---
title: שִׂמְאֵל — take the left · The Tanakh dictionary
description: שִׂמְאֵל (8041), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 5 times: take the left. BDB 1906: vb. denom. take the left. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# שִׂמְאֵל

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«שִׂמְאֵל» in the Tanakh dictionary: **take the left** — 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:** 5 times · **Key:** 8041 · **BDB:** שִׂמְאֵל

### Glosses

go.to.the.left (2); I.will.go.to.the.left (1); using.left.hand (1)

### Meaning (OSHB)

take the left [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1513/8041/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

vb. denom. take the left [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1513/8041/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** vb. denom. take the left (always opp. הֵימִין):—Impf. cohort. אַשְׂמְאִ֫ילָה Gn 13:9; 2 mpl. תַּשְׂמְאִ֫ילוּ Is 30:21; Imv. fs. הַשְׂמִילִי (Ges§ 23 f Köi. 276) Ez 21:21, cf. Inf. cstr. הַשְׂמִיל 2 S 14:19; Pt. מַשְׂמִאלִים 1 Ch 12:2;— = go to the left Gn 13:9 (J), Ez 21:21. fig. turn (aside) to the left (from true way) 2 S 14:19; Is 30:21. use the left hand 1 Ch 12:2.

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 5 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (6 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 2 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (5 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «שִׂמְאֵל» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1513/8041/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Ezekiel 21:21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/EZK.21.21/)

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הִתְאַחֲדִ֥י הֵימִ֖נִי הָשִׂ֣ימִי הַשְׂמִ֑ילִי אָ֖נָה פָּנַ֥יִךְ מֻעָדֽוֹת׃

*Word for word:* be.sharp go.to.the.right cause.to.set go.to.the.left where? face \[is\].your set

*JPS 1917:* Go thee one way to the right, or direct thyself to the left; whither is thy face set?

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[1 Chronicles 12:2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/1CH.12.2/)

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נֹ֣שְׁקֵי קֶ֗שֶׁת מַיְמִינִ֤ים וּמַשְׂמִאלִים֙ בָּֽאֲבָנִ֔ים וּבַחִצִּ֖ים בַּקָּ֑שֶׁת מֵאֲחֵ֥י שָׁא֖וּל מִבִּנְיָמִֽן׃

*Word for word:* \[they.were\].equipped of.bow using.right.hand and using.left.hand with (the) stones and with (the) arrows with the bow some of.the.relatives of.Saul from Benjamin

*JPS 1917:* They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow; they were of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.

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