Lexical Summary
shakak: To run, rush, be eager, be excited
Original Word:שְׁכַךְ
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:shakak
Pronunciation:shah-KAHK
Phonetic Spelling:(shaw-kak')
KJV: appease, assuage, make to cease, pacify, set
NASB:subsided, lessen, lying in wait
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to weave (i.e. lay) a trap
2. (figuratively) (through the idea of secreting) to allay (passions
3. physically, abate a flood)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
appease, assuage, make to cease, pacify, set
A primitive root; to weave (i.e. Lay) a trap; figuratively, (through the idea of secreting) to allay (passions; physically, abate a flood) -- appease, assuage, make to cease, pacify, set.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto decrease, abate
NASB Translationlessen (1), lying in wait (1), subsided (3).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (Late Hebrew is
allaying of anger;
soothe, satisfy the
ear (so apparently Dalm), i.e. allow it to hear and understand, compare Levy
NHWB (and Arabic
be narrow have small ears, be deaf, Frä
90); — Arabic
see
humble oneself, Wahrm
humiliate); —
Imperfect3masculine pluralGenesis 8:1 the watersabated;Infinitive constructEsther 2:1 whenabated the king's wrath, soPerfect3feminine singularEsther 7:10. —Jeremiah 5:26 usuallylike the bending, crouching, of fowlers (this meaning for dubious; Dr Du strike out , then reads ).
Perfect1singular consecutiveNumbers 17:20I will allay from upon me the murmurings (accusative), etc.
Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and General SenseThe verb שְׁכַךְ (shakakh) expresses the idea of subsiding, abating, quieting, or pacifying. Whether applied to floodwaters, human anger, or community unrest, it conveys a movement from turbulence to calm.
Distribution in Scripture
1.Genesis 8:1—floodwaters that had covered the earth “subsided.”
2.Numbers 17:5—Israel’s murmurings against Moses are to “cease” when God vindicates Aaron’s rod.
3.Esther 2:1—King Ahasuerus’ anger “subsided” after Vashti’s dismissal.
4.Esther 7:10—his wrath again “subsided” after Haman’s execution.
5.Jeremiah 5:26—wicked men “lie in wait,” an image of danger temporarily concealed until opportunity arises.
God’s Sovereign Quelling of Chaos
InGenesis 8 the first biblical occurrence of shakakh follows the global judgment of the Flood. “and the waters receded from the earth continually… and the waters had abated” (Genesis 8:1-3). The verb highlights Yahweh’s sovereign authority: the same God who loosed the waters now pulls them back, signaling the re-creation of an ordered world. The passage becomes a template for later portrayals of God calming seas (Psalm 65:7;Mark 4:39).
Silencing Rebellion in the Wilderness
Numbers 17:5 uses shakakh in the promise, “I will rid Myself of this grumbling of the Israelites.” Here the cessation of complaint comes not through punishment but through a miraculous sign—the budding of Aaron’s staff. The word therefore points to divine self-vindication: God stills rebellion by publicly authenticating His chosen mediator. The principle extends to the New Testament where God definitively validates His ultimate High Priest by resurrection (Hebrews 5:5-10;Romans 1:4).
Pacifying Royal Wrath in the Persian Court
Esther twice employs shakakh to describe Ahasuerus’ anger. After Vashti’s refusal, “the anger of King Xerxes subsided” (Esther 2:1); later, after Haman’s execution, “the king’s fury subsided” (Esther 7:10). The pairing forms an inclusio that frames the book’s dramatic tension: royal wrath rises, then is pacified once justice is satisfied. Thematically, the narrative illustrates how the unseen hand of Providence works through political processes to protect God’s covenant people and restrain destructive passions.
Concealed Malice in a Corrupt Society
Jeremiah 5:26 shifts the nuance. Wicked men “lie in wait” (shakakh) like hunters setting traps. Here the verb’s quieting sense is sinister; malice is temporarily muffled, not eradicated. The prophet exposes hypocrisy: outward calm masks lethal intent. The passage warns that mere absence of open conflict does not equal righteousness; true peace requires transformed hearts.
Theological Trajectory
Across its occurrences shakakh portrays three movements:
• Judgment to mercy (Genesis).
• Rebellion to submission (Numbers).
• Wrath to justice (Esther).
Each anticipates the gospel climax where God’s wrath is pacified at the cross (Romans 3:25-26), humanity’s enmity is stilled (Ephesians 2:14-16), and creation itself awaits full relief from corruption (Romans 8:19-21).
Ministry Implications
1. Preaching: Shakakh offers rich imagery for sermons on divine deliverance, conflict resolution, and the peace found in Christ (John 14:27).
2. Pastoral care: In counseling situations involving anger or unrest, the term reminds believers that true pacification is God-initiated and rooted in righteousness, not repression.
3. Corporate worship: Liturgies that trace the move from confession to assurance echo the shakakh pattern—turmoil gives way to divine calm.
Conclusion
Shakakh threads through Scripture as a subtle witness to the Lord who can still storms, silence rebellion, pacify wrath, and expose hidden evil. Its every occurrence urges trust in the One whose voice alone can say, “Peace, be still,” and bring abiding quiet to creation and to the human heart.
Forms and Transliterations
וַהֲשִׁכֹּתִ֣י וַיָּשֹׁ֖כּוּ והשכתי וישכו כְּשַׁ֣ךְ כְּשֹׁ֕ךְ כשך שָׁכָֽכָה׃ שככה׃ kə·šaḵ kə·šōḵ kəšaḵ keShach keShoch kəšōḵ šā·ḵā·ḵāh šāḵāḵāh shaChachah vahashikkoTi vaiyaShokku wa·hă·šik·kō·ṯî wahăšikkōṯî way·yā·šōk·kū wayyāšōkkū
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