Lexical Summary
shaqah: To give drink, to water, to irrigate
Original Word:שָׁקָה
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:shaqah
Pronunciation:shah-KAH
Phonetic Spelling:(shaw-kaw')
KJV: cause to (give, give to, let, make to) drink, drown, moisten, water See H7937, H8354
NASB:drink, water, give, watered, gave him a drink, gave them drink, give drink
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to quaff, i.e. (causatively) to irrigate or furnish a potion to
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cause to give, give to, let, make to drink, drown, moisten, water
A primitive root; to quaff, i.e. (causatively) to irrigate or furnish a potion to -- cause to (give, give to, let, make to) drink, drown, moisten, water. Seeshakar,shathah.
see HEBREWshakar
see HEBREWshathah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitioncause to drink water, give to drink
NASB Translationdrink (23), drinks were served (1), gave him a drink (2), gave me to drink (1), gave the a drink (1), gave them drink (2), give (5), give him to drink (1), give me to drink (2), give them to drink (1), give drink (2), given (1), given to drink (1), given us to drink (1), giving him a drink (1), irrigate (1), made them to drink (1), moist (1), provided him to drink (1), water (12), watered (5), waters (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (Late Hebrew Hiph`il
id.; Arabic
I.
give to drink; Sabean
be irrigated Fell
ZMG liv (1900), 246,drinks Hom
Chr 124,
id. DHM
Hofmus., No. 1, l. 7; Ethiopic
water, irrigate; Assyrian
ša‡û I. = Hebrew Hiph`il, Aramaic ,
Aph`el); — for
see ; —Perfect3masculine singular consecutiveGenesis 2:6 +, suffixNumbers 5:27; 2masculine singular consecutiveNumbers 20:8 +; 1 singular consecutiveEzekiel 32:6, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularNumbers 5:26,Genesis 29:10 +, etc.;Imperative masculine singular suffixProverbs 25:21; feminine singular suffixGenesis 24:43 +;Infinitive constructGenesis 2:10 +, suffixGenesis 24:19;ParticiplePsalm 104:13, constructHabakkuk 2:15 (see also I., II. ); —
water, irrigate, ground: subject mistGenesis 2:6, riverGenesis 2:10 (both J), spring Joel 4:18; subjectIsaiah 27:3 (),Ezekiel 17:7 (), both in figure, figurative alsoEzekiel 32:6water land ; literal with of sourcePsalm 104:13 () and (subject man)Ecclesiastes 2:6 ().
water, give drink to, usually human subject, accusative of beast,Genesis 24:14,46 (twice in verse);Genesis 29:2 ( of source),Genesis 29:3;Genesis 29:7;Genesis 29:8;Genesis 29:10;Exodus 2:16,17,19 (all J),Psalm 104:11 (subject springs); accusative of personGenesis 21:19 (E),Genesis 24:18,19,45 (J),Habakkuk 2:15 (figurative),Isaiah 43:20 ( subject),Psalm 78:15 (id.), 2 Chronicles 28:15, with of vesselEsther 1:7; with accusative of person and animal.Numbers 20:8 (P);give one something todrink, accusative of person + of thing (water, wine, etc.),Amos 2:12;Genesis 19:32,33,34,35;Genesis 24:43 (all J),Judges 4:19;1 Samuel 30:11;2 Samuel 23:15 =1 Chronicles 11:15;Job 22:7, compareSongs 8:2 (); figurativeJeremiah 8:14;Jeremiah 9:14;Jeremiah 16:7;Jeremiah 23:15;Jeremiah 25:15;Psalm 69:22, comparePsalm 36:9, andPsalm 80:6; accusative of thing omitted, literalJudges 4:19;Exodus 32:20 (E), figurativeJeremiah 25:17. — See also I. infra.
Imperfect3masculine singularJob 21:24the marrow of his bones is watered, (refreshed, invigorated). —Amos 8:8 see . p. 1054.
Topical Lexicon
Range of Meaning and Core Ideaשָׁקָה depicts the act of causing someone or something to drink or be saturated with water, whether by hand, by irrigation channels, or by divine action from heaven or rock. Scripture employs the verb both literally and figuratively, portraying refreshment, blessing, judgment, and covenant faithfulness.
Provision for Creation
The first appearance (Genesis 2:6) locates the verb at the dawn of history: “springs welled up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground”. This sets the tone for later usage: God Himself replenishes the earth He formed. Psalms celebrates the same rhythm: “You visit the earth and water it abundantly” (Psalm 65:9) and “He waters the mountains from His chambers” (Psalm 104:13). Thus שָׁקָה underscores the Creator’s continual care over a dependent creation.
Agricultural Fertility and Land Theology
Israel’s agrarian life depended on rainfall rather than Nile-style irrigation.Deuteronomy 11:10 contrasts Egypt, “where you sowed your seed and irrigated it by hand,” with the land that “drinks rain from heaven” (verse 11, cf. 8:7). The verb highlights that covenant blessing is not humanly engineered but divinely bestowed. Prophets adopt the imagery for future abundance: “I will pour water on the thirsty land” (Isaiah 44:3; verb implied) and “The LORD will guide you continually… and you will be like a watered garden” (Isaiah 58:11).
Pastoral Responsibilities
In patriarchal narratives שָׁקָה appears in the daily routines of shepherds:Genesis 29:2–10, 30:38–43, and 37:24. Watering the flock signified competent leadership and anticipated the shepherd-king theme in later Scripture (compareEzekiel 34). Jacob’s well-side meeting with Rachel and Moses’ defense of Midianite shepherdesses (Exodus 2:16–17) set a precedent for Messiah, the ultimate Shepherd who offers “living water” (John 4), though expressed in Greek.
Hospitality and Covenant Kindness
Offering a traveler a drink embodied covenant loyalty. Abraham’s servant sought a bride for Isaac who would not only “give me a drink” but also “water your camels” (Genesis 24:14–20). Ruth was invited: “When you are thirsty, go to the jars and drink from what the men have drawn” (Ruth 2:9). Later wisdom codifies the ethic: “If your enemy is thirsty, give him water to drink” (Proverbs 25:21; cf.Romans 12:20).
Miraculous Supply and National Deliverance
Twice in the wilderness Moses “brought water out of the rock for the congregation and their livestock to drink” (Numbers 20:8–11; see alsoExodus 17:6 using a cognate). At Lehi Samson was revived when “God split the hollow place… and water came out” (Judges 15:19). These interventions elevated שָׁקָה from ordinary provision to redemptive sign, later interpreted Christologically (1 Corinthians 10:4).
Judgment and Testing
The same verb describes the ordeal of the suspected adulteress who was forced to drink bitter water (Numbers 5:24). Prophets threaten hostile nations with an intoxicating draught of wrath (Jeremiah 25:15;Habakkuk 2:15, using שָׁקָה in causative form). Thus the cup can bless or condemn depending on covenant stance.
Royal and Messianic Imagery
Kingship passages link drinking to victory and dominion. “He will drink from a brook by the way; therefore He will lift up His head” (Psalm 110:7). Balaam foresaw Israel’s future: “Water will flow from his buckets” (Numbers 24:7). Zechariah envisages end-time streams “living” from Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:8), carrying the idea towardRevelation 22:1.
Representative Occurrences
•Genesis 24:46; 29:10
•Exodus 2:17; 32:20
•Numbers 5:24; 20:8–11; 24:7
•Deuteronomy 11:10 – 11
•Judges 4:19; 15:19
•Ruth 2:9
•2 Samuel 23:15 (retold1 Chronicles 11:17)
•1 Kings 17:4; 18:33
•2 Kings 3:20; 19:24
•Job 21:24
• Psalms 65:9–10; 104:13; 110:7
•Proverbs 11:25; 25:21
•Isaiah 55:1 (conceptual); 58:11
•Jeremiah 31:25; 48:18
•Ezekiel 31:14–16; 32:14
•Hosea 13:5;Joel 3:18
•Zechariah 14:8
Theological and Ministry Implications
1. Dependence: Human labor is necessary, yet divine watering remains decisive (1 Corinthians 3:6–7).
2. Compassion: Meeting physical thirst prefigures meeting spiritual thirst; both belong to gospel witness (Matthew 10:42;John 7:37).
3. Warning: Refusing God’s refreshment leaves only the cup of wrath (Revelation 14:10).
4. Hope: The eschatological river of life guarantees final satisfaction for God’s people.
From Genesis to the Prophets, שָׁקָה pictures the God who quenches, the people who serve by sharing, and the sobering alternative of judgment. The verb therefore invites believers to trust the Lord’s provision, practice generous hospitality, and proclaim the living water found in His Son.
Forms and Transliterations
אַשְׁקְךָ֙ אַשְׁקֶ֑ה אַשְׁקֶ֑נָּה אשקה אשקך אשקנה הִ֝שְׁקִיתָ֗נוּ הִשְׁקָֽתָה׃ הַשְׁק֥וּ הַשְׁקִ֥ינִי הַשְׁקִֽינִי־ הַשְׁקִינִי־ הַשְׁקֵ֥הוּ השקהו השקו השקיני השקיני־ השקיתנו השקתה׃ וְהִשְׁק֖וּ וְהִשְׁקִ֖ינוּ וְהִשְׁקִ֥יתָ וְהִשְׁקִיתִ֖ים וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֤ה וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֥ וְהִשְׁקִתִ֖ים וְהִשְׁקֵיתִ֨י וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה וְהִשְׁקָ֣הּ וְהִשְׁקָה֙ וְהַשְׁקוֹת֙ וַ֝יַּ֗שְׁקְ וַ֝תַּשְׁקֵ֗מוֹ וַיַּ֕שְׁקְ וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ וַיַּשְׁק֜וּם וַיַּשְׁקֵ֣נוּ וַיַּשְׁקֻ֖הוּ וַתַּ֖שְׁקְ וַתַּשְׁק֥וּ וַתַּשְׁקֵ֖הוּ וַתַּשְׁקֵֽהוּ׃ וַתַּשְׁקֶ֜יןָ וַתַּשְׁקֶ֧יןָ וָֽאַשְׁקֶה֙ ואשקה והשקה והשקו והשקות והשקינו והשקית והשקיתה והשקיתי והשקיתים והשקתים וישק וישקהו וישקום וישקנו ותשק ותשקהו ותשקהו׃ ותשקו ותשקין ותשקמו יְשֻׁקֶּֽה׃ יַ֭שְׁקוּ יַשְׁק֖וּ יַשְׁק֤וּ יַשְׁק֥וּנִי יַשְׁקֵ֣נִי יַשְׁקֶ֥ה ישקה ישקה׃ ישקו ישקוני ישקני לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת לְהַשְׁק֣וֹת לְהַשְׁקֹת֑וֹ להשקות להשקתו מַשְׁקֵ֣ה מַשְׁקֶ֣ה משקה נַשְׁקֶ֧ה נַשְׁקֶ֨נּוּ נשקה נשקנו תַּשְׁקֶ֑ה תַשְׁקֵֽם׃ תשקה תשקם׃ ’aš·qə·ḵā ’aš·qeh ’aš·qen·nāh ’ašqeh ’ašqəḵā ’ašqennāh ashkeCha ashKeh ashKennah haš·qê·hū haš·qî·nî haš·qî·nî- haš·qū hashKehu hashkini hashKu hašqêhū hašqînî hašqînî- hašqū hiš·qā·ṯāh hiš·qî·ṯā·nū hishKatah hishkiTanu hišqāṯāh hišqîṯānū lə·haš·qō·ṯōw lə·haš·qō·wṯ lehashKot lehashkoTo ləhašqōṯōw ləhašqōwṯ maš·qeh maš·qêh mashKeh mašqeh mašqêh naš·qeh naš·qen·nū nashKeh nashKennu našqeh našqennū taš·qeh ṯaš·qêm tashKeh tashKem tašqeh ṯašqêm vaashKeh vaiYashk vaiyashKenu vaiyashKuhu vaiyashKum vatTashk vattashKehu vattashKeina vattashKemov vattashKu vehashkOt vehishKah vehishkeiTi vehishKinu vehishkiTa vehishkiTah vehishkiTim vehishKu wā’ašqeh wā·’aš·qeh wat·taš·qê·hū wat·taš·qê·mōw wat·taš·qe·nā wat·taš·qū wat·tašq wattašq wattašqêhū wattašqêmōw wattašqenā wattašqū way·yaš·qê·nū way·yaš·qu·hū way·yaš·qūm way·yašq wayyašq wayyašqênū wayyašquhū wayyašqūm wə·haš·qō·wṯ wə·hiš·qāh wə·hiš·qê·ṯî wə·hiš·qî·nū wə·hiš·qî·ṯā wə·hiš·qî·ṯāh wə·hiš·qi·ṯîm wə·hiš·qî·ṯîm wə·hiš·qū wəhašqōwṯ wəhišqāh wəhišqêṯî wəhišqînū wəhišqîṯā wəhišqîṯāh wəhišqiṯîm wəhišqîṯîm wəhišqū yaš·qê·nî yaš·qeh yaš·qū yaš·qū·nî yashKeh yashKeni yashKu yashKuni yašqeh yašqênî yašqū yašqūnî yə·šuq·qeh yeshukKeh yəšuqqeh
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