שׂוּךְ

# Analysis of Hebrew *Sukh* (שׂוּךְ) The Hebrew word *sukh* carries the literal meaning "to hedge," referring to the action of constructing or maintaining a barrier. Based on the available lexical data, this verb appears only twice in the biblical text, suggesting it was a specialized or less common term in biblical Hebrew. The word's primary sense involves creating a physical enclosure or protective boundary, most likely using thorny vegetation or similar materials typical of ancient Near Eastern agricultural practices. The rarity of *sukh*'s appearance in the biblical corpus—only two documented occurrences—indicates that while the concept it represents was understood, biblical authors more frequently employed alternative vocabulary to express similar ideas about barriers, fences, or protective boundaries. This limited usage makes it difficult to establish a broad semantic range, though the core meaning of "to hedge" remained consistent with the practical realities of ancient agricultural life, where hedging served both protective and boundary-marking functions.