Word Study for H7938 (שֶׂכֶר)

seker /seh'-ker/ Ask about this word

Meaningwages

KJV usagereward, sluices.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of seker — 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 seker, represented by H7938, is a term with a dual meaning, signifying either wages; reward or sluices. It is a rare word, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning is therefore highly dependent on the specific context in which it is found.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H7938 present a sharp contrast. In Proverbs, it signifies a positive outcome for righteous living, where one who sows righteousness is promised a "sure reward" Proverbs 11:18. This reward stands in direct opposition to the "deceitful work" of the wicked. Conversely, in Isaiah, the word denotes a man-made structure. As part of a prophecy of judgment, the text states that those who make sluices and ponds for fish will see their purposes broken Isaiah 19:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H7938 appears:

H6666 tsᵉdâqâh (rightness; justice, righteousness): This word is intrinsically linked to the concept of reward. It is the act of sowing righteousness that results in the "sure reward" mentioned in Proverbs 11:18.
H7563 râshâʻ (morally wrong; wicked): This term provides the direct contrast to the righteous. The work of the wicked is described as deceitful, unlike the reward promised to those who pursue righteousness Proverbs 11:18.
H8356 shâthâh (a basis; foundation, purpose): In Isaiah's prophecy, the "sluices" are connected to the "purposes" or foundations of the people, which are destined to be broken, highlighting the futility of their labor Isaiah 19:10.
H571 ʼemeth (stability; certainty, truth, trustworthiness): The reward for righteousness is described as sure, or built on truth, contrasting it with the "deceitful" work of the wicked Proverbs 11:18.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H7938 is derived from its two distinct applications:

The Principle of Consequence: The use in Proverbs illustrates the direct relationship between action and outcome. Sowing righteousness yields a "sure reward," reinforcing the biblical theme that righteous living leads to a stable and true result from God Proverbs 11:18.
The Fragility of Human Works: In Isaiah, the "sluices" represent human industry and planning. Their destruction in judgment shows that man-made systems of support and prosperity are fragile and will fail when they are the foundation of a society Isaiah 19:10.
Moral Contrast: The word is used to frame a clear moral choice. One path is sowing righteousness for a "sure reward" Proverbs 11:18, while the other involves the "deceitful work" of the wicked Proverbs 11:18 or building foundations that are ultimately broken Isaiah 19:10.

Summary

In summary, H7938 seker encapsulates a powerful biblical principle through its dual meanings. It can be the guaranteed reward that comes from righteous action or a physical sluice representing human efforts that are ultimately proven futile. The word illustrates that the value and permanence of one's work are determined by its moral and spiritual foundation, resulting in either a sure reward or a broken purpose.

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 noun 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.

שֶׂכֶר
שֶׂכֶר

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 Proverbs and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Proverbs

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.