What does סָקַל (sāqal) mean in the Bible?
סָקַל (sāqal): To stone to death; paradoxically derived from "weight" but never conveys heaviness literally.
Hebrew · H5619
סָקַל
Properly, to be weighty ; but used only in the sense of lapidation or its contrary (as if a de lapidation)
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סָקַלH5619
Pronunciationsāqal
What does סָקַל (sāqal) mean in the Bible?
סָקַל (sāqal): To stone to death; paradoxically derived from "weight" but never conveys heaviness literally.
Full entry for סָקַל (H5619) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5619?
The BSB source-word alignment has 22 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (2), must be stoned (2), and cleared the stones (1), and stone (1), and stone him (1).
Where does סָקַל (sāqal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 8:26. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (8), 1 Kings (4), Deuteronomy (4), 2 Samuel (2).
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. . .2×Exodus 19:13, Exodus 21:28
must be stoned2×Exodus 21:29, Exodus 21:32
and cleared the stones1×Isaiah 5:2
and stone1×Deuteronomy 22:24
and stone him1×1 Kings 21:10
and stoned him1×1 Kings 21:13
and they will stone me1×Exodus 17:4
and you must stone that person1×Deuteronomy 17:5
clear away1×Isaiah 62:10
had been stoned1×1 Kings 21:15
has been stoned1×1 Kings 21:14
he shall surely be stoned1×Exodus 19:13
He threw stones1×2 Samuel 16:6
must surely be stoned1×Exodus 21:28
of stoning him1×1 Samuel 30:6
Stone him1×Deuteronomy 13:10
stone us1×Exodus 8:26
Then they stoned [the others]1×Joshua 7:25
threw stones1×2 Samuel 16:13
will stone her1×Deuteronomy 22:21
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 8:26יִסְקְלֻֽנוּ׃tostone usVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | first person common pluralExodus 17:4וּסְקָלֻֽנִי׃toand they will stone meConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | first person common singularExodus 19:13סָק֤וֹלtohe shall surely be stonedVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteExodus 19:13יִסָּקֵל֙to. . .Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularExodus 21:28סָק֨וֹלtomust surely be stonedVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteExodus 21:28יִסָּקֵ֜לto. . .Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularExodus 21:29יִסָּקֵ֔לtomust be stonedVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularExodus 21:32יִסָּקֵֽל׃סtomust be stonedVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 13:10וּסְקַלְתּ֥וֹtoStone himConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 17:5וּסְקַלְתָּ֥םtoand you must stone that personConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 8:26
Aligned rows22
Books represented7
Exodus8Deuteronomy4Joshua11 Samuel12 Samuel21 Kings4Isaiah2
Source forms
וַיְסַקֵּ֤ל2xway·saq·qêl2 Samuel 16:6, 2 Samuel 16:13
סֻקַּ֥ל2xsuq·qal1 Kings 21:14, 1 Kings 21:15
וַֽיְסַקְּלֵ֗הוּ1xway·saq·qə·lê·hūIsaiah 5:2
וַיִּסְקְלֻ֥הוּ1xway·yis·qə·lu·hū1 Kings 21:13
וַיִּסְקְל֥וּ1xway·yis·qə·lūJoshua 7:25
וְסִקְלֻ֖הוּ1xwə·siq·lu·hū1 Kings 21:10
וּסְקָלוּהָ֩1xū·sə·qā·lū·hāDeuteronomy 22:21
וּסְקָלֻֽנִי׃1xū·sə·qā·lu·nîExodus 17:4
Parsing patterns
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular4xExodus 19:13, Exodus 21:28, Exodus 21:29, Exodus 21:32
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular2x2 Samuel 16:6, 2 Samuel 16:13
Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singular2x1 Kings 21:14, 1 Kings 21:15
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute2xExodus 19:13, Exodus 21:28
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular1xIsaiah 5:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural1xDeuteronomy 22:24
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural1xDeuteronomy 17:5
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular1xDeuteronomy 13:10
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To stone to death; paradoxically derived from "weight" but never conveys heaviness literally.
Source Gloss
properly, to be weighty ; but used only in the sense of lapidation or its contrary (as if a de lapidation)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To stone to death; paradoxically derived from "weight" but never conveys heaviness literally.
properly, to be weighty; but used only in the sense of lapidation or its contrary (as if a delapidation) BDB: stone Usage: (cast, gather out, throw) stone(-s), × surely.
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 groups4Aligned forms9
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action4×
ImperfectExod 19:13 · Exod 21:28 · Exod 21:29 · Exod 21:324×
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject2×
Perfect1Kgs 21:14 · 1Kgs 21:152×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense2×
Infinitive absoluteExod 19:13 · Exod 21:282×
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action1×
Sequential imperfectIsa 62:101×
Word Origins
סָקַל 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.