What does שָׁכֹל (šākōl) mean in the Bible?
שָׁכֹל (šākōl): Denotes violent loss of offspring or fruit through miscarriage, barrenness, or bereavement; extends to deprivation generally.
Hebrew · H7921
שָׁכֹל
Properly, to miscarry , i.e. suffer abortion ; by analogy, to bereave (literally or figuratively)
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שָׁכֹלH7921
Pronunciationšākōl
What does שָׁכֹל (šākōl) mean in the Bible?
שָׁכֹל (šākōl): Denotes violent loss of offspring or fruit through miscarriage, barrenness, or bereavement; extends to deprivation generally.
Full entry for שָׁכֹל (H7921) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7921?
The BSB source-word alignment has 22 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include I am bereaved (2), and they will leave you childless (1), bereaves (1), childless (1), deprive them [of their children] (1).
Where does שָׁכֹל (šākōl) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 27:45. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (5), Ezekiel (4), 1 Samuel (2), 2 Kings (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 ItI am bereaved2×Genesis 43:14
and they will leave you childless1×Ezekiel 5:17
bereaves1×Lamentations 1:20
childless1×1 Samuel 15:33
deprive them [of their children]1×Ezekiel 36:12
fail to produce fruit1×Malachi 3:11
I will bereave1×Jeremiah 15:7
I will bereave them1×Hosea 9:12
is unfruitful1×2 Kings 2:19
miscarried1×Genesis 31:38
miscarry1×Job 21:10
of its children1×Ezekiel 36:13
or unfruitfulness1×2 Kings 2:21
should I lose1×Genesis 27:45
that miscarry1×Hosea 9:14
to leave it childless1×Ezekiel 14:15
to rob you of your children1×Leviticus 26:22
will be childless1×1 Samuel 15:33
will miscarry1×Exodus 23:26
will take their children1×Deuteronomy 32:25
You have deprived me of my sons1×Genesis 42:36
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 27:45אֶשְׁכַּ֛לtoshould I loseVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularGenesis 31:38שִׁכֵּ֑לוּtomiscarriedVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person common pluralGenesis 42:36שִׁכַּלְתֶּ֑םtoYou have deprived me of my sonsVerb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine pluralGenesis 43:14שָׁכֹ֖לְתִּיtoI am bereavedVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularGenesis 43:14שָׁכָֽלְתִּי׃toI am bereavedVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularExodus 23:26מְשַׁכֵּלָ֥הtowill miscarryVerb - Piel - Participle - feminine singularLeviticus 26:22וְשִׁכְּלָ֣הtoto rob you of your childrenConjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularDeuteronomy 32:25תְּשַׁכֶּל־towill take their childrenVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular1 Samuel 15:33שִׁכְּלָ֤הtochildlessVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular1 Samuel 15:33תִּשְׁכַּ֥לtowill be childlessVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 27:45
Aligned rows22
Books represented12
Genesis5Exodus1Leviticus1Deuteronomy11 Samuel22 Kings2Job1Jeremiah1Lamentations1Ezekiel4Hosea2Malachi1
Source forms
אֶשְׁכַּ֛ל1x’eš·kalGenesis 27:45
וּמְשַׁכֶּ֥לֶת1xū·mə·šak·ke·leṯEzekiel 36:13
וּמְשַׁכָּֽלֶת׃1xū·mə·šak·kā·leṯ2 Kings 2:21
וְשִׁכְּלָ֣ה1xwə·šik·kə·lāhLeviticus 26:22
וְשִׁכְּלֻ֔ךְ1xwə·šik·kə·luḵEzekiel 5:17
וְשִׁכְּלָ֑תָּה1xwə·šik·kə·lāt·tāhEzekiel 14:15
וְשִׁכַּלְתִּ֖ים1xwə·šik·kal·tîmHosea 9:12
לְשַׁכְּלָֽם׃ס1xlə·šak·kə·lāmEzekiel 36:12
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular3xDeuteronomy 32:25, Job 21:10, Malachi 3:11
Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular2xExodus 23:26, 2 Kings 2:19
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular2x1 Samuel 15:33, Lamentations 1:20
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular2xGenesis 43:14
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural1xHosea 9:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | second person feminine singular1xEzekiel 5:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular1xLeviticus 26:22
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular | third person feminine singular1xEzekiel 14:15
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Denotes violent loss of offspring or fruit through miscarriage, barrenness, or bereavement; extends to deprivation generally.
Strong'sH7921
Lexical occurrences24 versesWord forms3 forms17 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkGenesis 43:1-14Source Gloss
properly, to miscarry , i.e. suffer abortion ; by analogy, to bereave (literally or figuratively)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Denotes violent loss of offspring or fruit through miscarriage, barrenness, or bereavement; extends to deprivation generally.
properly, to miscarry, i.e. suffer abortion; by analogy, to bereave (literally or figuratively) BDB: barrenness Usage: bereave (of children), barren, cast calf (fruit, young), be (make) childless, deprive, destroy, × expect, lose children, miscarry, rob of children, spoil.
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 groups3Aligned forms17
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action11×
Perfect1Sam 15:33 · Lam 1:20 · Gen 31:38 · Gen 42:36 · Jer 15:75×
ImperfectDeut 32:25 · Job 21:10 · Mal 3:11 · Ezek 36:144×
Participle active2Kgs 2:19 · Exod 23:262×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense4×
PerfectGen 43:142×
Imperfect1Sam 15:33 · Gen 27:452×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action1×
Participle activeHos 9:141×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Jacob expresses fear of being deprived of his remaining son, Benjamin
Showing 1 selected witness from 24 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שָׁכֹל is a primitive root - no further derivation.