סָקַל (sa.qal)
sa.qal
to stone
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 18 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb saqal describes the act of stoning, primarily as a method of execution. In its most common form, it refers to pelting someone with stones until they die. This was a serious legal penalty in ancient Israel, reserved for offenses like blasphemy or idolatry, and appears frequently in laws found in Exodus and Deuteronomy.
While the word usually carries this grave judicial sense, the Piel stem introduces an unexpected nuance: clearing land of rocks. Here, saqal means to remove stones from a vineyard or highway, turning rough ground into usable space. This secondary usage highlights how the same root can describe both destruction and preparation.
Translators typically render saqal as "stone" or "stoned," depending on whether the context involves punishment or agricultural work. The shift from killing to clearing land shows the word’s flexibility, though its primary weight remains tied to the harsh reality of capital punishment in the biblical text.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word saqal carries two very different images in Scripture. In one sense, it describes the harsh reality of capital punishment, where stones were used to execute those who violated God’s law or threatened the community’s spiritual health. This usage reminds us that sin is not a minor issue but something serious that separates people from God and requires justice.
In another context, however, the same word appears in agricultural settings. Farmers cleared rocks from their vineyards to prepare the soil for planting. This act of removal was essential for growth and fruitfulness. It shows that God cares about the practical details of our lives, wanting us to remove obstacles so that good things can take root.
For your faith, this duality offers a gentle invitation. Just as stones were cleared from the ground to help vines grow, you might consider what burdens or habits in your own life are blocking spiritual fruitfulness. Removing these 'stones' is not about earning love, but about making space for God’s work in your heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 18 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it will be stoned to death3×
- certainly <to stone>2×
- to/ stone/ him1×
- he will be stoned to death1×
- he has been stoned1×
- he had been stoned1×
- clear [it]1×
- and/ you will stone/ them1×
- and/ you will stone1×
- and/ they will stone/ me1×
- and/ they will stone/ her1×
- and/ they stoned/ him1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סֻקַּ֥ל2×
- וַ/יְסַקֵּ֤ל2×
- סָק֨וֹל1×
- סָק֤וֹל1×
- סַקְּל֣וּ1×
- לְ/סָקְל֔/וֹ1×
- יִסָּקֵל֙1×
- יִסָּקֵֽל\׃\ \ס1×
- יִסָּקֵ֜ל1×
- יִסָּקֵ֔ל1×
- וּ/סְקָלוּ/הָ֩1×
- וּ/סְקָלֻֽ/נִי\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 17:4
Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
This verse highlights the human fear of mob violence, showing Moses feeling threatened by the very people he led.
-
I Samuel 30:6
David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.
Here David faces the threat of being stoned but chooses to strengthen himself in God rather than retaliate.
-
Isaiah 5:2
He dug it up, gathered out its stones, planted it with the choicest vine, built a tower in the middle of it, and also cut out a wine press in it. He looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.
This verse uses the word in its agricultural sense, describing how God prepared the land by removing stones to plant a vineyard.
-
Isaiah 62:10
Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way of the people! Build up, build up the highway! Gather out the stones! Lift up a banner for the peoples.
The command to 'gather out the stones' symbolizes preparing a clear path for the people’s return and restoration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word saqal mean?
Why is stoning mentioned so often in the Old Testament?
Is there a positive use of this word?
Every Occurrence (18 verses across 7 books)
Exodus 5 verses
Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
Exodus 19:13No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not…
Exodus 21:28“If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull shall surely be stoned, and its meat shall not be eaten; but the…
Exodus 21:29But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past, and this has been testified to its owner, and he has not kept it in,…
Exodus 21:32If the bull gores a male servant or a female servant, thirty shekels of silver shall be given to their master, and the…