שָׁקַר
𐤔𐤒𐤓
shâqar
H8266 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To speak or act falsely; to intentionally assert what one knows to be untrue, to deceive through words or actions. The term is primarily used for acts of deliberate deception, typically through spoken statements but also potentially through actions that distort truth. In some contexts, it can refer to failing in an agreement due to falsehood.
Semantic Range
to lie, to speak falsely, to deal deceitfully, to fail in one's word or agreement due to dishonesty, to cheat; to offer false statements or testimony
Root / Etymology
From the root שקר (ש-ק-ר), which carries the core idea of being false or untrue. The verb שָׁקַר derives directly from this root and denotes the act of lying or dealing falsely. The noun שֶׁקֶר refers concretely to 'a lie' or 'falsehood.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, שָׁקַר describes intentional acts of deception, usually through speech but occasionally through broader acts of betrayal or deceit. The verb is regularly associated with false testimony (as in the Decalogue's prohibition against 'bearing false witness'), unreliable prophecy, and breaches of covenant or trust. While English translations often use 'lie,' 'deal falsely,' or 'deceive,' the Hebrew term sometimes indicates a more deliberate and knowing act of untruth rather than mere inaccuracy. The noun שֶׁקֶר (falsehood) and related adjectives serve to distinguish between deliberate deception (שָׁקַר) and mistaken error (שָׁגָה). In later Hebrew and post-biblical periods, the root maintains its core sense of falsehood and deceit. The term is more ethically charged in prophetic literature, where it often denotes acts that undermine communal trust or violate divine expectations for justice and truth.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to cheat, i.e. be untrue (usually in words); fail, deal falsely, lie.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שקר (sh-q-r) — falsehood, lying, deception
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8267 | שֶׁקֶר | in the falsehood |
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8266-04 |
תִּשְׁקֹ֣ר | tisheqor | HVqi2ms |
you deal falsely | you will lie | 1 |
H8266-01 |
אֲ֝שַׁקֵּ֗ר | ashaqer | HVpi1cs |
will I prove false | I will speak falsely | 1 |
H8266-02 |
שִׁ֝קַּ֗רְנוּ | shiqarenu | HVpp1cp |
have we been false | we have lied | 1 |
H8266-05 |
יְשַׁקֵּ֖ר | yeshaqer | HVpi3ms |
lie | he will deal falsely | 1 |
H8266-06 |
יְשַׁקֵּ֑רוּ | yeshaqeru | HVpi3mp |
deal falsely | they will deal falsely | 1 |
H8266-03 |
תְשַׁקְּר֖וּ | teshaqeru | HVpi2mp |
you-shall-lie | you will deal falsely | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8266-04 |
Genesis 21:23 | תִּשְׁקֹ֣ר | tisheqor | HVqi2ms |
you deal falsely | you will lie |
H8266-03 |
Leviticus 19:11 | תְשַׁקְּר֖וּ | teshaqeru | HVpi2mp |
you-shall-lie | you will deal falsely |
H8266-05 |
1 Samuel 15:29 | יְשַׁקֵּ֖ר | yeshaqer | HVpi3ms |
lie | he will deal falsely |
H8266-06 |
Isaiah 63:8 | יְשַׁקֵּ֑רוּ | yeshaqeru | HVpi3mp |
deal falsely | they will deal falsely |
H8266-02 |
Psalms 44:18 | שִׁ֝קַּ֗רְנוּ | shiqarenu | HVpp1cp |
have we been false | we have lied |
H8266-01 |
Psalms 89:34 | אֲ֝שַׁקֵּ֗ר | ashaqer | HVpi1cs |
will I prove false | I will speak falsely |