What does סָמַךְ (sômēḵ) mean in the Bible?
סָמַךְ (sômēḵ): Physical support becomes relational dependence—leaning on God signals covenant trust; leaning wrongly signals faithlessness.
Hebrew · H5564
סָמַךְ
To prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense)
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סָמַךְ H5564
Pronunciation sômēḵ
What does סָמַךְ (sômēḵ) mean in the Bible?
סָמַךְ (sômēḵ): Physical support becomes relational dependence—leaning on God signals covenant trust; leaning wrongly signals faithlessness.
Full entry for סָמַךְ (H5564) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5564?
The BSB source-word alignment has 48 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include He is to lay (5), are to lay (4), laid (3), lay (3), Sustain me (2).
Where does סָמַךְ (sômēḵ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 27:37. Its strongest book concentrations include Leviticus (14), Psalms (11), Isaiah (6), Numbers (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It He is to lay 5× Leviticus 1:4, Leviticus 3:2, Leviticus 3:8, Leviticus 4:24
are to lay 4× Exodus 29:10, Exodus 29:19, Leviticus 4:15, Numbers 8:12
laid 3× Leviticus 8:14, Leviticus 8:18, Leviticus 8:22
lay 3× Leviticus 4:4, Leviticus 24:14, Numbers 8:10
Sustain me 2× Psalms 119:116, Song Of Solomon 2:5
upholds 2× Psalms 37:17, Psalms 145:14
And he is to lay 1× Leviticus 4:33
and laid 1× Numbers 27:23
and lay 1× Numbers 27:18
and lean 1× Isaiah 48:2
and rests 1× Amos 5:19
and sustain me 1× Psalms 51:12
Bracing himself 1× Judges 16:29
had laid 1× Deuteronomy 34:9
has laid siege 1× Ezekiel 24:2
He must lay 1× Leviticus 3:13
I have leaned 1× Psalms 71:6
I have sustained 1× Genesis 27:37
is assured 1× Psalms 112:8
is holding 1× Psalms 37:24
is the sustainer 1× Psalms 54:4
is to lay 1× Leviticus 16:21
leans on it 1× 2 Kings 18:21
one assisted 1× Isaiah 63:5
shall lay 1× Exodus 29:15
sustained Him 1× Isaiah 59:16
sustains me 1× Psalms 3:5
The allies 1× Ezekiel 30:6
the steadfast 1× Isaiah 26:3
They are upheld 1× Psalms 111:8
upheld Me 1× Isaiah 63:5
weighs heavily 1× Psalms 88:7
were strengthened 1× 2 Chronicles 32:8
who laid 1× 2 Chronicles 29:23
who leans 1× Isaiah 36:6
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 27:37 סְמַכְתִּ֑יו to I have sustained Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular Exodus 29:10 וְסָמַ֨ךְ to are to lay Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 29:15 וְסָ֨מְכ֜וּ to shall lay Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Exodus 29:19 וְסָמַ֨ךְ to are to lay Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 1:4 וְסָמַ֣ךְ to He is to lay Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 3:2 וְסָמַ֤ךְ to He is to lay Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 3:8 וְסָמַ֤ךְ to He is to lay Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 3:13 וְסָמַ֤ךְ to He must lay Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 4:4 וְסָמַ֤ךְ to lay Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Leviticus 4:15 וְ֠סָמְכוּ to are to lay Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 27:37
Aligned rows 48
Books represented 13
Genesis 1 Exodus 3 Leviticus 14 Numbers 4 Deuteronomy 1 Judges 1 2 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 2 Psalms 11 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 6 Ezekiel 2 Amos 1
Source forms
וְסָמַ֤ךְ 6x wə·sā·maḵ Leviticus 3:2, Leviticus 3:8, Leviticus 3:13, Leviticus 4:4
וְסָמַ֨ךְ 3x wə·sā·maḵ Exodus 29:10, Exodus 29:19, Leviticus 16:21
וַֽיִּסְמְכ֞וּ 2x way·yis·mə·ḵū Leviticus 8:18, Leviticus 8:22
וְסָמַךְ֙ 2x wə·sā·maḵ Leviticus 4:29, Leviticus 4:33
וְסָמְכ֧וּ 2x wə·sā·mə·ḵū Leviticus 24:14, Numbers 8:10
יִסָּמֵ֥ךְ 2x yis·sā·mêḵ 2 Kings 18:21, Isaiah 36:6
בְּֽסֹמְכֵ֥י 1x bə·sō·mə·ḵê Psalms 54:4
וַיִּסְמֹ֨ךְ 1x way·yis·mōḵ Leviticus 8:14
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 12x Exodus 29:10, Exodus 29:19, Leviticus 1:4, Leviticus 3:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural 4x Exodus 29:15, Leviticus 4:15, Leviticus 24:14, Numbers 8:10
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 3x Leviticus 8:18, Leviticus 8:22, 2 Chronicles 29:23
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 3x Psalms 37:24, Psalms 145:14, Isaiah 63:5
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x Leviticus 8:14, Numbers 27:23
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 2x 2 Kings 18:21, Isaiah 36:6
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2x Deuteronomy 34:9, Ezekiel 24:2
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 2x Psalms 112:8, Isaiah 26:3
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical support becomes relational dependence—leaning on God signals covenant trust; leaning wrongly signals faithlessness.
Strong's H5564
Lexical occurrences 48 verses Word forms 2 forms 15 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Psalm 3:5–8 Source Gloss
to prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical support becomes relational dependence—leaning on God signals covenant trust; leaning wrongly signals faithlessness.
to prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense) BDB: lean Usage: bear up, establish, (up-) hold, lay, lean, lie hard, put, rest self, set self, stand fast, stay (self), sustain.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 15
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 11×
Participle active Ezek 30:6 · Isa 63:5 · Ps 37:24 · Ps 145:14 4×
Participle passive Isa 26:3 · Ps 111:8 · Ps 112:8 3×
Perfect Deut 34:9 · Ezek 24:2 · Ps 88:8 3×
Imperfect Num 8:12 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 4×
Imperfect 2Kgs 18:21 · Isa 36:6 2×
Perfect Isa 48:2 · Ps 71:6 2×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
He sustains me, supports me, or upholds me
Upholds; sustains; leans upon; to support someone so they do not fall
Additional Occurrences
Psalms 3:5-8 יִסְמְכֵנִי sômēḵ
sustains me; supports me
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 48 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
סָמַךְ is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain