Lexical Summary shaqaq: To run, rush, run to and fro, be eager, be restless Original Word: שָׁקַק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance have appetite, long, range, run to and fro A primitive root; to course (like a beast of prey); by implication, to seek greedily -- have appetite, justle one against another, long, range, run (to and fro). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to run, run about, rush NASB Translation quenched (1), rush (1), rush about (1), rush wildly (1), rushing (1), thirsty (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [שָׁקַק] verb run, run about, rush (apparently akin to √ I. שׁוק, whence שׁוֺק); — Qal Imperfect3masculine plural בָּעִיר יָשֹׁקּוּ Joel 2:9, of locusts ("" יְרֻצוּן; > Gr proposes יִסְּקוּfrom סלק); Participle שֹׁקֵק Isaiah 33:4, with ב of thing rush at, upon (like locusts); of roving, ranging bear Proverbs 28:15 (unless we read שָׁקוּל, Toy); figurative of נֶפֶשׁ longing for water Isaiah 29:8 ("" עָיֵם and, va, רֵקָה), Psalm 107:9 ("" רְעֵבָה). Hithpalpel Imperfect3masculine plural יִשְׁתַּקְשְׁקוּן Nahum 2:5, of chariots, they rush to and fro. Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Imagery The Hebrew root behind שָׁקַק paints two vivid pictures that at first seem far removed from each other: an intense thirst or craving, and an impetuous, pounding rush. Both ideas share the underlying sense of something pressing forward with urgency—whether a parched life yearning for refreshment or a force charging with unstoppable momentum. Occurrences and Immediate Contexts Psalm 107:9 portrays longing souls that God alone can satisfy. Proverbs 28:15 likens a wicked ruler to “a roaring lion or a charging bear,” emphasizing predatory speed and ferocity. Isaiah 29:8 compares invading nations to a dreamer who awakens still thirsty, underscoring the futility of their assault on Zion. Isaiah 33:4 describes locust-like plunderers who rush upon spoil. Joel 2:9 depicts a disciplined army that “storms the city, runs along the wall,” an image of relentless advance. Nahum 2:4 sketches chariots that “rush back and forth through the squares… dart about like lightning,” dramatizing Nineveh’s coming collapse. Themes of Desire and Satisfaction The psalmist cries, “For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things” (Psalm 107:9). Human desire—physical, emotional, spiritual—finds its only true satiation in the LORD’s covenant faithfulness. Isaiah extends the theme: nations may hunger for conquest, yet they will awaken unmet (Isaiah 29:8). Scripture thus contrasts the believer’s fulfilled longing with the enemy’s frustrated craving, reminding readers that every appetite detached from God remains unquenched. Portrayal of Overwhelming Force In Proverbs 28:15 the verb conveys raw, unbridled power. Joel and Nahum amplify the notion: troops swarm, chariots flash, streets tremble. Isaiah 33:4 joins the chorus with an image of loot gathered as locusts descend. Together these texts employ שָׁקַק to portray chaos so intense it seems to rush toward the reader. The same root that speaks of parched longing is also fitted to depict the thundering advance of judgment, highlighting the multilayered courage of biblical Hebrew. Prophetic Use in Announcing Judgment and Deliverance Joel and Nahum address different audiences yet share a common trajectory. Joel calls Judah to repent as the “army” approaches; Nahum promises Nineveh’s downfall under a similar torrent. Isaiah 29 and 33 locate the scene in Zion, where hostile hordes will thirst in vain while the LORD vindicates His people. The rushing onslaught therefore serves prophetic purposes: it warns the rebellious, consoles the faithful, and upholds divine justice. Practical Ministry Implications 1. Preaching: Shifting from thirst to torrent offers a two-edged sermon outline—only God relieves the former and restrains the latter. Christological Reflections Jesus stands in the temple and cries, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). He embodies the answer to the longing of Psalm 107:9. At the same time His return is depicted as sudden and overwhelming (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8), echoing the prophetic rush imagined by שָׁקַק. In Him the paradox resolves: the One who satisfies every thirst will also arrive with irresistible power to execute judgment and usher in righteousness. Application for the Church Today • Cultivate holy thirst: corporate worship and private devotion nourish souls before lesser cravings stampede the heart. Thus שָׁקַק invites today’s believer both to drink deeply of divine provision and to prepare soberly for the rushing culmination of God’s redemptive plan. Forms and Transliterations יִֽשְׁתַּקְשְׁק֖וּן יָשֹׁ֗קּוּ ישקו ישתקשקון שֹׁקֵקָ֑ה שׁוֹקֵ֑ק שׁוֹקֵ֥ק שׁוֹקֵקָ֑ה שוקק שוקקה שקקה shoKek shokeKah šō·qê·qāh šō·w·qê·qāh šō·w·qêq šōqêqāh šōwqêq šōwqêqāh yā·šōq·qū yaShokku yāšōqqū yiš·taq·šə·qūn yishtaksheKun yištaqšəqūnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 107:9 HEB: הִ֭שְׂבִּיעַ נֶ֣פֶשׁ שֹׁקֵקָ֑ה וְנֶ֥פֶשׁ רְ֝עֵבָה NAS: For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, KJV: For he satisfieth the longing soul, INT: has satisfied soul the thirsty soul and the hungry Proverbs 28:15 Isaiah 29:8 Isaiah 33:4 Joel 2:9 Nahum 2:4 6 Occurrences |
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