H8041 H8041
to go left, turn to the left; also to use the left hand, as a denominative from 'left'
A denominative verb from the noun for 'left' (semol), meaning to go leftward, turn to the left, or use the left hand. It always appears in contrast with its opposite, 'to go right' (yamin). Abraham offers Lot a choice of direction at the parting of ways (Gen 13:9). Isaiah 30:21 promises divine guidance: 'whether you turn right or left.' Ezekiel 21:16 commands a sword to strike leftward. The warriors of 1 Chronicles 12:2 are ambidextrous Benjaminites who could 'use the left hand' with slings and bows — a notable military advantage.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To go to the left, turn leftward — expressing directional choice, always paired with its opposite 'to go right.' Abraham's offer to Lot (Gen 13:9) and Isaiah's promise of guided paths (30:21) use it for literal and figurative turning. Spanish 'a la izquierda' and French 'aller gauche' confirm the spatial meaning. In 2 Samuel 14:19, the wise woman of Tekoa uses it figuratively for deviating from the truth. The Hiphil participle in 1 Chronicles 12:2 describes Benjaminite warriors skilled in using the left hand for combat, a specialized martial sense distinct from mere directional movement. 5×
AR["أَو شِمالاً", "تَيْسَرُونَ", "فَأَذْهَبُ-شِمَالًا", "وَيُشَمِّلُونَ", "يَسَارِي"]·ben["আর-বামে-যাব", "এবং-বামহাতে", "এবং-বামে", "বামে", "বামে-ফিরবে"]·DE["[השמילי]", "[ומשמאלים]", "[תשמאילו]", "gehe-ich-nach-links", "oder-zu-wende-linke"]·EN["and-I-will-go-left", "and-using-left-hand", "go-left", "or-to-turn-left", "you-turn-to-the-left"]·FR["[ומשמאלים]", "[תשמאילו]", "et-Je---aller-gauche", "ou-à-tourne-gauche", "à-gauche"]·heb["השמאלי", "ו-אשמאילה", "ו-ל-השמאיל", "ו-משמאלים", "תשמאילו"]·HI["और-बाएँ-हाथ-से", "तो-मैन-बय-जौनग", "बाएँ", "बाएं-मुड़ोगे-तुम", "या-बाँएं"]·ID["dan-ke-kiri", "dan-yang-menggunakan-tangan-kiri", "kamu-pergi-ke-kiri", "ke-kiri", "maka-aku-ke-kiri"]·IT["[השמילי]", "[ומשמאלים]", "[תשמאילו]", "e-io-will-andare-sinistra", "o-a-volta-sinistra"]·jav["dhateng-kiwa,", "lan-dhateng-kiwa", "lan-kula-dhateng-kiwa", "lan-ngginakaken-kiwa", "panjenengan-nengen"]·KO["그-와-왼손잡이들", "그리고-내가-왼쪽으로-가겠다", "그리고-왼쪽으로", "너희가-왼쪽으로-가거나", "왼쪽으로"]·PT["e-irei-à-esquerda", "e-usando-mão-esquerda", "fordes-à-esquerda", "ou-para-ir-à-esquerda", "à-esquerda"]·RU["и-левой", "или-налево", "обратись", "повернёте-налево", "пойду-налево"]·ES["a-la-izquierda", "iré-a-la-izquierda", "os-vayáis-a-la-izquierda", "y-con-la-izquierda", "y-para-ir-a-la-izquierda"]·SW["au-kushoto", "kushoto", "mkigeuka-kushoto", "na-wa-kushoto", "nitakwenda-kushoto"]·TR["sola", "sola-donerseniz", "ve-sol-elini-kullananlar", "ve-sola", "ve-sola-gideceğim"]·urd["اور-بائیں", "اور-بائیں-ہاتھ-سے", "بائیں", "بائیں-موڑو", "تو-میں-بائیں"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [שִׂמְאֵל] vb. denom. Hiph. take the left (always opp. הֵימִין):—Impf. cohort. אַשְׂמְאִ֫ילָה Gn 13:9; 2 mpl. תַּשְׂמְאִ֫ילוּ Is 30:21; Imv. fs. הַשְׂמִילִי (Ges§ 23 f Köi. 276) Ez 21:21, cf. Inf. cstr. הַשְׂמִיל 2 S 14:19; Pt. מַשְׂמִאלִים 1 Ch 12:2;— 1. = go to the left Gn 13:9 (J), Ez 21:21. 2. fig. turn (aside) to the left (from true way) 2 S 14:19; Is 30:21. 3. use the left hand 1 Ch 12:2.