Original Word: שַׁחַל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: shachal
Pronunciation: shah-khal
Phonetic Spelling: (shakh'-al)
Definition: Lion
Meaning: a lion

fierce lion

From an unused root probably meaning to roar; a lion (from his characteristic roar) -- (fierce) lion.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a lion
NASB Translation
lion (7).

שַׁ֫חַל noun masculine lion (poetry); — absolute ׳שׁ Hosea 5:14 +, שָׁ֑חַל Job 4:10 +; — lion, simile of ׳י, toward Israel Hosea 5:14 ("" כְּפִיר), Hosea 13:7 ("" נָמֵר); of guilty men Job 4:10 ("" אַרְיֵה, כְּפִירִים); figurative of foes Psalm 91:13 ("" כְּפִיר) lion, as hunted Psalm 10:16 (in simile); literal Job 28:8; Proverbs 26:13.

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to roar.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G3023 (λέων, leon): The Greek equivalent for a lion, used in the New Testament to convey similar themes of strength and danger. For example, in 1 Peter 5:8, the devil is described as a "roaring lion" seeking someone to devour, paralleling the Hebrew usage of שַׁחַל to symbolize threats and adversaries.

Usage: The term שַׁחַל (shachal) is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a lion, often emphasizing its strength and ferocity. It appears in contexts that highlight the lion's predatory nature and its role as a symbol of power and danger.

Context: The Hebrew word שַׁחַל (shachal) is used in the Old Testament to describe a lion, particularly focusing on its attributes of strength and ferocity. This term is found in several passages, each illustrating different aspects of the lion's character and its symbolic significance in biblical literature.

• Job 4:10: "The lion may roar, and the fierce lion may growl, yet the teeth of the young lions are broken." This verse uses שַׁחַל to depict the power and eventual downfall of the wicked, symbolized by the breaking of the lion's teeth.

• Job 28:8: "The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed over it." Here, שַׁחַל is used to emphasize the inaccessibility and mystery of wisdom, which even the mighty lion cannot reach.

• Psalm 91:13: "You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent." In this passage, שַׁחַל represents threats and dangers that the faithful will overcome through divine protection.

The lion, as depicted by שַׁחַל, serves as a powerful metaphor for strength, danger, and the challenges that can be faced with faith and divine assistance. The imagery of the lion is consistent with its role in the ancient Near Eastern context, where it was both feared and revered.

כַּשַּׁ֣חַל כַשַּׁ֙חַל֙ כשחל שַׁ֣חַל שָֽׁחַל׃ שָׁ֑חַל שחל שחל׃ chashShachal kaš·ša·ḥal ḵaš·ša·ḥal kashShachal kaššaḥal ḵaššaḥal ša·ḥal šā·ḥal šaḥal šāḥal ShachalInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts