7754. sowk

Lexical Summary

sowk: Thicket, Covering

Original Word: שׂוֹךְ
Part of Speech: Noun
Transliteration: sowk
Pronunciation: sōk
Phonetic Spelling: (soke)
KJV: bough
Word Origin: [from H7753 (שׂוּך - hedge)]

1. a branch (as interleaved)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

bough

Or (feminine) sowkah {so-kaw'}; from suwk; a branch (as interleaved) -- bough.

see HEBREW suwk

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[שׂוֺךְ] noun [masculine] branch or brushwood; — suffix 3 masculine singular שׂוֺכֹּה Judges 9:49 (Ges^{§ 91e}; but see GFM Bu).

[שׂוֺכָה] noun feminine id.; — construct שׂוֺכַת עֵצִים Judges 9:48 #NAME?שׂוֺכָה Judges 9:49 (so ᵐ5 Door for ᵑ0 שׂוֺכֹה).

Topical Lexicon

Textual Occurrences

שׂוֹךְ appears only in Judges 9:48 and Judges 9:49, both within the narrative of Abimelech’s assault on the stronghold of Shechem. The Berean Standard Bible records Abimelech’s command: “Hurry and do what you have seen me do!” (Judges 9:48), after he “cut a branch” (שׂוֹךְ) from the trees of Mount Zalmon and set fire to the tower where the people had taken refuge. The unique repetition in consecutive verses fixes the term’s meaning in a dramatic, violent scene of judgment.

Semantic Field and Imagery

שׂוֹךְ designates a sizable limb or bough cut for immediate, practical use—more substantial than mere twigs, yet light enough for a soldier to carry. The context links it to combustible material. The imagery of freshly cut branches turned into instruments of fire evokes themes of sudden calamity and the turning of natural provision into means of destruction.

Historical and Cultural Background

1. Warfare Tactics: In ancient Near Eastern siege warfare, brushwood and branches were common for setting fire to gates or towers. Abimelech’s strategy follows established military practice but is reported with uncommon detail, emphasizing his ruthless ingenuity.
2. Geography: Mount Zalmon, likely just south of Shechem, was wooded, providing immediate resources. The text’s realism underscores the historicity of Judges and roots the event in verifiable topography.
3. Social Dynamics: The men of Shechem once supported Abimelech; now their former ally wields nature itself against them. The word שׂוֹךְ therefore becomes a token of broken covenant and retributive justice.

Theological Themes

• Divine Retribution: Gideon refused kingship, yet Abimelech seized power through bloodshed. The burning of the tower with שׂוֹךְ-branches fulfills Jotham’s earlier curse (Judges 9:20), illustrating God’s sovereignty in judging unrighteous leadership.
• Misuse of Creation: Trees, symbols of life and blessing (Psalm 1:3), are here exploited for destruction, reflecting humanity’s capacity to twist God’s good gifts toward evil ends.
• Collective Responsibility: Each soldier “laid it on his shoulder” (Judges 9:48), highlighting individual complicity in corporate sin. The narrative warns against passive participation in wrongdoing.

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Leadership Accountability: Spiritual leaders must guard against Abimelech-like ambition and violence. Churches can study Judges 9 to cultivate humble, servant-hearted governance.
2. Stewardship of Creation: The passage reminds believers to honor, not exploit, the Creator’s provision. Ministries emphasizing environmental stewardship find a sobering counterexample in the misuse of שׂוֹךְ.
3. Corporate Discipleship: Just as each man carried his own branch, congregations bear shared responsibility for communal direction. Teaching on mutual accountability can prevent collective compromise.

Christological and Redemptive Foreshadowings

The branches raised for judgment at Shechem contrast with the Branch (Isaiah 11:1) who brings peace. Where Abimelech’s שׂוֹךְ consumes sinners, the Messiah turns a wooden cross—another instrument of death—into the means of salvation. The episode thus heightens appreciation for divine mercy that overcomes human violence.

See Also

Judges 9:6–57; Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; John 15:5

Forms and Transliterations

שׂוֹכַ֣ת שׂוֹכֹ֗ה שוכה שוכת śō·w·ḵaṯ śō·w·ḵōh soChat soChoh śōwḵaṯ śōwḵōh

Englishman's Concordance

Judges 9:48
HEB: בְּיָד֗וֹ וַיִּכְרֹת֙ שׂוֹכַ֣ת עֵצִ֔ים וַיִּ֨שָּׂאֶ֔הָ
NAS: and cut down a branch from the trees,
KJV: and cut down a bough from the trees,
INT: his hand and cut A branch the trees and lifted

Judges 9:49
HEB: הָעָ֜ם אִ֣ישׁ שׂוֹכֹ֗ה וַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ אַחֲרֵ֤י
NAS: one his branch and followed
KJV: every man his bough, and followed
INT: the people each his branch along after that

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 7754
2 Occurrences

śō·w·ḵaṯ — 1 Occ.
śō·w·ḵōh — 1 Occ.