---
title: סָכַן — be of use · The Tanakh dictionary
description: סָכַן (5532), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 9 times: be of use. BDB 1906: vb. be of use service, benefit. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# סָכַן

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«סָכַן» in the Tanakh dictionary: **be of use** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 9 times · **Key:** 5532 · **BDB:** סָכַן

### Glosses

(have.the.habit)? (1); be.reconciled (1); have.I.had.the.habit (1)

### Meaning (OSHB)

be of use [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/5532/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

vb. be of use service, benefit [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/5532/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** vb. be of use or service, benefit (Tel Am. sakânu, care for (c. prep. ana) ZimZA vi. 248 WklTA Gloss.; Ph. סכן prefect Lzb329; cf. perhaps TelAm. zukini as loan-word Wkll.c.);— Impf. 3 ms. only Jb.: יִסְכֹּן 22:2, -וֹן 15:3, יִסְכָּן־ 22:2 + 2 times; Pt. סֹכֵן Is 22:15; f. סֹכֶ֫נֶת 1 K 1:2, 4;— be of use or service, only pt. וּתְהִי לוֹ ס׳ 1 K 1:2 and let her become servitress to him, so v 4 (+ וַתְּשָׁרֲתֵהוּ); סֹכֵן Is 22:15 = servitor, steward. benefit, profit, abs. Jb 15:3; c. לְ pers. 22:2; 35:3, עַל־ pers. 22:2; c. acc. 34:9 (or abs. gain benefit, גבר subj.). Pf. 1 s. הִסְכַּ֫נְתִּי Nu 22:20; 2 ms. הִסְכַּ֑נְתָּה ψ 139:3; Imv. הַסְכֶּן־נָא Jb 22:21; Inf. abs. הַסְכֵּן Nu 22:30;—be used, wont, strictly exhibit use, or habit, הַהַסְכֵּן הִסְכַּנְתִּי לַעֲשׂוֹת לְךָ כֹּה Nu 22:30 (J) have I ever shewn the habit of doing thus to thee? hence shew harmony with (עִם) one Jb 22:21, be familiar with, known intimately (subj. י׳) ψ 139:3 (c. acc. דְּרָכַי).

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 7 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (3 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (3 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «סָכַן» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/5532/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Job 22:2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/JOB.22.2/)

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הַלְאֵ֥ל יִסְכָּן־גָּ֑בֶר כִּֽי־יִסְכֹּ֖ן עָלֵ֣ימוֹ מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃

*Word for word:* ? to God will.he.be.of.use a.man (dm) will.he.be.of.use? on him a.wise.\[one\]

*JPS 1917:* Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?

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[Job 34:9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/JOB.34.9/)

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כִּֽי־אָ֭מַר לֹ֣א יִסְכָּן־גָּ֑בֶר בִּ֝רְצֹת֗וֹ עִם־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

*Word for word:* (dm) he.has.said not it.is.of.use.to a.man when he is.pleased with God

*JPS 1917:* For he hath said: 'It profiteth a man nothing that he should be in accord with God.'

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