שֹׁר (shor)
shor
umbilical cord
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun shor refers specifically to the umbilical cord or navel-string that connects a fetus to the placenta during pregnancy. It is a rare word in the Bible, appearing only once in the entire Old Testament, which gives its single occurrence significant weight.
This unique instance is found in Proverbs 7:3, where wisdom is described as being kept like a seal on one’s heart and tied around the neck. The imagery suggests that wisdom should be as vital and inseparable from life itself as the cord that sustains an unborn child. By using such a concrete biological image, the text emphasizes that wisdom is not merely intellectual knowledge but a fundamental part of one’s existence.
Because the word appears only here, its meaning is clear without the need for comparison to other terms. The focus remains on the profound connection between life and wisdom, portraying the latter as essential for survival and well-being from the very beginning of human development.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for umbilical cord appears just once in Scripture, tucked inside a vivid instruction about keeping wisdom close. In Proverbs 7:3, we are told to bind wisdom around our necks as if it were the lifeline of an unborn child. This striking image reminds us that true understanding is not a detached academic exercise. It is something vital, sustaining, and deeply woven into the fabric of who we are.
When we treat wisdom as essential as breath or blood, our daily choices begin to shift. We stop viewing moral insight as an optional extra and start seeing it as necessary for survival. This perspective invites us to hold God’s guidance with a tender, protective grip, recognizing that spiritual health flows from this intimate connection.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ navel/ your1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לְ/שָׁרֶּ֑/ךָ1×