8254-13 Isaiah 40:12 וְ/שָׁקַ֤ל veshaqal HC/Vqq3ms and weighed and he weighed out
H8254-18 Isaiah 46:6 יִשְׁקֹ֑לוּ yisheqolu HVqi3mp they weigh they will weigh out
H8254-06 Isaiah 55:2 תִשְׁקְלוּ tisheqelu HVqi2mp do-you-spend you will weigh out
H8254-08 Jeremiah 32:9 וָֽ/אֶשְׁקֲלָ/ה vaesheqalah HC/Vqw1cs/Sh and I weighed and I weighed out
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