What does שֵׁכָר (šēkār) mean in the Bible?
שֵׁכָר (šēkār): Intoxicating drink distinguished from wine by its potency and capacity to produce drunkenness; often negatively framed in moral/religious contexts
Hebrew · H7941
שֵׁכָר
An intoxicant , i.e. intensely alcoholic liquor
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שֵׁכָרH7941
Pronunciationšēkār
What does שֵׁכָר (šēkār) mean in the Bible?
שֵׁכָר (šēkār): Intoxicating drink distinguished from wine by its potency and capacity to produce drunkenness; often negatively framed in moral/religious contexts
Full entry for שֵׁכָר (H7941) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7941?
The BSB source-word alignment has 23 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include strong drink (8), or strong drink (6), from strong drink (3), and strong drink (2), . . . (1).
Where does שֵׁכָר (šēkār) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Leviticus 10:9. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (8), Judges (3), Numbers (3), Proverbs (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itstrong drink8×Deuteronomy 14:26, Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 31:4, Proverbs 31:6
or strong drink6×Leviticus 10:9, Deuteronomy 29:6, Judges 13:4, Judges 13:7
from strong drink3×Isaiah 28:7, Isaiah 29:9
and strong drink2×Numbers 6:3, Micah 2:11
. . .1×Psalms 69:12
[or] strong drink1×Numbers 6:3
of fermented drink1×Numbers 28:7
the strong drink1×Isaiah 56:12
Show sample aligned rows
Leviticus 10:9וְשֵׁכָ֞רtoor strong drinkConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularNumbers 6:3וְשֵׁכָר֙toand strong drinkConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularNumbers 6:3שֵׁכָ֖רto[or] strong drinkNoun - masculine singularNumbers 28:7שֵׁכָ֖רtoof fermented drinkNoun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 14:26וּבַשֵּׁכָ֔רtostrong drinkConjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 29:6וְשֵׁכָ֖רtoor strong drinkConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularJudges 13:4וְשֵׁכָ֑רtoor strong drinkConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularJudges 13:7וְשֵׁכָ֗רtoor strong drinkConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularJudges 13:14וְשֵׁכָר֙toor strong drinkConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 1:15וְשֵׁכָ֖רtoor strong drinkConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowLeviticus 10:9
Aligned rows23
Books represented9
Leviticus1Numbers3Deuteronomy2Judges31 Samuel1Psalms1Proverbs3Isaiah8Micah1
Source forms
שֵׁכָֽר׃4xšê·ḵārPsalms 69:12, Proverbs 31:4, Isaiah 5:22, Isaiah 29:9
שֵׁכָ֖ר3xšê·ḵārNumbers 6:3, Numbers 28:7, Isaiah 24:9
וְשֵׁכָר֙2xwə·šê·ḵārNumbers 6:3, Judges 13:14
וְשֵׁכָ֖ר2xwə·šê·ḵārDeuteronomy 29:6, 1 Samuel 1:15
שֵׁכָ֑ר2xšê·ḵārProverbs 20:1, Isaiah 56:12
שֵׁכָ֣ר2xšê·ḵārProverbs 31:6, Isaiah 5:11
בַשֵּׁכָ֜ר1xḇaš·šê·ḵārIsaiah 28:7
הַשֵּׁכָ֔ר1xhaš·šê·ḵārIsaiah 28:7
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular11xNumbers 6:3, Numbers 28:7, Psalms 69:12, Proverbs 20:1
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular7xLeviticus 10:9, Numbers 6:3, Deuteronomy 29:6, Judges 13:4
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular2xDeuteronomy 14:26, Isaiah 28:7
Article | Noun - masculine singular1xIsaiah 28:7
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular1xMicah 2:11
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular1xIsaiah 28:7
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Intoxicating drink distinguished from wine by its potency and capacity to produce drunkenness; often negatively framed in moral/religious contexts
Source Gloss
an intoxicant , i.e. intensely alcoholic liquor
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Intoxicating drink distinguished from wine by its potency and capacity to produce drunkenness; often negatively framed in moral/religious contexts
an intoxicant, i.e. intensely alcoholic liquor BDB: intoxicating drink Usage: strong drink, drunkard, strong wine.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Intoxicating beverage prohibited for priests during temple service
Intoxicating liquor personified as mocker, warning against its consumption
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 23 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שֵׁכָר is built from this root:
Cross-Language Connections
Greek words that correspond to or develop the meaning of this Hebrew word in the New Testament.
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.