שֵׁשׁ (shesh)
shesh
six
H:NQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 185 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N
Word Overview
The Hebrew word shesh means simply "six." It functions as a basic cardinal number, appearing frequently in the Old Testament to count people, items, and days. The sources note it occurs over 180 times, with heavy usage in Numbers and Exodus where detailed records of tribes, offerings, and tabernacle parts are listed.
It also serves as an ordinal marker for "sixth," as seen when Joseph is thirty-nine years old in Genesis 41:46 or when the sixth day of creation is described. The lexicons explain its form as a primitive number, likely representing the fingers on one hand plus one additional digit beyond the five fingers of the other hand.
This concrete imagery grounds the word in physical reality. It does not carry abstract philosophical weight but provides the structural precision needed for Israel’s laws and histories. Translators render it directly as "six" or "sixth," preserving its straightforward numerical identity without adding metaphorical layers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word shesh simply means six. It appears often in the Old Testament to count people, days, or items. This straightforward number helps us understand the structure of Israel’s laws and history. For example, God commanded the people to work for six days and rest on the seventh (Exodus 20:9). This rhythm was not just a rule but a gift of time to honor God and care for others.
Seeing this number in Scripture reminds us that God cares about the details of our lives. Whether it is counting the years Noah lived or the days Moses spent on Sinai, these numbers ground our faith in reality. They show that God is precise and faithful in His timing. We can trust that He orders our days with purpose.
This simple word invites us to appreciate the order in creation. Just as God worked for six days before resting, we find peace in following a pattern of labor and rest. It encourages us to value each day as part of a larger plan. May you find comfort in knowing that your life is counted and held by Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 185 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- six86×
- and/ six53×
- six-16×
- [were] six7×
- and/ six-6×
- [the] six5×
- for/ [the] six4×
- [was] six3×
- six of2×
- for/ six2×
- about/ six2×
- to/ six1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שֵׁ֥שׁ30×
- שֵׁשׁ\־23×
- וְ/שֵׁ֥שׁ14×
- שִׁשָּׁ֥ה11×
- וְ/שֵׁשׁ\־10×
- שֵׁ֣שׁ9×
- שֵׁ֥שֶׁת6×
- שֵׁ֣שֶׁת6×
- שִׁשָּׁ֣ה5×
- וְ/שֵׁ֣שׁ5×
- וְ/שִׁשָּׁ֣ה4×
- שֵֽׁשׁ\־3×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 20:9
You shall labor six days, and do all your work,
This verse establishes the weekly rhythm of work and rest, showing how the number six frames human labor before the holy seventh day.
-
Genesis 7:6
Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth.
Here the number marks a significant age for Noah, anchoring the flood narrative in real historical time rather than myth.
-
Exodus 24:16
Yahweh’s glory settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. The seventh day he called to Moses out of the middle of the cloud.
The cloud covers Sinai for six days before God calls Moses, highlighting a period of waiting and preparation for divine encounter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word shesh mean?
Why is the number six important in the Bible?
Where does shesh appear most often?
Every Occurrence (185 verses across 21 books)
Genesis 8 verses
Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth.
Genesis 7:11In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the…
Genesis 8:13In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth.…
Genesis 16:16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Genesis 30:20Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons.”…
Genesis 31:41These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for…
Genesis 46:18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob, even sixteen souls.
Genesis 46:26All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct offspring, in addition to Jacob’s sons’ wives, all…