סָכַר (sa.khar)
sa.khar
to stop
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The verb sakar means to block, seal, or stop something up. In the Hebrew Bible, it describes a physical act of closing an opening or confining a group. Its most striking usage appears in Genesis 2:6, where water is described as "going up" from the earth to water the surface, a process often translated as a mist or stream that was stopped up or held back before the flood.
The word carries a sense of finality and containment. In Isaiah 19:5-7, it describes the Nile River drying up because its channels are shut off, leading to Egypt’s vulnerability. Here, sakar is used in the Piel stem to indicate God actively shutting up or delivering a nation into a state of restriction. The sources note that this confinement can be literal, like sealing a mouth, or national, like cutting off water supplies.
This word highlights God’s power over natural forces and political boundaries. By stopping up rivers or sealing mouths, He demonstrates control over chaos and silence. The imagery is concrete: water blocked, paths closed, voices muted. It serves as a reminder that no barrier is beyond His authority to open or close.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word sakar describes the act of stopping or sealing something up. In Genesis 8:2, it tells us that the fountains of the deep and the windows of the sky were stopped after the flood. This shows God’s power to bring calm after chaos. He holds back the waters, creating space for new life to begin.
In Isaiah 19:4, the word appears in a different context. God declares He will give Egypt over to a cruel lord. Here, stopping up refers to divine judgment and restriction. It reminds us that no force, natural or political, escapes His authority. Whether He opens or closes, His purposes stand firm.
For your faith, this word offers comfort. You are never outside God’s control. When life feels overwhelming, remember that the same God who stopped the flood waters also guides your steps. He can close doors that harm you and open paths of peace. Trust in His sovereign care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they were shut up1×
- and/ I will hand over1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יִּסָּֽכְרוּ֙1×
- וְ/סִכַּרְתִּי֙1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 8:2
The deep’s fountains and the sky’s windows were also stopped, and the rain from the sky was restrained.
This verse uses sakar to describe God halting the floodwaters, marking the end of judgment and the beginning of renewal.
-
Isaiah 19:4
I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord. A fierce king will rule over them,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.
Here the word signifies God’s active restriction of Egypt’s leadership, demonstrating His authority over nations and their rulers.