---
title: סָכַן — be of use · The Tanakh dictionary
description: סָכַן (lemma:סָכַן), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 4 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:** 4 times · **Key:** lemma:סָכַן · **BDB:** סָכַן

### Glosses

a.nurse (2); \[person\] (1); steward (1)

### Meaning (OSHB)

be of use [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/lemma_3a_5e1_5b8_5db_5b7_5df/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

vb. be of use service, benefit [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1505/lemma_3a_5e1_5b8_5db_5b7_5df/#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 differs, 3 of its verses cited, 0 words shared with the glosses (3 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech differs, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 0 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/lemma_3a_5e1_5b8_5db_5b7_5df/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Isaiah 40:20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/ISA.40.20/)

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הַֽמְסֻכָּ֣ן תְּרוּמָ֔ה עֵ֥ץ לֹֽא־יִרְקַ֖ב יִבְחָ֑ר חָרָ֤שׁ חָכָם֙ יְבַקֶּשׁ־ל֔וֹ לְהָכִ֥ין פֶּ֖סֶל לֹ֥א יִמּֽוֹט׃

*Word for word:* the.impoverished \[person\] a.contribution wood \[which\].not it.will.rot he.chooses a.craftsman skillful he.seeks for himself to prepare an.idol \[which\].not it.will.be.shaken

*JPS 1917:* A holm-oak is set apart, he chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning craftsman to set up an image, that shall not be moved.

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[Isaiah 22:15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/ISA.22.15/)

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כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה צְבָא֑וֹת לֶךְ־בֹּא֙ אֶל־הַסֹּכֵ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה עַל־שֶׁבְנָ֖א אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הַבָּֽיִת׃

*Word for word:* thus he.says Lord \[the\] Yahweh of.hosts come go to the steward (the) this to Shebna who \[is\].over the house

*JPS 1917:* Thus saith the Lord, the GOD of hosts: Go, get thee unto this steward, even unto Shebna, who is over the house:

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