שְׁכֹבֶת

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word shᵉkôbeth, represented by H7903, is a specific noun referring to a (sexual) lie or lying with someone. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible, exclusively within the context of prohibited sexual acts.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H7903 consistently delineates forbidden sexual relations. The book of Leviticus uses it to prohibit a man from lie(ing) with his neighbor's wife H802 to defile H2930 himself Leviticus 18:20. The term is also central to the prohibition against bestiality, forbidding a man to lie H7903 with any beast H929 Leviticus 18:23. This act is so severe that the prescribed punishment is death Leviticus 20:15. In Numbers, the word describes the act of unfaithfulness where a woman has lain H7903 with a man other than her husband Numbers 5:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the context and consequences of the actions described by H7903:

• H2930 ṭâmêʼ (to be foul... defile): This verb is directly linked to H7903 to describe the resulting state of contamination. A person is defiled by lying with a neighbor's wife Leviticus 18:20 or a beast Leviticus 18:23.
• H7847 sâṭâh (to deviate from duty... go aside): This term establishes the context for marital infidelity, as when a wife has gone aside from her husband to be with another man Numbers 5:20.
• H8397 tebel (mixture... confusion): This noun explicitly defines the act of bestiality involving H7903 as confusion, marking it as an unnatural and disordered act Leviticus 18:23.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7903 is found in its role within biblical law and morality.

• Defining Moral Boundaries: The use of H7903 helps establish clear legal and moral boundaries for sexual conduct, specifically forbidding adultery and bestiality.
• Connection to Defilement: The act of H7903 in these contexts is not merely a physical transgression but one that causes a state of being defiled H2930, indicating a spiritual or ceremonial impurity Leviticus 18:20.
• Severity of Transgression: The gravity of these prohibited acts is underscored by the consequences. Lying with a beast H929 is a capital offense requiring the transgressor to be put to death H2026 Leviticus 20:15, demonstrating its severe standing in the legal code.

Summary

In summary, H7903 is not a general term but a precise legal word used to identify specific, prohibited sexual unions. Its appearances are consistently tied to the concepts of defilement H2930, relational transgression, and unnatural confusion H8397. The word illustrates how biblical law connects physical actions to states of moral purity and impurity, with severe consequences for violations.