שָׁכַב H7901
To lie down, recline, sleep; euphemism for sexual intercourse; Hifil: lay someone down; also: pour out (liquid)
Shakab is the Hebrew Bible's universal posture verb for the horizontal — lying down to sleep, reclining in death, and the characteristic euphemism for sexual relations. Korean consistently distinguishes nuwotda ('reclined') from dongchimhaetda ('lay with sexually'), while Spanish separates acostarse from yacer con. The same root in Arabic (sakaba) means only 'to pour out,' a meaning surviving in one enigmatic occurrence at Job 38:37 about tilting heaven's water-jars. The Hifil adds tender domestic scenes of laying a child down, and the rare Hofal appears in Ezekiel's underworld tableaux where warriors 'are laid' among the slain.
5. be sexually violated — The Nifal and Pual passive stems denoting sexual violation — the passive counterpart to Sense 2 but with coercion. Isaiah 13:16 warns Babylon's women 'will be violated,' Zechariah 14:2 echoes the judgment, and Jeremiah 3:2 accuses Israel of roadside harlotry. Korean yok-boirira ('will be shamed sexually') and Arabic tudaja'na confirm violation semantics. 3×
AR["(تُضَاجَعْنَ)،","تُضَاجَعنَ","ضُوجِعْتِ"]·ben["(শয়ন-করা-হবে)","(শয়ন-করাবে)","শুয়েছিলে"]·DE["legte-sich","liegen"]·EN["(you-were-lain-with)","and-will-go-out","will-be-violated"]·FR["se-coucher"]·heb["שוכבת","תישכבנה"]·HI["अपमानित-की-जाएँगी","भोगी-जाएंगी","लेटी-तू"]·ID["(akan-diperkosa)","(ditiduri)","kamu-berbaring"]·IT["giacere"]·jav["(dipun-tilem-piyambakipun)","badhé-dipunrudapeksa","panjenengan-dipun-tilemi"]·KO["누움-받지","됐리라","욕보이리라"]·PT["(serão-deitadas)","deitaste-te"]·RU["(будут-насилованы)","(ты-была-изнасилована)","будут-обесчещены"]·ES["(violadas)","fuiste-violada?","serán-violadas"]·SW["(watalaliwa)","umelaliwa","watabakwa"]·TR["(yatılacak)","kirletilecek","yatırıldın"]·urd["(بے-عزت-کی-جائیں-گی)","بے-حرمتی-کی-جائیں-گی","لٹائی-گئی"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. lie down, rest, sleep — The fundamental Qal sense: lying down for rest, sleep, or repose. At 183 occurrences this dominates — Samuel lying in the temple (1 Sam 3:5, 9), the idiom 'lie down and rise up' bracketing daily life (Deut 6:7). Arabic ittaja'a ('to recline'), Spanish acostarse, and Korean nuwotda all converge on the basic posture of physical rest. 183×
AR["فَاضْطَجَعَ","فَٱضْطَجَعَ","وَ-اضْطَجَعَ","وَاضطَجَعَ"]·ben["এবং-শয়ন-করলেন","এবং-শুয়ে-পড়ল","এবং-শুয়ে-পড়লেন"]·DE["und-er-lag","und-er-schlief","und-lag"]·EN["and-he-lay","and-he-slept","and-lay"]·FR["et-il-dormit","et-il-s'étendit","et-s'étendit"]·heb["ו-ישכב","ו-שכב"]·HI["और-लेट-गया","और-लेटा","और-सोया","वय्यिश्कव"]·ID["Dan-berbaring","dan berbaringlah","dan-berbaring","dan-dia-berbaring","dan-tidur"]·IT["e-egli-dormì","e-egli-giacque","e-giacque"]·jav["Lan-mapan","Lan-piyambakipun-tilem","Lan-sarè","lan-sareè","lan-sarè","lan-sèda","lan-séda","lan-sédha"]·KO["그래서-누웠다","그리고-누웠다","그리고-눕다","그리고-동침했다"]·PT["E-deitou-se","e-deitou","e-deitou-se","¶ E-deitou-se"]·RU["И-почил","и-лежал","и-лёг","и-почил"]·ES["Y-se-acostó","y-se-acostó"]·SW["akalala","na-Azaria-akalala","na-akalala"]·TR["ve-yattı"]·urd["اور-سو-گیا","اور-سویا","اور-لیٹ-گیا","اور-لیٹا"]
Lev 15:4, 1 Sam 3:5, 1 Sam 3:9, 1 Sam 3:15, 2 Sam 11:4, 2 Sam 11:9, 2 Sam 12:16, 2 Sam 12:24, 2 Sam 13:6, 2 Sam 13:14, 2 Sam 13:31, 1 Kgs 2:10 (+38 more)
2. lie with sexually — The Qal euphemistic sense of sexual intercourse — 'to lie with' someone, always marked by prepositions 'im or 'et. Sixteen occurrences from Lot's daughters (Gen 19:33, 35) to the rape of Dinah (Gen 34:2) and legal casuistry (Deut 22:22–29). Korean dongchimhaetda and Arabic daja'a ma'a confirm the euphemistic idiom as a lexicalized sense. 16×
AR["(يَضْطَجِعُهَا)","اضْطَجِعْ","بِ-اضْطِجَاعِهَا","كَ-ضاجِعٍ","لِ-يَضْطَجِعَ","وَ-اضْطَجَعَ","وَ-كَ-ضاجِعٍ","يَضْجَعُونَ","يَضْطَجِعُ"]·ben["(তার-সাথে-শয়ন-করবে)","-শুয়ে-পড়ায়-তার","আর-শুয়ে-পড়ল","ও-যে-শোয়","যে-শোয়","শুতেন","শুয়ে-পড়ে","শোও","শোয়"]·DE["ihr-Niederlegen","liege","liegt-mit","nimmt-ihr","sie-lag-mit","und-lag","und-wie-legte-sich","wie-legte-sich","zu-liegen"]·EN["and-he-lay-with","and-like-one-lying-down","in-her-lying-down","lie","lies-with","like-one-lying-down","takes-her","they-lay-with","to-lie-with"]·FR["comme-se-coucher","dans-sa-couché-en-bas","et-il-poser-avec","et-se-coucher","ils-s'étendit-avec","lie","prend-sa","se-couche-avec","à-lie-avec"]·heb["ב-שכב-ה","ו-כ-שוכב","ו-שכב","ישכב","ישכבון","ישכבנה","כ-שוכב","ל-שכב","שכב-ה"]·HI["उसको","उस्के-लेतने-मे","और-लेटा","और-लेटे-हुए-जैसे","और-सो-गया","लेट","लेटकर","लेटे-हुए-जैसे","लेटेगा","सोते-थे"]·ID["akan-tidur-dengan-dia","berbaring","dan-ia-berbaring-dengan","dan-seperti-yang-berbaring","ketika-tidurnya","mereka-tidur","seperti-yang-berbaring","tidurlah","untuk-berbaring-dengan"]·IT["a-giacere-con","come-giacere","e-come-giacere","e-egli-giacque-con","essi-giacque-con","giace-con","giacere","in-suo-lying-giù","prende-lei"]·jav["(tilem-kaliyan-piyambakipun)","Sarea","déning-tilem","kados-tiyang-tilem","lan-kados-tiyang-tilem","lan-piyambakipun-tilem","nalika-tilem-sarenipun","sami-tilem","tilem"]·KO["같이-누워있는-자","그녀가-눅을-때에","그녀와","그리고-같이-누워있는-자","그리고-누웠다","누웠다","눅는","동침하라"]·PT["(deitar-se-á-com-ela)","como-o-que-jaz","deita","deitará","deitavam-se","e-como-o-que-jaz","e-deitou","em-seu-deitar-se","para-deitar"]·RU["(будет-лежать-с-ней)","и-как-лежащий","и-лёг","как-лежащий","когда-легла-она","лежали","лежать","ляг","ляжет"]·ES["acuéstate","como-el-que-se-acuesta","en-su-acostarse","para-acostarse-con","se-acostaban","se-acueste","y-como-el-que-se-acuesta","y-se-acostó-con","yacerá-con-ella"]·SW["akalala","atalala","atamlala","jifunze","kama-mtu-aliyelelala","kuliwa","kumka-kaa","na-kama-mtu-aliyelelala","na-kumka-inuka","pamoja-nami","walilala"]·TR["Yat","ve-yatan-gibi","ve-yattı","yatacak-onunla","yatan-gibi","yatarak","yatarsa","yatıyorlardı","yatışında"]·urd["(لیٹےگا-اُس-کے-ساتھ)","اور-لیٹا","اور-لیٹنے-والے-جیسا","سوئے","سوتے-تھے","لیٹ","لیٹنا","لیٹنے-اُس-کے","لیٹنے-والے-جیسا"]
3. cause to lie down — The Hifil causative: to lay someone down, typically in caretaking. The Shunammite woman laid Elisha's staff beside her dead son (2 Kgs 4:21), Solomon's mother placed one infant beside another (1 Kgs 3:20), Elijah laid the widow's son on his bed (1 Kgs 17:19). Arabic adja'a and Spanish acostar confirm seven occurrences of deliberate, tender placement. 7×
AR["أَضْجَعَتْهُ","مُضجِعاً","وَ-أضْجَعَهُ","وَأَضْجَعَتْهُ","وَأَضْجَعُوهُ","وَأُضجِعُهُم"]·ben["আর-শুইয়ে-দিল-তাকে","এবং-শোয়াব-তাদের","এবং-শোয়াল-তাকে","এবং-সে-তাকে-শোয়াল","ও-দেখ","জন্ম-দিয়েছিলাম","শোয়ানো"]·DE["machend-liege-hinab","sie-laid","und-laid-ihn","und-legte-sich","und-liegen","und-sie-laid-ihn"]·EN["and-I-will-make-them-lie-down","and-laid-him","and-she-laid-him","and-they-laid-him","making-lie-down","she-laid"]·FR["[וישכיבהו]","elle-laid","et-elle-laid-lui","et-laid-lui","et-se-coucher","faisant-m'étends-en-bas"]·heb["השכב","השכיבה","ו-השכבתים","ו-השכיבה-הו","ו-השכיבהו","ו-השכיבתו","ו-שכב-ו"]·HI["और-लिटा-दिया-उसे","और-लिटाऊँगा-उन्हें","और-लिटाया-उसे","और-लिटाया-गया-उसे","लिटा-दिया","लिटाकर"]·ID["dan-Aku-akan-membaringkan-mereka","dan-ia-membaringkannya","dan-membaringkan-nya","dan-membaringkannya","ia-baringkan","membaringkan"]·IT["e-ella-pose-lui","e-giacere","e-pose-lui","ella-pose","facendo-giaci-giù"]·jav["lan-Kawula-mapanaken-piyambakipun","lan-dipunsarèkaken","lan-ngleremaken-piyambakipun","lan-nyandhing-ing-pangkonipun","lan-nyelèhaken-piyambakipun","nyandhing","nyarèaken"]·KO["그리고-누였다-그-를","그리고-눅혜다-그를","그리고-눅히다-그를","그리고-눕혔다-그를","그리고-눕히리라-그들-을","눅히다","눕혀"]·PT["deitou","e-deitar-os-ei","e-deitou-o","e-o-deitaram","fazendo-deitar"]·RU["и-положил-его","и-положила-его","и-положили-его","и-успокою-их","положила","уложив"]·ES["acostó","haciéndolos-acostar","y-lo-acostaron","y-lo-acostó","y-los-haré-reposar"]·SW["akiwalaza","alimlaza","kifuani-kwake","na-akamlaza","na-nitawalaza","na-wakamlaza"]·TR["ve-yatirdi-onu","ve-yatıracağım-onları","ve-yatırdı-onu","ve-yatırdılar-onu","yatırarak","yatırdı"]·urd["اور-لِٹایا-اُسے","اور-لٹاؤں-گا-اُن-کو","اور-لٹایا-اسے","اور-لٹایا-اُسے","اور-لٹایا-گیا-اُسے","لٹا-کر","لٹایا"]
4. be laid down (passive) — The Hofal passive-causative: to be laid down or placed in a reclining position. Used in Ezekiel's underworld oracles where slain warriors 'are laid' among the uncircumcised dead (Ezek 32:19, 32) and the Shunammite's son 'was laid' on Elisha's bed (2 Kgs 4:32). Arabic yudja'u confirms a state of having been placed by another's action. 3×
AR["مُضْجَعٌ","وَيُضْجَعُ","وَٱضْطَجِعْ"]·ben["আর-শোও","আর-সে-শোওয়ানো-হবে","শোয়ানো"]·DE["laid","und-der-legte-sich","und-liegen"]·EN["and-be-laid","and-he-will-be-laid","laid"]·FR["et-se-coucher","laid"]·heb["ו-הושכב","ו-הושכבה","מושכב"]·HI["और-लेट-जा","खतनारहितों","लिटाया-हुआ"]·ID["dan-berbaringlah","dan-dibaringkan","terbaring"]·IT["e-giacere","pose"]·jav["kèpènaken","lan-piyambakipun-dipun-sareaken","lan-sarea"]·KO["그리하여-그가-눌리라","그리하여-눌려라","누워-있었다"]·PT["deitado","e-deita-te","e-será-deitado"]·RU["и-будет-лежать","и-ляг","лежащий"]·ES["acostado","y-yace","y-yacerá"]·SW["amelazwa","na-atakalazwa","na-lala"]·TR["ve-yat","ve-yatırılacak","yatirilan"]·urd["اور-لٹایا-جائے-گا","اور-لیٹ-جا","لیٹا-ہوا"]
6. sense 6 — A singular occurrence at Job 38:37 meaning 'pour out' or 'tilt over' — 'who can tilt heaven's water-jars?' This preserves the ancient Arabic cognate sakaba ('to pour out water or tears'), otherwise lost in Hebrew. Spanish volcar ('to overturn') confirms the liquid-discharge sense, a lexical fossil connecting postural semantics to pouring from a tilted vessel. 1×
AR["يُسْكِبُ؟"]·ben["শুইয়ে-দেবে"]·DE["legte-sich"]·EN["can-pour-out"]·FR["se-coucher"]·heb["ישכיב"]·HI["उंडेल-सकता-है"]·ID["memiringkan"]·IT["giacere"]·jav["niduraken"]·KO["눌이겠느냐"]·PT["fará-deitar?"]·RU["наклонит"]·ES["puede-volcar"]·SW["anaviinamishe"]·TR["yatırır"]·urd["لٹاتا ہے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
שָׁכַב (LagBN 63)212 vb. lie down (NH = BH; שכב Ecclus 47:23 (in death), משכב bed 40:5; 47:20 d, = death bed 46:19; Ph. שכב, משכב (v. מ׳ 1 infr.), Lzb375; Ethiopic ሰከበ lie, so Aramaic שְׁכַב, ܫܟܶܒ; Nab. משכבא couch; Arabic سَكَبَ only pour out (water, tears), be poured out (cf. Hiph. infr., and LagBN 63));—Qal Pf. 3 ms. שׁ׳ Gn 26:10 +, etc.; Impf. יִשְׁכַּב Gn 30:15 +, 3 mpl. יִשְׁכְּבֻן 1 S…