שָׁקַל

shâqal /shaw-kal'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto suspend or poise (especially in trade)
KJV usagepay, receive(-r), spend, weigh.
Idioms & phrasesidiom throughly
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Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word shâqal, represented by H8254, is a primitive root meaning to weigh, suspend, or poise, especially in the context of trade. It is also used to mean pay, receive, spend, or, idiomatically, throughly. It appears 22 times across 21 unique verses, establishing its role in both literal transactions and figurative evaluations.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H8254 is frequently used to describe the literal act of weighing money or goods for a transaction. Abraham weighed four hundred shekels of silver to purchase a burial plot Genesis 23:16. Similarly, Jeremiah weighed money in balances as part of a witnessed land purchase Jeremiah 32:10. The word also appears figuratively. God's creative power is described as having weighed the mountains in scales Isaiah 40:12. In a plea for justice, Job asks to be weighed in an even balance so God may know his integrity Job 31:6. The term is also used for spending money on that which does not satisfy Isaiah 55:2.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a fuller context for the actions of weighing and payment:

  • H3976 môʼzên (balances): This word, meaning "a pair of scales," is the instrument used for the act of weighing. It is often used in conjunction with H8254 to describe a formal or precise measurement, as when God weighed the hills in a balance Isaiah 40:12 or when Job desired to be weighed in an even balance Job 31:6.
  • H3701 keçeph (silver, money): As the common medium of exchange, money or silver is the object frequently being weighed. This is seen when Abraham weighed silver Genesis 23:16, when Haman promised to pay silver into the king's treasuries Esther 3:9, and when the prophet's price was weighed in thirty pieces of silver Zechariah 11:12.
  • H8505 tâkan (to balance, ponder, weigh): This word is closely related, meaning to measure out by weight or to estimate figuratively. While H8254 often describes the physical act, H8505 is used when the LORD weighs the spirits Proverbs 16:2 or pondereth the hearts Proverbs 21:2, highlighting a divine assessment.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H8254 is significant, moving from simple commerce to divine judgment.

  • Transactional Integrity: The use of H8254 in legal and commercial exchanges, such as Abraham's purchase and Jeremiah's sealed deed, underscores a biblical standard for fairness and precision in human dealings (Genesis 23:16, Jeremiah 32:10).
  • Divine Sovereignty: The act of weighing is attributed to God Himself, who weighed the mountains as part of His creation, demonstrating His absolute power and meticulous order over the physical world Isaiah 40:12.
  • Moral and Spiritual Valuation: The concept is elevated to a metaphor for divine judgment. Job's cry to be weighed reflects a desire for his moral character to be assessed by God Job 31:6. His grief is also described as something to be "throughly weighed" Job 6:2.
  • Determining Worth: The word is central to understanding value. The price of wisdom cannot have silver weighed for it Job 28:15, while a prophet's value is insultingly weighed in silver Zechariah 11:12.

Summary

In summary, H8254 shâqal is a term rich with meaning. It begins with the fundamental, physical act of weighing valuables like silver but expands into a powerful metaphor for justice, value, and divine authority. From the marketplace to the cosmic scale of creation and the moral balance of a person's heart, this word illustrates how a concrete action can represent the profound spiritual truths of integrity, sovereignty, and judgment.

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 21 occurrences, inflected in 14 grammatical forms.

  • Qal Consecutive Imperfect 1st Singular common gender 3×
  • Niphal Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Consecutive Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Imperfect 2nd Plural Masculine 2×
  • Qal Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 2×
  • Niphal Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Qal Consecutive Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Qal Consecutive Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Qal Imperfect 1st Singular common gender 1×
  • Qal Imperfect 2nd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Qal Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×

+ 2 rarer forms

Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine 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.
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Qal
The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Niphal
Simple passive or reflexive of the Qal.
Consecutive Imperfect
Imperfect with vav — carries narrative forward ("and he…").
Consecutive Perfect
Perfect with vav — continues a sequence into the future.
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).

Theographic Context

Biblical Distribution

Appears in 21 verses across 10 books. Most frequent in Ezra (4 verses).

1
Genesis
1
Exodus
2
2 Samuel
1
1 Kings
4
Ezra
2
Esther
3
Job
4
Isaiah
2
Jeremiah
1
Zechariah

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