Lexical Summary
shakam: To rise early, to start early
Original Word:שָׁכַם
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:shakam
Pronunciation:shah-KAHM
Phonetic Spelling:(shaw-kam')
KJV: (arise, be up, get (oneself) up, rise up) early (betimes), morning
NASB:arose early, rose early, again, early, rise early, rose up early, arise early
Word Origin:[a primitive root, properly, to incline (the shoulder to a burden); but used only as denominative fromH7926 (שְׁכֶם - shoulder)]
1. (literally) to load up (on the back of man or beast)
2. to start early in the morning
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
arise, be up, get oneself up, rise up early betimes, morning
A primitive root; properly, to incline (the shoulder to a burden); but used only as denominative fromshkem; literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e. To start early in the morning -- (arise, be up, get (oneself) up, rise up) early (betimes), morning.
see HEBREWshkem
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto start or rise early
NASB Translationagain (9), arise early (2), arisen early (1), arose (1), arose to early (1), arose early (16), eager (1), early (6), got up early (1), morning (1), persistently (1), rise up early (1), rise early (6), rising up early (2), rising early (1), rose up early (3), rose early (12), soon (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (properly
load backs of beasts for day's journey); —
Perfect3masculine singular consecutive
2 Samuel 15:2;
Job 1:5, etc.;
Imperfect3masculine singular
Genesis 19:27 +, 2 masculine singular
Judges 9:33, etc.;
ImperativeExodus 8:16 +;
Infinitive absoluteJeremiah 7:25 +, -
Jeremiah 44:4;
Proverbs 27:14, erroneous
Jeremiah 25:3 (Ges
§ 53 K);
ParticipleHosea 6:4 +, etc., —
rise early, make an early start, of journey (Hexateuch only J E);
Judges 19:9 (+ ), compare Cant 7:13; + verb of going
Genesis 19:2 (J), standing
2 Samuel 15:2 (compare Dr), encamping
Judges 7:1, etc.; + infinitive
1 Samuel 15:12 (compare Dr),
1 Samuel 29:11;
2 Kings 6:15 (),
Psalm 127:3 (opposed to ); usually with
Genesis 19:27 (J; ),
1 Samuel 29:10 (twice in verse) + 27 t., + (hyperbole)
Isaiah 5:11 ("" ); with
Exodus 32:6 (E),
Judges 6:28 3t.; with
Joshua 6:15 (J),
1 Samuel 19:26;
Joshua 8:14 (J)
they made a quick and early start; and went out; Infinitive absolute (Ges
§ 113s) as adverb
1 Samuel 17:16at early morning and at evening; especially of , in Jeremiah: =
speaking early and oftenJeremiah 7:13;
Jeremiah 35:14 and (of Jeremiah)
Jeremiah 25:3, compare
Jeremiah 11:7;
Jeremiah 32:33; often =
sending early and oftenJeremiah 7:25;
Jeremiah 24:4;
Jeremiah 26:5;
Jeremiah 29:19;
Jeremiah 35:14;
Jeremiah 44:4, also 2Chronicles 36:15; so verb finite ,
Zephaniah 3:7 =
with eagerness they corrupted (Ges
§ 120g); participle
Hosea 6:4like the dew departing early,
Hosea 13:3 (Ges
ib.). —
1 Samuel 9:26 read , see
Topical Lexicon
OverviewStrong’s Hebrew 7925, shākam, describes the act of rising early, setting out at dawn, or repeatedly beginning a task at first light. Roughly sixty-five occurrences span the narrative, poetic, and prophetic books, painting a rich picture of human diligence and divine initiative.
Range of Meaning and Literary Nuances
1. Literal: deciding, on a given morning, to begin travel, work, worship, or confrontation at daybreak.
2. Iterative: “morning after morning” or “again and again,” stressing persistence.
3. Metaphorical: Yahweh’s relentless mercy, “rising early” to send His prophets.
Early Rising in Obedience and Faith
• Patriarchs. Abraham models prompt obedience: “So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey… and set out for the place God had designated” (Genesis 22:3; cf. 19:27; 21:14). Jacob’s Bethel pillar (Genesis 28:18) and Isaac’s covenant feast with Abimelech (Genesis 26:31) likewise begin at dawn, depicting decisive commitment.
• Covenant mediator. Moses repeatedly meets the LORD before sunrise (Exodus 8:20; 9:13; 24:4; 34:4), showing that holy encounter is priority, not afterthought.
• Conquest leadership. Joshua’s predawn movements (Joshua 3:1; 6:12; 7:16; 8:10) highlight strategic readiness grounded in trust.
• Judges and Kings. Gideon (Judges 7:1), Samuel (1 Samuel 15:12), David (2 Samuel 15:2), and Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:20) embody leaders who anticipate the LORD’s agenda before the nation stirs.
Early Rising for Worship
• Sacrificial devotion. Job “would rise early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for each of them” (Job 1:5). Morning familiarity with God anchors the blameless life (Psalm 5:3; 59:16).
• Congregational praise.Psalm 108:2 andPsalm 57:8 picture stringed instruments awakening the dawn, urging the believer to greet each day with worship rather than anxiety.
• Pilgrimage and festival preparation often commence before sunrise (Exodus 34:2;1 Samuel 1:19).
Early Rising in Warfare and Work
• Military urgency. Israel leaves Shittim (Joshua 3:1), Gideon positions his army (Judges 7:1), and Saul marches with David (1 Samuel 17:20) while shadows still hover. Strategic advantage often belongs to the one who acts first.
• Agricultural diligence.Proverbs 31:15 commends the virtuous woman who “rises while it is still night” to provide for her household, a timeless pattern for stewardship.
Early Rising in Folly and Sin
• Idolatry. “The next day the people arose early… and got up to indulge in revelry” (Exodus 32:6). The same eagerness that can serve worship can also serve apostasy.
• Drunkenness. “Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks” (Isaiah 5:11).
• Empty toil. “In vain you rise early and stay up late” without divine favor (Psalm 127:2). Scripture warns that zeal is not virtue unless yoked to righteousness.
Divine Initiative: The LORD ‘Rising Early’
Prophets repeatedly employ shākam for Yahweh Himself. Though often translated “again and again” in modern versions, the Hebrew idiom pictures the LORD as a householder up before dawn, urgently calling His children:
•Jeremiah 7:13; 25:3–4; 26:5; 29:19; 32:33; 35:14–15; 44:4
•2 Chronicles 36:15
The phrase underscores God’s patience and the seriousness of ignored warnings. He is never late in offering mercy; judgment only follows persistent refusal.
Theological Themes
1. Prompt obedience honors God’s timing; delay may betray unbelief.
2. Zeal can be God-glorifying or self-indulgent; motive distinguishes devotion from idolatry.
3. God’s “early” initiative reveals His covenant faithfulness. He seeks sinners before they seek Him, a pattern fulfilled ultimately in the incarnation and resurrection “very early on the first day of the week” (Mark 16:2).
4. Morning is emblematic of new mercies (Lamentations 3:23). The believer who meets God early aligns with this rhythm of grace.
Ministry Applications
• Personal discipline. Pastors and lay believers alike gain spiritual margin by reserving dawn hours for Scripture, prayer, and planning.
• Preaching urgency. Prophetic texts that picture Yahweh rising early encourage earnest proclamation and patient repetition of truth.
• Counseling balance.Psalm 127:2 guards against performance-driven ministry that confuses frantic activity with faithfulness.
• Leadership modeling. Teams emulate leaders who show up early not to impress men but to commune with God and serve others.
Representative References
Genesis 22:3;Exodus 34:4;Numbers 14:40;Joshua 6:12;Judges 7:1;1 Samuel 15:12;2 Samuel 15:2;2 Chronicles 29:20;Job 1:5;Psalm 127:2;Isaiah 5:11;Jeremiah 25:4. Together these passages trace the motif from patriarchs through prophets, from private devotion to national destiny.
Summary
Shākam portrays the break of day as a decisive moment laden with possibility. Whether in patriarchal obedience, Mosaic intercession, military strategy, or prophetic warning, the early rising impulse shouts urgency. Scripture challenges every generation to harness dawn for devotion, diligence, and declaration—and assures us that the covenant-keeping God has already been up, calling, providing, and persevering in grace.
Forms and Transliterations
אַשְׁכֵּ֥ים אשכים הִשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ הַשְׁכֵּ֑ים הַשְׁכֵּ֣ים הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם הַשְׁכֵּ֤ם הַשְׁכֵּ֥ים הַשְׁכֵּ֥ם השכים השכימו השכם וְהִשְׁכִּ֣ים וְהִשְׁכִּים֙ וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֖ם וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֣ם וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֤ם וְהַשְׁכֵּ֥ם וַ֠יַּשְׁכֵּם וַיַּשְׁכִּ֗מוּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֙ימוּ֙ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֙מוּ֙ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֜ימוּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֡ימוּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣מוּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֤מוּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֥ימוּ וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֤ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֧ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּם֙ וַיַּשְׁכֵּם֩ והשכים והשכם והשכמתם וישכימו וישכם וישכמו מַשְׁכִּ֣ים מַשְׁכִּ֥ים מַשְׁכִּ֪ימֵי מַשְׁכִּימֵ֥י משכים משכימי נַשְׁכִּ֙ימָה֙ נשכימה תַּשְׁכִּ֖ים תשכים ’aš·kêm ’aškêm ashKeim haš·kêm hashKeim hashKem haškêm hiš·kî·mū hishKimu hiškîmū maš·kî·mê maš·kîm mashKim mashKimei maškîm maškîmê naš·kî·māh nashKimah naškîmāh taš·kîm tashKim taškîm vaiyashKem vaiyashKimu vehashKem vehishkamTem vehishKim way·yaš·kêm way·yaš·ki·mū way·yaš·kî·mū wayyaškêm wayyaškimū wayyaškîmū wə·haš·kêm wə·hiš·kam·tem wə·hiš·kîm wəhaškêm wəhiškamtem wəhiškîm
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