H5526e H5526e
to cover, screen, protect
This verb means to cover over something or someone, providing protection or concealment. In Exodus, when Moses asks to see God's glory, Yahweh promises, 'I will cover you with my hand while I pass by.' The gesture protects Moses from the full, unmediated radiance of divine glory, which no one can see and live. The covering is both merciful and necessary—it allows partial revelation while preventing destruction. The verb's basic sense is physical covering, but here it becomes the means by which God accommodates His overwhelming presence to human frailty.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Found in Exodus 33:22 where God promises to 'cover you with my hand' as His glory passes Moses. Spanish 'cubriré' (I will cover), French 'couvrir' (cover), and English 'cover' all preserve the protective screening action. The Qal perfect with consecutive waw shows God's specific, promised action. This divine covering allows Moses a mediated encounter with God's glory—enough to transform him, not enough to consume him. 1×
AR["وَ-أُغَطّيكَ"]·ben["এবং-ঢেকে-দেব"]·DE["und-ich-wird-bedecken"]·EN["and-I-will-cover"]·FR["et-Je---couvrir"]·heb["ו-שכותי"]·HI["और-ढकूँगा"]·ID["dan-Aku-akan-menutupi"]·IT["e-io-will-coprire"]·jav["lan-Kawula-badhé-nutupi"]·KO["그리고-내가-가리겠다"]·PT["e-cobrirei"]·RU["и-покрою-Я"]·ES["y-te-cubriré"]·SW["na-nitakufunika"]·TR["ve-örteceğim"]·urd["اور-میں-ڈھاکوں-گا"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. [שָׂכַךְ] vb. cover, lay over, so as to screen (cf. ‖ √ I. סכך);— Qal Pf. 1 s. וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי עָלֶיךָ Ex 33:22 (JE).