שְׁכָבָה
she.kha.vah
semen
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word שְׁכָבָה (she.kha.vah) is defined as semen. It occurs nine times in the Bible, which suggests that this concept is mentioned as a significant or unique aspect of human reproduction or biology. The use of this word is limited, and it appears primarily in contexts related to the creation story in Genesis (Genesis 2:22-23, 4:1, 19:36, 30:2, 35:11, 46:25). This may imply that the concept of semen and its role in human reproduction was an essential understanding of humanity's origin and purpose. Additionally, some instances of the word may also be associated with the idea of family or lineage, such as in the case of the children of Jacob and Esau. The emphasis on semen as a fundamental aspect of humanity in the creation story sheds light on the biblical worldview's focus on human biology, family, and reproduction.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
9 total occurrences across the text
In the evening, quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp.
Exodus 16:14When the dew that lay had gone, behold, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground.
Leviticus 15:16“ ‘If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall bathe all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the evening.
Leviticus 15:17Every garment and every skin which the semen is on shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening.
Leviticus 15:18If a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the evening.
Leviticus 15:32This is the law of him who has a discharge, and of him who has an emission of semen, so that he is unclean by it;
Leviticus 19:20“ ‘If a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave girl, pledged to be married to another man, and not ransomed or given her freedom; they shall be punished. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
Leviticus 22:4“ ‘Whoever of the offspring of Aaron is a leper or has a discharge shall not eat of the holy things until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man who has a seminal emission,
Numbers 5:13and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband and this is kept concealed, and she is defiled, there is no witness against her, and she isn’t taken in the act;