Lexical Definition

‎שָׂכַל‎ sâkal (saw-kal') be prudent ^H:V
a primitive root

consider, expert, instruct, prosper, (deal) prudent(-ly), (give) skill(-ful), have good success, teach, (have, make to) understand(-ing), wisdom, (be, behave self, consider, make) wise(-ly), guide wittingly.

• to be (causatively, make or act) circumspect and hence, intelligent

1) to be prudent, be circumspect, wisely understand, prosper
1a) (Qal) to be prudent, be circumspect
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to look at or upon, have insight
1b2) to give attention to, consider, ponder, be prudent
1b3) to have insight, have comprehension
1b3a) insight, comprehension (subst)
1b4) to cause to consider, give insight, teach
1b4a) the teachers, the wise
1b5) to act circumspectly, act prudently, act wisely
1b6) to prosper, have success
1b7) to cause to prosper
2) (Piel) to lay crosswise, cross (hands)

See Greek: ἀγνοέω · ἁρμόζω · ἀφροσύνη · ἄφρων · δικαιοσύνη · ἐπιγινώσκω · ἐπίσταμαι · ἐπιστήμων · εὐοδόω · ἐφίστημι · κατανοέω · ματαιόω · μωραίνω · μωρός · μωρός · νοιέω · σύνεσις · συνετός · συνίημι · ὑποδείκνυμι · φρονέω

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: se.khal (‎ש‎ְׂ‎כ‎ַ‎ל‎ "to contemplate" שְׂכַל)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎שָׂכַל‎ verb be prudent (Gerber^{47 denominative} from ‎שֶׂכֶל‎, but verb early; Late Hebrew ‎סָכַל‎, Hithpa`el shew oneself attentive (to), look; Aramaic ‎סְכַל‎ (rare) understand, Ithpa`al look (at), consider, Aph`el instruct; ‎שְׂכַל‎ only Aph`el (for Hebrew ‎הִשְׂכִּיל‎), understand, make wise; Pa`el teach, Ethpa`al understand, etc.; Samaritan Ithpa`al look (for Hebrew ‎הִבִּיט‎); Assyrian šiklu, clever, šklûtu, cleverness, Meissn^Suppl.93); —

Qal Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎׳‎‎שׂ‎ 1Sam 18:30 be prudent, circumspect (SS HPS); Kit Buhl Gerber and others prosper. Hiph`il Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎הִשְׂכִּיל‎ Jer 23:5; 1Chr 28:19 1 singular ‎הִשְׂכַּלְתִּי‎ Ps 119:99 3 masculine plural ‎הִשְׂכִּילוּ‎ Job 34:27 +; Imperfect ‎יַשְׂכִּיל‎ 1Sam 18:5 +; 2 masculine singular jussive ‎תַּשְׂכַּל‎ Dan 9:25, etc.; Imperative masculine plural ‎הַשְׂכִּילוּ‎ Ps 2:10 Infinitive absolute ‎הַשְׂכֵּל‎ Jer 9:23* +; ‎הַשְׂכֵּיל‎ (Ges ^{§ 53 k}) Jer 3:15; Job 34:35 construct ‎הַשְׂכִּיל‎ Gen 3:6 +, etc.; Participle ‎מַשְׂכִּיל‎ 1Sam 18:14 +, feminine ‎מַשְׂכָּ֑לֶת‎ Prov 19:14 plural ‎מַשְׂכִּילִים‎ Dan 11:35 +, etc.; meanings hard to classify: scholars differ greatly; —

1. look at: ‎נְחְמָד הָעֵץ לְהַשְׂכִּיל‎ Gen 3:6 (J) was desirable to look upon (so ᵐ5 Ges De; AV, RV to make one wise; Ew Di Buhl SS Dr and others below 3).

2. give attention to, consider, ponder: Isa 41:20; Isa 44:18; Deut 32:29; Ps 64:10*; Ps 106:7; Job 34:27 with ‎לְ‎ Prov 21:12 with ‎אֶל‎ Ps 41:2*; Neh 8:13 with ‎עַל‎ Prov 16:20 with ‎ב‎ Ps 101:2; Dan 9:13.

3. have insight, comprehension: Jer 9:23* (|| ‎׳‎‎יָדַע י‎), Ps 94:8 (|| ‎בִּין‎), Ps 119:99, Dan 1:4; Dan 9:25 (|| ‎יָדַע‎); ‎הַשְׂכֵּ(י)ל‎ assubstantive = insight, understanding: as ‎׳‎‎י‎'s gift to ruler and teacher, || ‎דֵּעָה‎ Jer 3:15 || ‎דַּ֫עַת‎ Job 34:35 || ‎מַדָּע‎ Dan 1:17 ‎מוּסַר‎ ‎׳‎‎הַשׂ‎ Prov 1:3 ‎׳‎‎דֶּרֶךְ הַשׂ‎ Prov 21:16.

4. cause to consider, give insight, teach: ‎׳‎‎י‎ subject, accusative of thing, 1Chr 28:19, accusative of person Ps 32:8; Neh 9:20 Gabriel subject, 2 accusative Dan 9:22 ‎לֵב חָכָם‎ subject, accusative of thing Prov 16:23 with ‎לְ‎, Prov 21:11 ‎׳‎‎הַמַּשְׂכִּילִים שֵׂכֶל טוֺב לי‎ 2Chr 30:22 (but Be Ke Benz etc. who shewed good skill, that is, in music, v2Chr 30:21b); ‎(הַ)מַוְכִּילִים‎ Dan 11:33; Dan 11:35; Dan 12:3; Dan 12:10 the teachers (so Ew Hi Bev; Thes Ke Behrm and others the wise).

5. act circumspectly, prudently: absolute Amos 5:13; Ps 2:10; Ps 36:4* ‎מַשְׂכִּיל‎ as substantive Ps 14:2 = Ps 53:3*, Prov 10:5; Prov 10:19; Prov 14:35; Prov 15:24; Prov 17:2; Job 22:2 ‎אִשָּׁה מַשְׂכָּ֑לֶת‎ Prov 19:14. — Jer 50:9 has ‎גִּבּוֺר מַשְׁכִּיל‎ according to Masora (van d. H. Baer Gi), compare ᵑ9, i.e. a child-slaying warrior; but ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Hiph`il elsewhere only Hos 9:14, of miscarriage; ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Ew and most modern (Gf Gie Rothst) read ‎מַשְׂכִּיל‎, either skilful or fortunate.

6. prosper, have success (compare Dr ^{1Sam 18:5}): absolute 1Sam 18:15; Isa 52:13; Jer 10:21; Jer 20:11; Jer 23:5; Josh 1:8 (D); with ‎ב‎, vJosh 1:7 (D) 1Sam 18:5; 1Sam 18:14 (read ‎בְּכָלֿ‎ for ‎לְכָלֿ‎ Vrss Th HPS and others), compare 2Kgs 18:7 with ‎אֶל‎, Prov 17:8.

7. cause to prosper: Deut 29:8*; 1Kgs 2:3(D).

II. [‎שָׂכַל‎] verb Pi`el lay crosswise (so, and not √ I. ‎׳‎‎שׂ‎, ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 ᵑ7^Jon and modern, compare Arabic bind legs of beast, plait locks of hair); — Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎שִׂכֵּל אֶתיָֿדָיו‎ Gen 48:14 (J); Thes Dr, however, prudentes fecit, from √ I. ‎׳‎‎שׂ‎.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References