Midvash

שָׂכַלsâkal

שָׂכַל: be prudent

Pronunciation: saw-kal' · Hebrew/Aramaic (Old Testament) · H7919

Meanings

Qal: be prudent, circumspect (1 Samuel 18:30)

Hiph`il: meanings hard to classify: scholars differ greatly (Jeremiah 23:5; 1 Chronicles 28:19; Psalms 119:99)

1. look at (Genesis 3:6)

2. give attention to, consider, ponder (Isaiah 41:20; Isaiah 44:18; Deuteronomy 32:29)

3. have insight, comprehension (Jeremiah 9:23; Psalms 94:8; Psalms 119:99)

4. cause to consider, give insight, teach (1 Chronicles 28:19; Psalms 32:8; Nehemiah 9:20)

5. elsewhere only, act circumspectly, prudently (Amos 5:13; Psalms 2:10; Psalms 36:4)

6. prosper, have success (1 Samuel 18:5; 1 Samuel 18:15; Isaiah 52:13)

7. cause to prosper (Deuteronomy 29:8; 1 Kings 2:3)

שָׂכַל: Pi`el: lay crosswise (Genesis 48:14)

Same root

Where it appears

Appears 62 times in the Bible.

  • Genesis 3:6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.
  • Genesis 48:14 But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn.
  • Deuteronomy 29:9 “Therefore, obey the terms of this covenant so that you will prosper in everything you do.
  • Deuteronomy 32:29 Oh, that they were wise and could understand this! Oh, that they might know their fate!
  • Joshua 1:7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.
  • Joshua 1:8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
See every passage

Source: Brown, Driver and Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain; markup by unfoldingWord, CC BY (github.com/unfoldingWord/Brown-Driver-Briggs-Enhanced).