Biblical Lexicon

שָׁקַע H8257

V-Qal-Imperf-3fs | 6× in 2 senses

To sink, sink down, subside; causatively (Hiphil) to cause to sink or settle

A verb describing downward movement into a surface or medium -- sinking, subsiding, dying out. In its Qal and Niphal stems, it pictures fire dying down (Num 11:2) or land sinking like the Nile floodplain (Amos 8:8; 9:5). Jeremiah uses it memorably of Babylon sinking like a stone in water (Jer 51:64). The Hiphil causative appears in God calming Egypt's waters (Ezek 32:14) and pressing down Leviathan's tongue (Job 41:1). Spanish 'hundirse' and English 'sink' converge on the core image, while the Ezekiel passage uniquely extends toward 'settling' or 'growing clear.'

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Senses

1. sink, sink down, subside — The intransitive Qal/Niphal sense of sinking down, subsiding, going under. Fire 'sinks down' and dies out after Moses intercedes (Num 11:2). The land rises and falls like the Nile in Amos 8:8 and 9:5, with Spanish 'hundirse' (to sink, cave in) capturing the physical collapse. Jeremiah 51:64 applies it to Babylon's irreversible submersion -- a prophetic image of permanent descent. 4×

MOVEMENT › Linear Movement › Sinking Submerging

AR["تَغْرَقُ", "وَ-تَغُورُ", "وَ-خَمَدَتِ"]·ben["এবং-নিভে-গেল", "ও-নিমজ্জিত-হবে", "ও-নিমজ্জিত-হয়", "ডুববে"]·DE["[(ונשקעה)]", "[ושקעה]", "[תשקע]", "und-sank-hinab"]·EN["and-it-sinks", "and-it-will-sink", "and-sank-down", "will-sink"]·FR["[ונשקעה]", "[ושקעה]", "[תשקע]", "et-sank-en-bas"]·heb["(ו-נשקעה)", "ו-שקעה", "ו-תשקע", "תשקע"]·HI["और-डूब-गई", "और-डूबती-है", "और-डूबेगी", "डूब-जाएगी"]·ID["akan-tenggelam", "dan-padamlah"]·IT["[ונשקעה]", "[ושקעה]", "[תשקע]", "e-sank-giu"]·jav["badhé-kèlèm", "kados-lèpèn", "lan-piyambakipun-surut", "sadaya"]·KO["가라앉으리라", "그리고-가라앉으리라", "그리고-꺼졌다"]·PT["(e-submergirá)", "afundará", "e-afundou", "e-submergirá"]·RU["и-опустится", "и-утих", "погрузится"]·ES["(y-se-hundirá)", "se-hundirá", "y-se-apagó", "y-se-hundirá"]·SW["itazama", "na-kuzama", "na-ukazimika"]·TR["(ve-batacak)", "batacak", "ve-batar", "ve-söndü"]·urd["(اور-ڈوبے-گی)", "اور-بجھ-گئی", "اور-ڈوبتی-ہے", "ڈوب-جائے-گا"]

Num 11:2, Jer 51:64, Amos 8:8, Amos 9:5

2. press down, cause to settle (Hiphil) — The causative Hiphil sense: to press down, make settle, cause to sink. God declares 'I will cause their waters to settle' in Ezekiel 32:14, where sinking shades into clarifying -- turbid waters calming to transparency. In Job 41:1 the challenge asks whether one can press down Leviathan's tongue with a cord. Spanish 'asentar' (to settle) and 'hundir' (to sink) split what Hebrew holds in one stem. 2×

MOVEMENT › Linear Movement › Sinking Submerging

AR["أُرَسِّبُ", "تُغَرِّقُ"]·ben["আমি-স্থির-করব", "তুমি-নামাবে"]·DE["[אשקיע]", "[תשקיע]"]·EN["I-will-cause-to-settle", "can-you-press-down"]·FR["[אשקיע]", "תשקיע"]·heb["אשקיע", "תשקיע"]·HI["क्या-तू-डुबोएगा", "मैं-स्थिर-करूँगा"]·ID["Aku-menjernihkan", "engkau tenggelamkan"]·IT["[אשקיע]", "can-you-press-down"]·jav["Kawula-badhe-mapanaken", "Panjenengan-silemaken"]·KO["내가-가라앉히리라", "네가-누르겠느냐"]·PT["afundarás", "farei-assentar"]·RU["опустишь", "успокою"]·ES["asentaré", "hundirás"]·SW["nitayatulia", "utashindilia"]·TR["bastırırsın", "durgunlaştıracağım"]·urd["ساف-کروں-گا", "کیا-تو-ڈبوئے-گا"]

Job 41:1, Ezek 32:14

BDB / Lexicon Reference

[שָׁקַע] vb. sink, sink down (so NH שָׁקַע, Aramaic שְׁקַע; Arabic has صَقِعَ be smitten, prostrated, collapse);— Qal Pf. 3 fs. consec. וְשָֽׁקְעָה Am 9:5 it shall sink like the Nile (of land; opp. עָלָה); 3 fs. וַתִּשְׁקַע Nu 11:2 (JE), of fire, it sank down, died out; תִּשְׁקַע Je 51:64, of Babylon (like stone in water; opp. קוּם). Niph. 3 fs. נִשְׁקְעָה Am 8:8 Qr, of land, sink (opp. עָלָה; =…