English · KJV
H7917

שְׂכִירָה

sᵉkîyrâh /sek-ee-raw'/ Ask about this word
Rootfeminine of שָׂכִיר
Meaninga hiring
KJV usagethat is hired.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of sᵉkîyrâh — 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 sᵉkîyrâh, represented by H7917, is a feminine term meaning a hiring; that is hired. It is a rare word, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible. Its sole use is metaphorical, describing an instrument employed by God for a specific purpose.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The only occurrence of H7917 is in Isaiah 7:20, where the Lord declares He will use a hired razor to enact judgment. This razor is explicitly identified as "the king H4428 of Assyria." In this context, the word signifies that a foreign power is being employed or commissioned by God as His instrument to "shave" the land, symbolizing a thorough and humiliating judgment.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words from its biblical context clarify its meaning:

  • H1548 gâlach (to shave): A primitive root meaning to shave or figuratively to lay waste. This action is associated with judgment and humiliation, as when the Lord uses the hired razor to shave Israel Isaiah 7:20, or when Hanun shaved David's servants to disgrace them 1 Chronicles 19:4. It is also used in contexts of purification Leviticus 14:8 and personal preparation Genesis 41:14.
  • H4428 melek (a king): This word for a king is used for both human rulers, like the king of Assyria Isaiah 7:20 and King David 2 Samuel 7:18, and for God Himself. Scripture identifies the LORD as the King of Israel Isaiah 44:6 and the future king over all the earth Zechariah 14:9, establishing His ultimate authority over earthly rulers.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7917 is tied directly to its singular, powerful use in prophecy.

  • Divine Instrument of Judgment: The primary significance of H7917 is to portray God's absolute sovereignty. By describing the king of Assyria as a hired razor, the text shows that God commissions even foreign powers to act as His instruments of judgment Isaiah 7:20.
  • Symbol of Complete Humiliation: The purpose of this hired instrument is to shave H1548 the head, the hair of the feet, and the beard. This action symbolizes a thorough and shaming defeat, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of the judgment God is enacting Isaiah 7:20.

Summary

In summary, H7917 provides a potent, though singular, image within scripture. Its sole appearance as hired in Isaiah 7:20 is not about a commercial transaction but about divine commissioning. It powerfully illustrates the theological principle that God can employ any agent, even an enemy nation, to fulfill His sovereign purposes of judgment and discipline.

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 an adjective across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — 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.

  • שְּׂכִירָה

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H4428 מֶלֶךְ from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal. H1548 גָּלַח a primitive root; properly, to be bald, i.e. (causatively) to shave; figuratively to lay waste; poll, shave (off).

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

1 verse, all in Isaiah — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.