Lexical Summary shakah: To forget, to neglect Original Word: שָׁכָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance roamA primitive root; to roam (through lust) -- in the morning (by mistake for shakam). see HEBREW shakam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition perhaps to roam NASB Translation lusty (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [שָׁכָה, so most] verb Hiph`il Participle as adjective in סוּסִים מוּזָנִים מַשְׁכִּים הָיוּ Jeremiah 5:8 usually, horses... roaming at large they have become (compare Ethiopic  ); — but meaning lustful needed; Aq Theod ἔλκοντες, Jerome trahentes (that is, genitalia), i.e. משְׁכִים; read with Arnheim Du Dr מַאֲשָׁכִים, i.e. fed stallions (literally growing אֲשָׁכִים, Leviticus 21:20; compare מַקְרִין, מַפְרִים). Topical Lexicon OccurrenceStrong’s 7904 שָׁכָה appears once in Scripture, Jeremiah 5:8. The prophet likens Judah’s men to “well-fed lusty stallions, each neighing after his neighbor’s wife” (Jeremiah 5:8). The solitary use heightens its rhetorical force, spotlighting the shameless vigor of Judah’s sin. Literary Setting in Jeremiah Jeremiah 5 catalogs Judah’s covenant violations. After a futile search for a single righteous person (Jeremiah 5:1), the prophet exposes societal corruption—oppression (verse 27), deceit (verse 31), and flagrant sexual immorality (verse 8). The shocking horse metaphor interrupts any attempt to sanitize Judah’s conduct. The men’s appetite is not merely physical but spiritual, for their adultery mirrors their idolatry: Israel “played the whore with many lovers” (Jeremiah 3:1). שָׁכָה therefore serves as a verbal spotlight on covenant faithlessness. Imagery of Unrestrained Passion Horses in biblical literature often symbolize strength and speed (Job 39:19-25; Zechariah 10:3) but can also portray unbridled frenzy (Isaiah 30:16). Jeremiah leverages both nuances. The “well-fed” condition evokes complacent prosperity; the “lusty” impulse underscores ungoverned desire. This dual picture encapsulates Judah’s spiritual situation: materially comfortable yet morally famished (Deuteronomy 32:15). Theological Emphasis 1. Covenant Ethics. Adultery violates the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14) and, metaphorically, the first (Exodus 20:3). By describing literal adultery, Jeremiah condemns spiritual adultery—idolatry. שָׁכָה thus becomes a theological shorthand for breaking faith with Yahweh. 2. Divine Justice. The licentiousness denoted by שָׁכָה prepares the way for the announced judgment: “Your sins have deprived you of good” (Jeremiah 5:25). God’s retributive action is never arbitrary; moral cause produces historical effect (Galatians 6:7-8). 3. Prophetic Compassion. While blistering in tone, the passage is an invitation to repentance: “Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness” (Jeremiah 3:22). The vividness of שָׁכָה is intended to awaken conscience. Intertextual Echoes • Proverbs 5:15-23 warns against the adulteress whose allure leads to death, paralleling Jeremiah’s warning that unrestrained impulse brings national ruin. • Hosea 4:11-14 links sexual immorality to loss of understanding. Both prophets trace sensual sin to spiritual ignorance. • 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 calls believers to possess their bodies “in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion,” a New Covenant echo of Jeremiah’s indictment. Ministerial Application 1. Preaching. שָׁכָה underlines the pastoral necessity of naming sin specifically. Vague generalities rarely pierce the heart; concrete imagery does. 2. Counseling. The text exposes how prosperity (the “well-fed” condition) can mask spiritual erosion. Counsel must address both external comfort and internal cravings. 3. Discipleship. Jeremiah’s metaphor urges formation of disciplined desires. Spiritual practices—prayer, fasting, accountability—bridle the “stallion” within (Romans 13:14). Contemporary Relevance Modern culture normalizes what Jeremiah condemns. Digital access amplifies lust, making the prophetic warning timeless. Faith communities must cultivate environments where holiness is prized and sexual integrity is expected. Hope Beyond Judgment Though שָׁכָה signals extreme depravity, Jeremiah ultimately looks to the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34), where God writes His law on human hearts. In Christ, believers receive both pardon for past indulgence and power for present purity (Titus 2:11-14). The lone occurrence of שָׁכָה, therefore, functions as a theological beacon: exposing sin, calling to repentance, and pointing toward the gracious transformation that God alone provides. Forms and Transliterations מַשְׁכִּ֣ים משכים maš·kîm mashKim maškîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 5:8 HEB: סוּסִ֥ים מְיֻזָּנִ֖ים מַשְׁכִּ֣ים הָי֑וּ אִ֛ישׁ NAS: They were well-fed lusty horses, KJV: horses in the morning: every one INT: horses were well-fed lusty become Each 1 Occurrence |
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