Lexical Definition

‎שְׁכֶם‎ shᵉkem (shek-em') shoulder ^H:N-M
from ‎שָׁכַם‎

back, [idiom] consent, portion, shoulder.

• the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens
• figuratively, the spur of ahill

1) shoulder, back
1a) shoulder, shoulder-blade
1b) back (in general)

See Greek: ζυγός · νῶτος · Συχέμ · ὦμος

Extended Information

• Also means: shikh.mah (‎ש‎ִׁ‎כ‎ְ‎מ‎ָ‎ה‎ "shoulder" שִׁכְמָה)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Also see: שְׁכֶם

I. ‎שְׁכֶם‎ noun masculine^{Zeph 3:9} shoulder; — absolute ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ Gen 48:2 +, ‎שְׁכֶ֑ם‎ Gen 33:19 +, ‎שֶׁ֑כֶם‎ Ps 21:13* (whence original *šakm inferred Ol^{§ 147 a near the end} Sta^{§ 199 a}; but ‎ֶ֯‎ derived from ‎ִ֯‎ before ‎כ‎, Ba^{NB 104} Kö ii.l.67, 506); construct ‎שְׁכֶם‎ Gen 9:23 suffix ‎שִׁכְמוֺ‎ Gen 49:15 +, ‎שִׁכְמָה‎ (for ‎שִׁכְמָהּ‎ Ges^{«GKC:91e»§ 91e}) Job 31:22, etc.; —

1. shoulder (sometimes including back of neck; ‎כתף‎ = shoulder-blade):
a. as bearing burdens, ‎לִסְבֹּל‎ ‎׳‎‎וַיֵּט שׁ‎ Gen 49:15 (poem in J; Issachar under figure of ass), compare Gen 21:14 (E), Gen 24:15; Gen 24:45; Exod 12:34, also Gen 9:23 (all J), Josh 4:5 (E), Judg 9:48; Isa 10:27 (|| ‎צַוָּאר‎), Isa 14:25 (both figurative), Ps 81:7*, so, metaphorical, of responsibility of rule Isa 9:5*; Isa 22:22= (symbolized by key), of accusation as (easy) burden Job 31:36 figurative also ‎אֶחָד‎ ‎׳‎‎לְעָבְדוֺ שׁ‎ Zeph 3:9 to serve him (with) one shoulder (as one man), of. Syriac .
b. in statement of Saul's height, ‎מִשִּׁכְמוֺ וָמַ֫עְלָה גָּכֹהַּ‎ ‎מִכָּלהָֿעָם‎1Sam 9:2, compare 1Sam 10:23 and (with play on proper name, of a location ‎שְׁכֶם‎) ‎אַהַד עַלאַֿחֶיךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎נָתַתִּי לְךָ שׁ‎ Gen 48:22 (E; compare Dr).

2. in general back: ‎כְּהַפְנֹתוֺ שִׁכְמוֺ לָלֶכֶת מֵעִם‎ 1Sam 10:9 so ‎׳‎‎תְּשִׁיתֵמוֺ שׁ‎ Ps 21:13*, i.e. make them turn (in flight; compare ‎וְאוֺיְבַי נָתַתָּה לִי עֹרֶף‎, Ps 18:41*); as beaten ‎׳‎‎מַטֵּה שׁ‎ Isa 9:3* (|| ‎שֵׁבֶט הַנֹּנֵשׂ בּוֺ‎); more anatomical ‎תִפּוֺל‎ ‎׳‎‎כְּתֵפִי מִשּׁ‎ Job 31:22 let my shoulder blade fall from its back. — Hos 6:9 see II. ‎שְׁכֶם‎ below

‎שִׁכְמָה‎ see foregoing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References