שָׁכַם65 H7925
To rise early, get up at dawn (Hifil); used adverbially for persistent, earnest action; as participle, 'early riser.'
Shakam is the Bible's verb of dawn initiative — to load up the pack animals and set out before sunrise. Its Hifil form appears in virtually every patriarchal journey narrative: Abraham 'rose early in the morning' (Gen 22:3), as did Jacob (Gen 28:18) and Joshua (Josh 3:1). Spanish madrugar ('to get up at dawn') captures it perfectly, as does French se lever tot. In prophetic rhetoric, the infinitive absolute hashkem becomes an adverb of divine urgency: God 'rising early and sending' prophets (Jer 7:25; 2 Chr 36:15) — a poignant idiom for persistent, unwearied effort that the people reject. The participial form in Isaiah 5:11 and Hosea 6:4 describes habitual early risers, whether pursuing drink or fleeting devotion.
Senses
1. rise early, get up early — The core Hifil finite verb: to rise early in the morning, to get up at dawn for action. The 47 occurrences span patriarchal narratives (Gen 19:27, 20:8, 21:14, 22:3), conquest accounts (Josh 3:1, 6:12), and everyday situations (Judg 19:9, 1 Sam 15:12). Spanish madrugo ('he rose early'), French il se leva tot, and Korean ilchig ireonada all render this concrete, physical rising at dawn. The verb regularly chains with another action verb — 'rose early and built an altar,' 'rose early and went' — emphasizing the initiative taken at first light. 47×
AR["فَ-بَكَّرَ", "فَبَكَّرَ", "فَـ-بَكَّرَ", "وَ-بَكَّروا", "وَ-بَكَّرَ", "وَبَكَّرَ"]·ben["আর-ভোরে-উঠল", "আর-সকালে-উঠলেন", "এবং-উঠলেন-ভোরে", "এবং-তারা-সকালে-উঠল", "এবং-ভোরে-উঠল", "এবং-ভোরে-উঠলেন", "এবং-সকালে-উঠল", "এবং-সে-উঠল-সকালে", "ও-ভোরে-উঠলেন"]·DE["und-er-erhob-sich-early", "und-er-stand-auf-frueh", "und-erhob-sich-early", "und-frueh-aufstehen", "und-früh-aufstand", "und-machte-sich-früh-auf", "und-sie-stand-auf-frueh", "und-stand-auf-frueh"]·EN["and-he-rose-early", "and-rose-early", "and-they-rose-early"]·FR["[וישכם]", "et-il-se-leva-tôt", "et-ils-se-leva-tôt", "et-se-leva-tôt"]·heb["ו-השכים", "ו-השכימו", "ו-ישכם"]·HI["और-उठा-सवेरे", "और-उठा-सुबह", "और-उथ-जलदि", "और-जलदि-उथ", "और-जल्दी-उठा", "और-जल्दी-उठे", "और-जागा-सवेरे", "और-वह-उठा-सवेरे", "और-सुबह-जलदि-उथ"]·ID["Dan-bangun-pagi-pagi", "Dan-bangun-pagi-pagilah", "Dan-bangun-pagilah", "Dan-ia-bangun-pagi-pagi", "dan-bangun-pagi", "dan-bangun-pagi-pagi", "dan-bangun-pagikanlah", "dan-bangun-pagilah-ia", "dan-ia bangun pagi-pagi"]·IT["[וישכם]", "e-egli-si-alzò-presto", "e-essi-si-alzò-early", "e-si-alzò-early", "e-si-alzò-presto"]·jav["Lan-Laban-wungu-ésuk", "Lan-piyambakipun-sedaya-tangi-enjing", "Lan-tangi-enjing", "Lan-tangi-énjing", "Lan-wungu-enjing", "lan-tangi-enjing", "lan-tangi-énjing", "lan-wungu-enjing", "lan-wungu-énjing", "sarta-tangi-gasik"]·KO["그리고-아침에-일찍-일어났다", "그리고-일어났다", "그리고-일찍-일어났다"]·PT["E-levantaram-cedo", "E-levantou-cedo", "E-madrugou", "e-levantou-cedo", "¶ E-madrugou"]·RU["И-встал-рано", "И-встали-рано", "и-встал-рано"]·ES["Y-madrugaron", "Y-madrugó", "y-madrugó"]·SW["Na-Ibrahimu-aliamka-mapema", "Na-akaamka-mapema", "na-Abimeleki-akamka", "na-Abraham-akamka", "na-Yakobo-akaamka", "na-akaamka-mapema", "na-akaondoka-mapema", "na-alipoamka-mapema", "na-wakaamka-mapema"]·TR["Ve-erken-kalktı", "Ve-kalktı-erken", "Ve-kalktı-erkenden", "Ve-kalktılar-erken", "koyan", "ve-erken-kalktı", "ve-kalktı-erken"]·urd["اور-اُٹھا", "اور-اُٹھا-سویرے", "اور-اُٹھا-صبح", "اور-اُٹھا-صبح-سویرے", "اور-اُٹھے", "اور-اٹھا", "اور-اٹھا-سویرے", "اور-جلدی-اُٹھا", "اور-سویرے-اُٹھا", "اور-صبح-سویرے-اُٹھا", "اور-صبح-سویرے-اٹھا"]
2. rising early (persistent action) — The Hifil infinitive absolute hashkem used adverbially to express earnest, persistent, diligent action — especially in the prophetic formula 'rising early and sending/speaking/warning.' Jeremiah uses this idiom repeatedly (7:13, 25; 25:3-4; 26:5; 29:19; 35:14-15; 44:4), and 2 Chronicles 36:15 echoes it. The dawn-rising image becomes a metaphor for God's tireless urgency in calling Israel to repentance. Spanish madrugando and French se lever tot (as gerund) preserve the adverbial force. Proverbs 27:14 uses it humorously: blessing a neighbor 'rising early' (loudly, at dawn) is counted a curse. 14×
AR["باكِرًا", "بَاكِرًا", "مُبَكِّرًا"]·ben["অতি-প্রত্যুষে", "অতি-সকালে-উঠে", "আর-সকালে-উঠে", "প্রত্যুষে-উঠে", "প্রত্যূষে", "ভোরে-উঠে", "সকালে", "সকালে-উঠে"]·DE["early", "frueh", "frueh-aufstehen", "frueh-aufstehend", "und-der-stand-frueh-auf"]·EN["and-rising-early", "early", "rising-early"]·FR["[השכם]", "et-se-lever-tôt", "se-lever-tôt", "tôt"]·heb["השכים", "השכם", "ו-השכם"]·HI["और-सुबह-उठकर", "जल्दी-उठकर", "बार-बार", "सवेरे-उठकर", "सुबह", "सुबह-उठकर"]·ID["bangun-pagi-pagi", "dengan-rajin", "dengan-tekun", "pagi-benar", "pagi-pagi", "pagi-pagi-sekali"]·IT["[השכם]", "alzandosi-presto", "alzarsi-presto", "e-alzandosi-presto", "presto"]·jav["-énjing", "enjing-enjing", "kang-tangi-gasik", "ngagem-tangel", "tansah", "èsuk-èsuk", "énjing-énjing"]·KO["그리고-일찍-일어나", "부지런히", "아침-일찍-일어나", "아침에-", "일찍-일어나", "일찍이", "일찍이-일어나"]·PT["cedo", "de-madrugada", "de-manhã", "madrugando"]·RU["вставая", "рано-вставая", "с-раннего-утра", "утро-за-утром", "утром"]·ES["madrugando", "madrugándose", "por-la-mañana", "y-madrugando"]·SW["asubuhi", "asubuhi-na-mapema", "hashkeּm", "mapema", "mapema-asubuhi", "nikiamka-mapema"]·TR["erken", "erken-kalkarak", "erkenden-kalkarak", "sabah", "ve-erken-kalkarak"]·urd["اور-سویرے-اٹھ-کر", "جلدی-اُٹھ-کر", "سویرے", "سویرے-اٹھ-کر", "صبح", "صبح-سویرے", "صبح-سویرے-اُٹھ-کر"]
1 Sam 17:16, 2 Chr 36:15, Prov 27:14, Jer 7:13, Jer 7:25, Jer 11:7, Jer 25:3, Jer 25:4, Jer 26:5, Jer 29:19, Jer 32:33, Jer 35:14 (+2 more)
3. early riser (substantive/adjectival) — The Hifil participle used substantivally or adjectivally for one who habitually rises early. Isaiah 5:11 warns against 'those who rise early (mashkimei) in the morning to pursue strong drink.' Psalm 127:2 declares it vain to be 'early risers' (mashkimei qum) without the Lord's blessing. Hosea 6:4 and 13:3 use early-morning imagery (dew, cloud) alongside the participial form to convey fleeting devotion. Spanish los que madrugan ('those who rise early') and Korean ilchig ileo-naneun ja capture the habitual, characterizing quality of this form. 4×
AR["الباكِرِ", "المُبَكِّرونَ", "لِلمُبَكِّرِينَ"]·ben["-সকালে-উঠনেওয়ালারা", "ভোরে", "ভোরে-ওঠা", "সকালের"]·DE["frueh", "frueh-aufstehen", "rising-früh"]·EN["early", "rising-early", "those-rising-early"]·FR["de-se-lever-tôt", "se-levant-tôt", "se-lever-tôt"]·heb["משכים", "משכימי"]·HI["जल्दी", "जो-उठते-हैं-सुबह", "जो-जल्दी-उठती-है", "सुबह-उठने-वाले"]·ID["bangun-pagi-pagi", "orang-orang-yang-bangun-pagi", "pagi-pagi"]·IT["alzarsi-presto", "si-alzo'-presto"]·jav["ingkang-tangi-gasik", "kang-enjing", "tangi-ènjing"]·KO["이른-아침의", "일찍-일어나는-자들-이여", "일찍-일어나는-자들아"]·PT["dos-que-levantam-cedo", "matutino", "os-que-madrugam"]·RU["встающим-рано", "рано", "рано-встающие"]·ES["de-los-que-madrugan", "los-que-madrugan", "que-madruga", "temprano"]·SW["mnaoinuka-mapema", "wa-asubuhi-na-mapema", "wa-mapema", "wanaoamka-mapema"]·TR["erken", "erken-kalkanlar", "erken-kalkanlara"]·urd["جلدی-سے", "سویرے", "سویرے-اُٹھنے-والوں-پر", "سویرے-اٹھنے-والوں-کا"]
Related Senses
H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)H3915 1. night, period of darkness (234×)H1242 1. morning (214×)H5750 2. still, yet (continuative) (166×)G5119 1. then (160×)G3568 1. now (147×)G2193 1. until (143×)G3825 1. (141×)G3752 1. (123×)H6153 1. evening, time of day (123×)H0227a 1. then (122×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
[שָׁכַם65] vb. Hiph. denom. start, rise, early (proposes load backs of beasts for day’s journey);—Pf. 3 ms. consec. וְהִשְׁכִּים 2 S 15:2; Jb 1:5, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. וַיַּשְׁכֵּם Gn 19:27 +, 2 ms. תַּשְׁכִּים Ju 9:33, etc.; Imv. הַשְׁכֵּם Ex 8:16 +; Inf. abs. הַשְׁכֵּם Je 7:25 +, -כֵּים Je 44:4; Pr 27:14, erron. אַשְׁכֵּים Je 25:3 (Ges§ 53 k); Pt. מַשְׁכִּים Ho 6:4 +, etc.;—rise early, make an…