שָׁכֹל

shâkôl /shaw-kole'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root · properly, to miscarry, i.e. suffer abortion
Meaningby analogy, to bereave (literally or figuratively)
KJV usagebereave (of children), barren, cast calf (fruit, young), be (make) childless, deprive, destroy, lose children, miscarry, rob of children, spoil.
Idioms & phrasesidiom expect
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Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word shâkôl, represented by H7921, is a primitive root that signifies miscarriage or bereavement. It appears 25 times across 23 unique verses, carrying the profound weight of loss. Its definition encompasses being bereaved of children, barrenness, and the failure of livestock or crops to come to term, and it can be applied literally or figuratively to express being deprived, destroyed, or spoiled.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7921 is used to express deep personal grief and the consequences of divine judgment. It captures the anguish of a parent, as when Jacob cries out, "Me have ye bereaved H7921 of my children" Genesis 42:36, and later resigns himself to loss, saying, "If I be bereaved H7921 of my children, I am bereaved H7921" Genesis 43:14. The term also describes the consequences of sin, where God warns He will "bereave H7921" His people of children Jeremiah 15:7 or send wild beasts to "rob you of your children H7921" Leviticus 26:22. It extends to the natural world, describing land that is "barren H7921" 2 Kings 2:19 or a vine that will not "cast her fruit H7921" Malachi 3:11.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concepts of barrenness, loss, and judgment:

  • H6135 ʻâqâr (barren): This word for being sterile is used in direct parallel with H7921 in God's promise that in the land, nothing shall "cast their young H7921, nor be barren H6135" Exodus 23:26.
  • H4194 mâveth (death): This term is closely linked to the devastation of bereavement. The sword "bereaveth H7921" abroad, while at home there is "as death H4194" Lamentations 1:20. After Elisha heals the waters, he promises there will be no more "death H4194 or barren H7921 land" 2 Kings 2:21.
  • H7458 râʻâb (famine): Famine is presented as an agent of bereavement. God warns that He will send "famine H7458 and evil H7451 beasts H2416, and they shall bereave H7921 thee" Ezekiel 5:17.
  • H1698 deber (pestilence): Like famine, pestilence is another instrument of the loss described by H7921, as God warns that "pestilence H1698 and blood H1818 shall pass through H5674 thee" as part of being bereaved Ezekiel 5:17.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7921 is significant, highlighting the tangible outcomes of Israel's covenant relationship with God.

  • Consequence of Disobedience: The state of being bereaved is frequently presented as a direct result of sin. God threatens to "bereave" H7921 His people because they do not turn from their wicked ways Jeremiah 15:7, and the land itself is accused of having "bereaved" H7921 its nations Ezekiel 36:13.
  • Blessing of Covenant Faithfulness: The absence of miscarriage or barrenness is a sign of divine blessing. A core promise of the covenant is that obedience will lead to fruitfulness, where livestock will not "cast their young H7921" and the people will not be "barren H6135" Exodus 23:26.
  • Divine Sovereignty over Loss and Fruitfulness: The term underscores God's ultimate authority. He can send famine and beasts to "bereave" H7921 a disobedient people Ezekiel 5:17, but He can also "rebuke H1605 the devourer H398" so that a vine does not "cast her fruit H7921" Malachi 3:11.
  • Promise of Future Restoration: The curse of bereavement is not final. God promises Israel that the land will "no more H3254 henceforth bereave H7921 them of men" Ezekiel 36:12, pointing to a future hope of redemption and renewed fruitfulness.

Summary

In summary, H7921 is far more than a word for loss; it is a powerful theological marker. It illustrates the profound personal pain of grief, the barrenness of a cursed land, and the devastating consequences of national sin. It serves as a tangible measure of the covenant, where fruitfulness is a sign of blessing and bereavement is a sign of judgment. Through shâkôl, scripture conveys the serious, real-world implications of the relationship between God and humanity.

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb and an adjective across 24 occurrences, inflected in 16 grammatical forms.

  • Piel Imperfect 3rd Singular Feminine 3×
  • Piel Participle Singular Feminine Absolute 3×
  • Hiphil Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 2×
  • Piel Consecutive Perfect 3rd Singular Feminine 2×
  • Piel Perfect 3rd Singular Feminine 2×
  • Qal Perfect 1st Singular common gender 2×
  • Piel Consecutive Perfect 1st Singular common gender 1×
  • Piel Consecutive Perfect 3rd Plural common gender 1×
  • Piel Infinitive Construct 1×
  • Piel Participle Singular Feminine Construct 1×
  • Piel Perfect 1st Singular common gender 1×
  • Piel Perfect 2nd Plural Masculine 1×

+ 4 rarer forms

Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine
Feminine grammatical gender.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
1st
First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd
Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Infinitive
The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Qal
The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Piel
The intensive stem — strengthened or emphatic action.
Hiphil
The causative stem — the subject causes the action.
Consecutive Perfect
Perfect with vav — continues a sequence into the future.
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).
Construct
Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

Theographic Context

Biblical Distribution

Appears in 23 verses across 13 books. Most frequent in Ezekiel (5 verses).

4
Genesis
1
Exodus
1
Leviticus
1
Deuteronomy
1
1 Samuel
2
2 Kings
1
Job
1
Isaiah
2
Jeremiah
1
Lamentations
5
Ezekiel
2
Hosea
1
Malachi

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