שָׂרַךְ

𐤔𐤓𐤊

sârak

H8308 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שׂרךְ to intertwine, to braid, to interweave

Definition

To intertwine, braid, or interweave—especially of combining strands, cords, or branches by passing them over and under one another. Also used in the sense of traversing or crisscrossing in a weaving pattern, but primarily refers to the act of making something by intertwining materials.

Semantic Range

to intertwine, to braid, to plait, to interweave, to crisscross, to traverse (as threads); by extension: cord, lace, thicket (as something tangled or intertwined)

Root / Etymology

Root: שׂרךְ; Likely from the root meaning to intertwine or to plait. The noun forms (e.g., שָׂרֳכָה 'cord', שֵׂרֵךְ 'thicket') reflect the concept of entangled or interlaced objects, showing a semantic core of intertwined structure.

Historical & Contextual Notes

This rare root appears only in derived forms in Biblical Hebrew (primarily nouns such as שָׂרֳכָה 'cord, shoelace' and שֵׂרֵךְ 'thicket, intertwined bush'), and the verb itself is either unattested or exceedingly rare in the Hebrew Bible. Its core semantic field pertains to objects that are plaited or tangled (e.g., cords, shoelaces, thickets), reflecting the process of crossing or weaving strands together. In post-biblical Hebrew, related forms describe laces or other intertwined items. Standard English translations tend to obscure the precise visual imagery of intertwined or braided materials, occasionally rendering noun derivatives simply as 'cord' or 'thicket,' while the root emphasizes the act of interweaving. This root is distinct from others denoting tying or fastening (e.g., קשר 'to bind/knot'), focusing specifically on crossing or interlacing elements rather than simply joining them.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to interlace; traverse.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שׂרך (ś-r-k) — to intertwine, to braid, to interweave

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8308-01 מְשָׂרֶ֥כֶת mesarekhet HVprfsa traversing interweaving one 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8308-01 Jeremiah 2:23 מְשָׂרֶ֥כֶת mesarekhet HVprfsa traversing interweaving one