שִׁכֹּר (shik.kor)
shik.kor
drunken
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 13 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew word shikkor describes a state of intoxication, functioning as an adjective for "drunken" or as a noun for a "drunkard." It appears thirteen times in the Old Testament, with significant usage in Isaiah and Samuel. The term captures the physical and mental disorientation that results from consuming excessive alcohol, often serving as a marker of social disorder or divine judgment.
In its most striking appearance, Isaiah uses the image of drunkenness to describe spiritual blindness (Isaiah 29:9-10). Here, the people are made "staggering" and "sleepy" by God, suggesting that their inability to perceive truth is akin to being intoxicated. This metaphor links physical inebriation with a deeper moral and spiritual incapacity, where the mind is clouded and unable to respond correctly to divine instruction.
The word also appears in historical narratives, such as when King Saul falls into a deep sleep after drinking (1 Samuel 25:36-37). In these contexts, shikkor highlights vulnerability and loss of control. Translators typically render it as "drunk" or "drunken," preserving the straightforward sense of physical impairment while allowing the context to reveal whether the focus is on personal folly or theological consequence.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word shikkor describes a state where alcohol clouds the mind and weakens self-control. In the Old Testament, this physical condition often mirrors a deeper spiritual reality. When prophets describe people as drunk, they are highlighting how sin or judgment can make individuals unable to see clearly or respond wisely to God’s guidance.
For your faith, this word serves as a sobering reminder of the value of clarity. It invites you to consider what might be clouding your spiritual vision today. Rather than seeking escape through intoxication, Scripture points toward a life guided by wisdom and the Spirit, where your mind remains sharp and your heart attentive to divine truth.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 13 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- like <the>/ drunkard3×
- drunken3×
- a drunkard2×
- [the] drunkards of2×
- to/ a drunken [woman]1×
- [was] drunk1×
- O drunkards1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שִׁכּ֔וֹר2×
- שִׁכּוֹרֵ֥י1×
- שִׁכּוֹרִים֙1×
- שִׁכֹּרֵ֣י1×
- שִׁכֹּ֖ר1×
- שִׁכּ֜וֹר1×
- שִׁכּ֖וֹר1×
- שִׁכּ֑וֹר1×
- לְ/שִׁכֹּרָֽה\׃1×
- כַּ/שִּׁכּֽוֹר\׃1×
- כַּ/שִּׁכּ֔וֹר1×
- כַּ/שִּׁכּ֑וֹר1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 1:13
Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
Eli mistakes Hannah’s fervent prayer for drunkenness, showing how intense spiritual emotion can be misunderstood by those who do not know the heart.
-
Job 12:25
They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
The verse uses the image of staggering like a drunkard to illustrate how God leads the proud in paths they cannot navigate without Him.
-
Jeremiah 23:9
Concerning the prophets: My heart within me is broken. All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of Yahweh, and because of his holy words.
Jeremiah compares his own trembling and broken spirit to being overcome by wine, emphasizing the overwhelming weight of delivering God’s holy words.