Word Study for H5533 (סָכַן) | Strong's Concordance

çâkan /saw-kan'/ Ask about this word

Rootprobably a denominative from שַׂכִּין

Meaningproperly, to cut, i.e. damage; also to grow (causatively, make) poor

KJV usageendanger, impoverish.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çâkan — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word çâkan, represented by H5533, conveys a state of being damaged, impoverished, or placed in danger. Its base definition is to cut or damage, which extends to meanings of becoming poor or being endangered. It appears only 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible, highlighting its specific applications.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H5533 illustrate its distinct but related meanings. In Ecclesiastes, it describes a direct physical risk, where one who cleaves wood "shall be endangered thereby" Ecclesiastes 10:9, linking the word to the consequences of labor. In Isaiah, it describes a state of extreme poverty, where an individual is so impoverished that they cannot afford a proper oblation and must resort to lesser materials for an idol Isaiah 40:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the situations where H5533 is used:

H5534 çâkar: Defined as a primitive root meaning to shut up, surrender, stop, or give over. This word appears alongside H5533 in Isaiah 40:20. It is also used to describe how the mouth of those who speak lies "shall be stopped" Psalms 63:11.
H6086 ʻêts: This word for tree or wood is central to both occurrences of H5533. In Isaiah 40:20, an impoverished man chooses a tree to make an idol, and in Ecclesiastes 10:9, a man is endangered while cleaving wood. The term also carries significant symbolic weight, as seen in the "tree of life" Proverbs 13:12.

Theological Significance

The conceptual significance of H5533 lies in its portrayal of vulnerability and consequence.

Physical Peril: The word establishes a clear link between an action and its potential for harm. In the context of daily work, such as cleaving wood, there is an inherent risk of being endangered Ecclesiastes 10:9.
Economic Hardship: H5533 is used to depict a state of being so impoverished that it impacts one's ability to worship correctly. This financial lack forces a person to make compromised choices, such as using a cheap piece of wood for a graven image when a formal oblation is out of reach Isaiah 40:20.

Summary

In summary, H5533 is a specific and rare term that powerfully illustrates concepts of risk and scarcity. While used infrequently, its appearances in scripture highlight both the physical dangers present in the world and the spiritual compromises that can arise from a state of impoverishment. It demonstrates how a single term can encompass both immediate, tangible danger and a debilitating lack of resources.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

יִסָּכֶן
מְסֻכָּן

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ecclesiastes and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Ecclesiastes

Isaiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.