סָכַר (sa.khar)
sa.khar
to hire
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 17 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb sakhar means to hire someone for work, specifically in exchange for wages. It appears seventeen times in the Old Testament, with significant usage in Nehemiah, Proverbs, and Judges. The word captures the commercial aspect of labor, where a master engages workers or workers agree to serve an employer.
Its forms cover both sides of the transaction. The Qal stem describes the employer who hires, as seen when opponents hired counselors against Jerusalem in Ezra 4:5. The Niphal and Hithpael stems shift focus to the worker, describing those who hire themselves out or earn their wages. This linguistic range highlights the mutual agreement inherent in ancient labor contracts.
Translators typically render sakhar as "hire" or "wages," preserving the clear economic reality of the text. Unlike terms that might imply voluntary service or familial duty, sakhar grounds the relationship in payment. It reminds readers that biblical society included a structured marketplace where labor was a valued commodity exchanged for compensation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word sakhar describes the straightforward exchange of labor for wages. It appears in stories ranging from Leah trading mandrakes for Jacob’s presence to kings hiring mercenaries for war. This term reminds us that work is a real, tangible part of human life, grounded in mutual agreement and fair compensation. It validates the dignity of earning a living through honest effort.
Yet the text also warns against misusing this arrangement. When leaders hire false prophets or foolish counselors, the transaction becomes a tool for deception rather than justice. The Bible acknowledges that while hiring is normal, it must never override loyalty to God or truth. Your own work, whether paid or not, reflects how you steward the gifts You have given.
In Nehemiah’s time, opponents tried to hire someone to discourage him from rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. Instead of succumbing to fear, he recognized that no wage could silence a calling from God. This word invites us to view our daily tasks with integrity, knowing that our ultimate reward comes from the One who sees what is done in secret.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 17 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they hired2×
- and/ he hired2×
- and/ [one who] hires2×
- to/ hire1×
- they hire themselves out1×
- they hire1×
- hiring1×
- he has hired1×
- he had hired/ him1×
- certainly <to hire>1×
- and/ the/ [one who] earns wages1×
- and/ he has hired/ me1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יִּשְׂכֹּ֨ר2×
- וְ/שֹׂכֵ֥ר2×
- שֹׂכְרִים֙1×
- שָׂכוּר֙1×
- שָׂכֹ֣ר1×
- שָֽׂכַר\־1×
- שְׂכָרֽ/וֹ\׃1×
- שְׂכַרְתִּ֔י/ךָ1×
- נִשְׂכָּ֔רוּ1×
- מִשְׂתַּכֵּ֖ר1×
- לִ/שְׂכֹּ֣ר1×
- יִשְׂכְּר֤וּ1×
Key Verses
-
Nehemiah 6:12
I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
This verse shows how financial incentives can be used to undermine spiritual conviction, highlighting the danger of letting wages dictate obedience.
-
Proverbs 26:10
As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.
Here the act of hiring a fool is compared to an archer who wounds everyone, illustrating that poor judgment in employment leads to widespread harm.
-
Judges 9:4
They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and reckless fellows who followed him.
Abimelech uses silver from Baal’s temple to hire reckless followers, demonstrating how sacred resources can be twisted for selfish political gain.
-
Haggai 1:6
You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you don’t have enough. You drink, but you aren’t filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it.’
This passage describes the futility of earning wages when God withholds blessing, showing that labor without divine favor is like filling a bag with holes.