Lexical Summary sok: Booth, Shelter, Thicket Original Word: סֹךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance den, pavilion, tabernacleFrom cakak; a hut (as of entwined boughs); also a lair -- covert, den, pavilion, tabernacle. see HEBREW cakak NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sakak Definition a thicket, covert, lair NASB Translation hiding place (1), lair (1), tabernacle (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [סֹךְ] noun [masculine] thicket, covert, lair; — only suffix סֻכּוֺ Jeremiah 25:38 lair of ׳י, under figure of lion (but Gie סֻבְּכוֺ compare Jeremiah 4:7), סֻכֹּה Psalm 10:9 of lion (simile of wicked; Bae סֻכָּה; Lag Che We סֻבְּכוֺ); סוּכּוֺ Psalm 76:3 his covert (of ׳י under figure of lion; "" מְעוֺנָתוֺ); for סֻכֹּה in his covert Psalm 27:5 Qr read perhaps, with Kt סֻכָּה a booth (Ol Hup-Now Bae compare Psalm 31:21). Topical Lexicon Overview The noun סֹךְ (sōḵ, Strong’s 5520) pictures an enclosed, protected space. Scripture employs the term in two contrasting ways: the hidden lair of a predatory lion and the secure shelter of the covenant God. The word therefore serves both as a warning against wickedness and as an encouragement to seek refuge in the Lord. Occurrences and Literary Context 1. Psalm 10:9 ― The wicked is likened to “a lion in his den”, crouching to ambush the helpless. These four texts form a balanced testimony: human evil hides to destroy, whereas God hides to protect; when God forsakes His shelter, judgment falls. Imagery of the Lion’s Lair Ancient Israel knew the menace of Asiatic lions that roamed the Jordan thickets and Judean wilderness. A lion’s סֹךְ was a place of stealth and menace, invisible to unsuspecting prey. Psalm 10:9 brands the lawless man with this image, exposing sin’s predatory nature. Jeremiah 25:38 reverses the picture: the Lion of Judah leaves His lair, removing protective presence and unleashing discipline. In both passages סֹךְ underscores the seriousness of unchecked evil. Imagery of Divine Shelter Psalms 27 and 76 move the word from menace to mercy. David’s confidence is not abstract; he pictures an actual enclosure in which the believer is hidden. The tabernacle‐language of Psalm 27:5 evokes the wilderness tent where God’s glory dwelt, while Psalm 76:2 localizes that glory in “Salem…Zion,” the future Temple site. Together they teach that true safety lies in proximity to the divine presence, not in walls or weapons. Historical Background The Psalms belong to the monarchy era when Jerusalem became the spiritual center. The movement of God’s “shelter” from nomadic tent to fixed sanctuary charts redemptive history. Jeremiah prophesied on the eve of exile; his declaration that God has left His den anticipates the Babylonian destruction of the Temple. Thus the same noun bookmarks Israel’s rise under David and its fall under the later kings. Theological Significance 1. Covenant Assurance ― Psalm 27 links God’s shelter to the covenant promise “I will be with you” (compare Exodus 33:14). Ministry Application • Pastoral Care: Offer persecuted saints the assurance of Psalm 27:5; the church is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). Intertextual Resonances Though סֹךְ itself is limited to four texts, its themes echo widely: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1); “The name of the LORD is a strong tower” (Proverbs 18:10); “You have been a refuge for the poor” (Isaiah 25:4). The consistent biblical witness is that God alone provides ultimate safety, while the proud manipulate hiding places for violence. Summary סֹךְ compresses the account of salvation into one word of shelter: the den of the beast, the tabernacle of the Lord, the vacancy of judgment. It warns against predatory wickedness, invites trust under God’s wings, and anticipates the day when “the dwelling of God is with men.” Forms and Transliterations בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְסֻכֹּ֗ה בסכה סֻכּ֑וֹ סכו bə·suk·kōh ḇə·suk·kōh besukKoh bəsukkōh ḇəsukkōh suk·kōw sukKo sukkōw vesukKohLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 10:9 HEB: בַּמִּסְתָּ֨ר ׀ כְּאַרְיֵ֬ה בְסֻכֹּ֗ה יֶ֭אֱרֹב לַחֲט֣וֹף NAS: as a lion in his lair; He lurks KJV: as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait INT: A hiding A lion his lair lurks to catch Psalm 27:5 Psalm 76:2 Jeremiah 25:38 4 Occurrences |
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