שָׁקַע (sha.qa)
sha.qa
to sink
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb shaqar describes the physical act of sinking, settling, or collapsing downward. It appears in only four verses, primarily in prophetic and historical texts where it illustrates a loss of stability or support. The word captures the motion of something heavy giving way under pressure, whether that is earth shifting or waters receding.
In Jeremiah 51:64, the prophet commands Babylon’s scroll to be tied with a stone and thrown into the Euphrates, declaring that so shall Babylon sink and not rise again. This vivid image uses shaqar to signify finality; the city does not just fall, it sinks below the surface, unable to recover. Similarly, in Amos 9:5, God’s touch causes the earth to melt or sink, emphasizing divine power over physical foundations.
The term often appears in the Hiphil stem, where a subject actively causes something else to settle or subside. This usage highlights agency — whether it is water levels dropping or structures collapsing under judgment. The word carries no positive connotation of rest; instead, it denotes a downward movement associated with defeat, destruction, or inevitable decline.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word shaqar describes a heavy object sinking beneath the surface, losing its footing entirely. In Scripture, this image often marks the end of human pride or political power. When Babylon was told it would sink and not rise, it showed that no earthly empire stands on its own strength. God holds the foundations of the world, and when He touches them, the ground shifts.
For your faith, this brings a sobering comfort. It reminds us that stability does not come from our own efforts or the security of nations. Instead, it comes from trusting in the One who can shake the earth yet remains steady. When life feels unstable, we can rest in the fact that God is sovereign over all things, even when circumstances seem to collapse around us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it will sink1×
- and/ it will sink1×
- and/ it sinks1×
- and/ it died out1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִּשְׁקַ֨ע1×
- וַ/תִּשְׁקַ֖ע1×
- וְ/שָׁקְעָ֖ה1×
- וְ/נִשְׁקְעָ֖ה1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 51:64
Then you shall say, ‘Thus will Babylon sink, and will not rise again because of the evil that I will bring on her; and they will be weary.’” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
This verse uses the word to declare the final and irreversible downfall of Babylon, emphasizing that divine judgment is absolute.
-
Amos 9:5
For the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, is he who touches the land and it melts, and all who dwell in it will mourn; and it will rise up wholly like the River, and will sink again, like the River of Egypt.
Here the word illustrates God’s power over creation, showing that even the earth itself cannot stand against His touch.
-
Amos 8:8
Won’t the land tremble for this, and everyone mourn who dwells in it? Yes, it will rise up wholly like the River; and it will be stirred up and sink again, like the River of Egypt.
The imagery of sinking like a river highlights the sudden and overwhelming nature of judgment upon the land.