Word Study for H5619 (סָקַל) | Strong's Concordance

çâqal /saw-kal'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningproperly, to be weighty; but used only in the sense of lapidation or its contrary (as if a delapidation)

KJV usage(cast, gather out, throw) stone(-s)

Idioms & phrasesidiom surely.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çâqal — 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 çâqal, represented by H5619, is a primitive root primarily used to describe actions involving stones. It appears 22 times across 20 unique verses in the Bible. Based on its usage, it carries a dual meaning: the violent act of stoning, or lapidation, and its opposite, the clearing or gathering out of stones.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H5619 is most frequently used to denote capital punishment. The Law specifies that certain transgressions, such as enticing others to idolatry, are to be punished by being stoned with stones until death Deuteronomy 13:10. This is also the prescribed penalty for an ox that gores a person to death Exodus 21:28. The term is also used to describe mob violence or the threat of it, as when the Israelites were ready to stone Moses Exodus 17:4 or when the people spoke of stoning David 1 Samuel 30:6. In a contrasting sense, the word describes the agricultural act of clearing a field, as when God gathered out the stones from his metaphorical vineyard Isaiah 5:2 and in the command to gather out the stones to prepare a highway for the people Isaiah 62:10. In some cases, the word is repeated for emphasis, translated as "shall surely be stoned" Exodus 19:13.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concepts of stoning and clearing:

H68 ʼeben (a stone): This is the object used in the action of H5619. The two words are frequently paired, as in the command to stone a person with stones Deuteronomy 17:5.
H7275 râgam (to cast together (stones), i.e. to lapidate): This word is a close synonym for the punitive act of stoning. In the account of Achan, both verbs are used to describe the same event, showing their interchangeability Joshua 7:25.
H4191 mûwth (to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill): This word often describes the intended result of the action of H5619. The command is to stone an offender so that they die 1 Kings 21:10.
H5549 çâlal (to mound up (especially a turnpike); figurative, to exalt): This word provides a functional contrast to H5619. While H5619 can mean clearing stones away, H5549 can mean building them up. Both are used in the command to prepare a way for God's people: "cast up the highway; gather out the stones" Isaiah 62:10.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5619 is significant and twofold.

Execution of Divine Justice: Stoning is the method prescribed by the Law for purging grave sin from the community. It is the penalty for blasphemy 1 Kings 21:13 and certain sexual sins Deuteronomy 22:21, serving to "put evil away from among you" Deuteronomy 22:24.
Community Purity: The act was often a communal responsibility, carried out by "all Israel" Joshua 7:25 or the men of a city. This demonstrated the collective duty to uphold the covenant and maintain holiness before God.
Preparation for Redemption: In its contrary meaning, "gathering out stones" serves as a powerful metaphor for God's redemptive work. It signifies the removal of obstacles and hindrances in preparation for fruitfulness Isaiah 5:2 or the restoration of God's people Isaiah 62:10.

Summary

In summary, H5619 is a dynamic word that conveys two opposing actions: destruction and preparation. It serves as a stark verb for the execution of legal and divine judgment against sin, while also functioning as a metaphor for the grace that clears a path for blessing and restoration. This single root illustrates both the severity of God's law and the thoroughness of His work in making a way for His people.

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 22 occurrences, inflected in 12 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.

יִסָּקֵל
יְסַקֵּל
סֻקַּל
יִּסְקְלוּ
סְקַלְתּ
סְקָלֻ
סָקוֹל
סַקְּלוּ
סְקַלְתֶּם
סִקְלֻ
יִסְקְלֻ
סָקְל

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 20 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus (6 verses); never once in the other 32.

Exodus

Deuteronomy

Joshua

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

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.