Lexical Definition

‎שְׂמֹאול‎ sᵉmôʼwl (sem-ole') left ^H:N-M
or שְׂמֹאל sᵉmôʼl (sem-ole'); a primitive word (rather perhaps from the same as ‎שִׂמְלָה‎ (by insertion of the aleph) through the idea of wrapping up)

left (hand, side).

• properly, dark (as enveloped), i.e. the north
• hence (by orientation), the left hand

1) the left, the left hand, the left side
1a) left
1b) left hand
1c) north (as one faces east)

See Greek: ἀριστερός

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎שְׂמאֹל‎, ‎שְׂמאֹול‎ (Baer^{Josh 1:7})₅₄ noun [masculine] the left (Late Hebrew id.; Assyrian šumêlu; Arabic (also and , , north wind); Old Aramaic ‎שמאל‎, Palmyrene (suffix) ‎סמלך‎; Syriac ; √ dubious, ‎שאם‎ + ‎ל‎ Nö^{M 128} Hom^{A. u. A. i. (1892), 21} Kö^{ii. 1. 148, 405}; (see also Thes Dietr^{Wortforschung 234}), compare Arabic be unlucky, left, , north; Sabean ‎שאם‎ north, unlucky DHM^{Epigr. Denkm. 29; Epigr. Denkm. Arabic Nos. 6. 7}; other views in Sta^{§ 299} Lag^{BN 116}); — ‎שְׂמאֹל‎ abs, Gen 13:9 +, construct Gen 48:13; 2Kgs 23:8 ‎שְׂמאֹול‎ absolute Num 20:17 +; suffix ‎שְׂמאֹלֶ֑ךָ‎ 2Sam 2:21, ‎שְׂמאֹלוֺ‎ Gen 48:13 +, etc.; — opposed to ‎יָמִין‎ except Gen 14:15; Judg 19:27; 2Kgs 23:8 —

1. left, region on the left, Gen 13:9 (J); on the left is ‎׳‎‎עַלשּֿׂ‎ 2Kgs 23:8; Ezek 16:46; Zech 4:3; Zech 4:11, ‎׳‎‎עַלהַֿשּׂ‎ 1Chr 6:29* compare 2Chr 18:18, also ‎׳‎‎מִשּׂ‎ (a sinistra) Exod 14:22; Exod 14:29 (P), 2Sam 16:6 + 7 t. + ‎׳‎‎מִהַשּׂ‎ 2Chr 3:17; Ezek 1:10, ‎׳‎‎לִשׂ‎ Eccl 10:2, ‎׳‎‎שׂ‎ alone Job 23:9 toward the left is ‎׳‎‎עַלשֿׂ‎ Gen 24:49 (J), 2Sam 2:21; Zech 12:6, ‎׳‎‎עַלהַֿשּׂ‎ 2Sam 2:19, ‎׳‎‎שׂ‎ alone 1Sam 6:12; Isa 9:20* + 13 t.

2. ‎׳‎‎יַדשֿׂ‎ left hand, Judg 3:21; Judg 7:20, so ‎׳‎‎שׂ‎ alone Gen 48:18; Gen 48:13; Gen 48:14 (E), Judg 16:29; Ezek 39:8; Jonah 4:11; Prov 3:16; Dan 12:7; Song 2:6; Song 8:3.

3. = north (on left of one facing east, compare ‎אָחוֺר‎ d, ‎יָמִין‎ 4, ‎קֶדֶם‎ 1 b) Gen 14:15; Josh 19:27(P); of. Ezek 16:46.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References