Lexical Summary
sheqer: Falsehood, lie, deception, deceit
Original Word:שֶׁקֶר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:sheqer
Pronunciation:SHEH-ker
Phonetic Spelling:(sheh'-ker)
KJV: without a cause, deceit(-ful), false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, + lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully
NASB:falsehood, falsely, false , lie, lying, lies, deceiving
Word Origin:[fromH8266 (שָׁקַר - deal falsely)]
1. an untruth
2. (by implication, often adverbial) a fraud or deceit (i.e. fraudulently, deceitfully)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
without a cause, deceitful, falsehood feignedly, liar, lie, lying, vain thing, wrongfully
Fromshaqar; an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial) -- without a cause, deceit(-ful), false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, + lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully.
see HEBREWshaqar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitiondeception, disappointment, falsehood
NASB Translationdeceit (2), deceitful (3), deceiving (4), deception (3), deceptive (3), false (17), false hope (1), falsehood (19), falsehoods (1), falsely (19), liar (1), lie (14), lies (5), lying (12), lying visions (1), perjury* (1), slander* (1), treacherously (1), useless (1), vain (1), wrongfully (3).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
113 ; —
Exodus 23:7 64t.;
Exodus 5:9 42t.; plural
Psalm 101:7 3t.; suffix
Jeremiah 23:22; —
deception, what deceives, disappoints, and betrays one : a molten imageJeremiah 10:14 =Jeremiah 51:17; giftProverbs 25:14; grace of personProverbs 31:30, etc.;Psalm 119:104;Psalm 119:128;Psalm 119:29;Jeremiah 13:25;Jeremiah 16:19, compare alsoPsalm 7:15;Psalm 33:17;Psalm 119:118;Isaiah 28:15;for disappointment, in vain1 Samuel 25:21;Jeremiah 3:23.
deceit, fraud, wrong :do or practise fraud, wrongHosea 7:1;Jeremiah 6:13;Jeremiah 8:8,10; with ,2 Samuel 18:13;Proverbs 11:18;Proverbs 20:17food got by fraud;Isaiah 57:4;Jeremiah 8:8;Psalm 7:15 ("" );Jeremiah 9:2;Jeremiah 3:10 ("" ), adverbfraudulently, wrongfullyPsalm 35:19;Psalm 38:20;Psalm 69:5;Psalm 119:78;Psalm 119:86.
falsehood, in testimony, especially in courts :Exodus 20:16 (E)Deuteronomy 19:18;Psalm 27:12;Proverbs 6:19;Proverbs 14:5;Proverbs 25:18;Proverbs 12:17;Proverbs 19:5,9;Deuteronomy 19:18testify falsehood; ZeDeuteronomy 8:17false oath;swear falselyJeremiah 5:2 5t.;Leviticus 5:22;Micah 6:12 + (see [ ], );Isaiah 32:7;Psalm 31:19;Psalm 120:2;Proverbs 10:18;Proverbs 17:7;Job 13:4;Psalm 119:69, comparePsalm 119:163; absolutefalse !2 Kings 9:12;Jeremiah 37:14.
falsity, of false or self-deceivedprophets:prophesy falselyJeremiah 14:14;Jeremiah 23:25,26;Jeremiah 29:21; + personJeremiah 27:10;Jeremiah 20:14,16;Jeremiah 20:15;Jeremiah 5:31;Jeremiah 20:6;Jeremiah 29:9;Isaiah 9:14;Habakkuk 2:18;Zechariah 10:2;Jeremiah 14:14, etc., (+ 12 t.); .
lie, falsehood, in General:Psalm 101:7 ("" );Proverbs 13:5; ofJob 36:4;false tongueProverbs 6:17;Proverbs 12:19;Proverbs 21:6;Proverbs 26:28;Psalm 109:2; of lipsProverbs 12:22;Proverbs 17:4liar.
Topical Lexicon
Prevalence in Scriptureשֶׁקֶר (sheqer) appears roughly 113 times across the Old Testament. It is rendered “lie,” “falsehood,” “deceit,” “fraud,” “false witness,” and related ideas. The distribution is widest in Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah, but the term also occurs in the Pentateuch and historical books, showing that every era of Israel’s history confronted the sin of lying.
Sheqer and the Character of God
Scripture contrasts sheqer with the immutable truthfulness of Yahweh. “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19). Because the LORD is “a God of truth” (Deuteronomy 32:4), falsehood is always a denial of His nature. The prophets repeatedly ground their denunciations of deception in God’s faithfulness (Isaiah 65:16;Zechariah 8:16–17; comparePsalm 31:5).
Sheqer in Human Relationships
At the personal level sheqer breaks trust and community. The Ninth Commandment—“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16)—protects covenant society from the chaos that untruth brings. Proverbs repeatedly affirms that “Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are His delight” (Proverbs 12:22; see also 6:16-19; 14:5, 25; 21:6). False words wound relationships (Psalm 109:2), create fear (Psalm 27:12), and ruin reputations (Psalm 119:69).
Sheqer and Judicial Integrity
Courtroom contexts feature sheqer prominently. False witnesses threaten justice, so Mosaic law demands that a proven perjurer receive the penalty he intended for the accused (Deuteronomy 19:16-21). Kings were to uphold truth (“He who rules in the fear of God,”2 Samuel 23:3) and condemn lying testimony (1 Kings 21:13-24 highlights the travesty when they did not).
False Prophecy and Religious Deception
More than a third of all occurrences relate to prophetic ministry. Jeremiah calls the assurances of unrepentant peace “the vision of his own mind, not of the mouth of the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:16). Ezekiel labels prophets who “whitewash” Israel’s sins as speaking sheqer (Ezekiel 13:9-10). Zechariah warns, “Do not love perjury, for all these are things that I hate” (Zechariah 8:17). The severity here is theological: to utter sheqer in Yahweh’s name is to misrepresent Him, leading His people into destruction (Jeremiah 28:15-17).
Idolatry Described as Sheqer
False gods are “a delusion, a work of mockery” (Jeremiah 10:14). Isaiah exposes idols as “teachers of lies” (Isaiah 44:20). The prophets purposely use sheqer for idolatry to show that worshiping any deity but Yahweh is fundamentally deceitful and empty.
National Apostasy and Covenant Breach
Hosea, Jeremiah, and Micah decry a national culture of sheqer—oaths sworn falsely, treaties violated, weights and measures misused (Hosea 4:1-2;Jeremiah 9:3-6;Micah 6:10-12). These systemic lies betray covenant loyalty (hesed) and invite judgment. Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, therefore, stand as historical demonstrations that social falsehood cannot coexist with divine blessing.
Consequences of Sheqer
Divine retribution ranges from personal disgrace (Proverbs 19:5, 9) to national exile (Jeremiah 27:10).Psalm 52:5 depicts God’s swift action: “Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin.” Zechariah links famine and plague to collective lying (Zechariah 8:10-11). Even when temporal judgment is delayed, sheqer stores up wrath for the Day of the LORD (Isaiah 28:15-17).
Calls to Truthfulness
Righteous alternatives include:
• Speaking truth in one’s heart (Psalm 15:2)
• Swearing truthfully (Jeremiah 4:2)
• Practicing honest scales (Leviticus 19:35-36)
• Rendering true judgments (Zechariah 8:16)
These commands create a theological ethic: truth is an act of worship and neighbor-love.
Christological Fulfillment and New Covenant Echoes
While sheqer is confined to the Hebrew canon, the New Testament amplifies its moral weight. Jesus identifies Satan as “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Paul exhorts believers to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully” (Ephesians 4:25), echoingZechariah 8:16. Revelation warns that “all liars” face the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). The incarnate Word embodies perfect truth (John 14:6), providing both model and means for sanctification “in the truth” (John 17:17).
Pastoral and Discipleship Applications
1. Personal Integrity: Regular self-examination withPsalm 139:23-24 guards against subtle deceit.
2. Corporate Holiness: Church discipline addresses false teaching and slander, reflecting Jeremiah’s zeal for purity.
3. Evangelism: Presenting the gospel demands honest proclamation, contrasting with idols of sheqer.
4. Social Witness: Advocacy for truthful commerce and justice mirrors Mosaic statutes, demonstrating the kingdom ethic.
Summary
Sheqer is more than a moral lapse; it is a theological affront to the God of truth, fracturing human relationships and inviting divine judgment. Scripture therefore exposes, condemns, and offers redemption from falsehood, calling God’s people to embody truth in every sphere of life through the grace revealed in Jesus Christ.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּשִׁקְרֵיהֶ֖ם בְּשֶׁ֖קֶר בְשֶׁ֔קֶר בַּשֶּׁ֙קֶר֙ בַּשָּֽׁקֶר׃ בַשֶּׁ֗קֶר בשקר בשקר׃ בשקריהם הַשֶּׁ֖קֶר הַשָּׁ֑קֶר השקר וָשֶׁ֣קֶר וּבַשֶּׁ֥קֶר ובשקר ושקר לַשֶּׁ֖קֶר לַשֶּׁ֛קֶר לַשֶּׁ֣קֶר לַשֶּׁ֨קֶר לַשֶּׁקֶר֒ לַשָּׁ֑קֶר לשקר קר קרים שְׁ֭קָרִים שְׁקָרִ֑ים שְׁקָרִ֣ים שֶּׁ֖קֶר שֶׁ֑קֶר שֶׁ֓קֶר ׀ שֶׁ֔קֶר שֶׁ֖קֶר שֶׁ֗קֶר שֶׁ֙קֶר֙ שֶׁ֚קֶר שֶׁ֛קֶר שֶׁ֜קֶר שֶׁ֝֗קֶר שֶׁ֣קֶר שֶׁ֥קֶר שֶׁ֭קֶר שָּֽׁקֶר׃ שָּׁ֑קֶר שָֽׁקֶר׃ שָׁ֑קֶר שָׁ֥קֶר שקר שקר׃ שקרים baš·šā·qer baš·še·qer ḇaš·še·qer bashShaker bashSheker baššāqer baššeqer ḇaššeqer bə·še·qer ḇə·še·qer bə·šiq·rê·hem bəšeqer ḇəšeqer beSheker beshikreiHem bəšiqrêhem haš·šā·qer haš·še·qer hashShaker hashSheker haššāqer haššeqer karim ker laš·šā·qer laš·še·qer lashShaker lashsheKer laššāqer laššeqer qā·rîm qārîm qer šā·qer šāqer šə·qā·rîm še·qer šəqārîm šeqer Shaker shekaRim Sheker ū·ḇaš·še·qer ūḇaššeqer uvashSheker vaSheker vashSheker veSheker wā·še·qer wāšeqer
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