שְׁכוֹל H7908
bereavement, childlessness—the state of having lost children
This noun describes bereavement, particularly the loss of children or state of childlessness. Isaiah uses it twice (47:8-9) in judgment against Babylon, declaring she will know bereavement and widowhood. Psalm 35:12 employs it for being bereft or repaid evil for good, suggesting emptiness or loss. The term captures profound personal loss, especially the grief of losing offspring, used as both literal affliction and metaphor for devastating judgment.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The three uses include two in Isaiah 47:8-9 (Babylon will not know bereavement/widowhood, but will) and one in Psalm 35:12 (they repay me with bereavement/abandonment). Spanish 'orfandad' (orphanhood/bereavement) captures the child-loss dimension. Isaiah's usage is particularly pointed—the confident empire that claims immunity from loss will experience comprehensive bereavement, while the Psalm describes the emotional desolation of betrayal by former friends. 3×
AR["الثَّكْلَ", "الثَّكْلُ", "ثُكْلًا"]·ben["শোক", "সন্তানহারা"]·DE["[שכול]", "bereavement"]·EN["bereavement", "loss-of-children"]·FR["[שכול]", "privation"]·heb["שכול"]·HI["शोक", "संतानहीनता"]·ID["kehilangan-anak"]·IT["[שכול]"]·jav["kecalan-anak", "nalangsara"]·KO["외로움", "자녀-잃음과", "자녀-잃음을"]·PT["orfâo", "perda-de-filhos"]·RU["бездетности", "бездетность"]·ES["orfandad"]·SW["kupoteza-watoto", "upweke"]·TR["cocuksuzlugu", "cocuksuzluk", "öksüzlük"]·urd["بے-اولادی", "لاولدی"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
שְׁכוֹל n.[m.] bereavement, loss of children;—לֹא אֵדַע שׁ׳ Is 47:8 (‖ אַלְמָנָה), cf. v 9; fig. ψ 35:12.