Lexical Summary
shalak: To throw, cast, hurl, fling
Original Word: שָׁלַךְ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shalak
Pronunciation: shah-LAK
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-lak)
KJV: adventure, cast (away, down, forth, off, out), hurl, pluck, throw
NASB: cast, threw, throw, thrown, cast away, cast down, cast me away
Word Origin: [a primitive root]
1. to throw out, down or away (literally or figuratively)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
adventure, cast away, down, forth, off, out, hurl, pluck,
A primitive root; to throw out, down or away (literally or figuratively) -- adventure, cast (away, down, forth, off, out), hurl, pluck, throw.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto throw, fling, cast
NASB Translationbrings him down (1), cast (41), cast it away (1), cast me away (2), cast me off (1), cast them away (1), cast away (5), cast down (2), cast off (1), casts (1), dropped (1), fling (2), hurl (1), hurled (2), left (1), risked* (1), snatched (1), stretching (1), threw (29), threw her down (1), threw his down (1), threw them down (1), threw down (1), throw (13), throw it down (1), throw them away (1), throw away (1), thrown (8), thrown away (1), thrown down (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[]
125 112 (Phoenician in compare proper name, meaning dubious; Arabic
👁 Image is
travel (or
cause to travel)
along a road, cause to enter); —
Perfect3masculine singular
Amos 8:3 +; 2 masculine singular suffix consecutive
Jeremiah 51:63; 2feminine plural consecutive
Amos 4:3, etc.;
Imperfect Isaiah 2:20,
Judges 9:17 +, etc.;
Imperative masculine singular
Exodus 7:9;
Psalm 55:23, feminine singular
Jeremiah 7:29, etc.;
Infinitive absolute Jeremiah 22:19;
Jeremiah 36:23; construct
Ecclesiastes 3:5,6, etc.;
Participle Micah 2:5;
Psalm 147:17, etc.; —
usually human subject, throw, cast:
location 2 Kings 23:12; Ezekiel 5:4; Zechariah 5:8 (twice in verse) +, also (accusative of thing omitted) Exodus 15:25 (J), Numbers 19:6 (P) +; loc, Exodus 32:24 (E), Ezekiel 7:19 +; rarely location 2 Chronicles 30:14 and (accusative omitted) 2 Chronicles 24:10; location 2 Kings 23:6, locative Exodus 4:3 (twice in verse), Judges 8:25; 2 Kings 6:6 (accusative omitted), etc.; especially of casting dead bodies, location Joshua 8:29 (J), Joshua 10:27 (J), + 3 t., location Amos 8:3; 2 Kings 9:25,26. 2 Kings 13:21, Jeremiah 22:19; accusative of thing + person 1 Kings 19:19; 2 Samuel 20:22 (accusative omitted); accusative of thing with person Nahum 3:6; Judges 9:53; 2 Samuel 11:21 ( + ), etc.; accusative of thing + Exodus 32:19 (E), compare Deuteronomy 9:17 (); + of animal Exodus 22:30 (E), Isaiah 2:20, etc.
, of pit Genesis 37:22 (E), Jeremiah 38:6,9, of pit Genesis 37:20 (E), with locative Genesis 37:24 (E; pit), Exodus 1:22 (J), compare Amos 4:3 (si vera lectio); location Genesis 21:15 (E); accusative , figurative, with 1 Kings 14:9 (of apostasy), Ezekiel 23:35, so s law Nehemiah 9:26, words ( person reflexive) Psalm 50:17.
throw away, accusative of thing Judges 15:17 (), 2 Kings 7:15; Ezekiel 20:7,8; Psalm 2:3 ( reflexive), Ecclesiastes 3:5 (opposed to = ); accusative omitted Jeremiah 7:29; Joel 1:7 (of locusts); absolute Ecclesiastes 3:6 (opposed to ); accusative of transgression Ezekiel 18:31 (figurative; reflexive).
cast off, shed, blossom (like flower) Job 15:33.
cast down (late), subject goat, accusative ram, Daniel 8:7 () little horn, accusative Daniel 8:12 (id.); accusative of person (literal) 2 Chronicles 25:12 ( local), Job 18:7 his (own) counsel felleth him; so probably Jeremiah 9:18 they have overthrown our dwellings (Du reads Hoph`al).
figurative, Psalm 55:23 cast thy lot.
subject:
cast, accusative of thing, + person Joshua 10:11 (E), Job 27:22 (accusative of thing omitted); sandal upon Edom Psalm 60:10 = Psalm 108:10 (sign of possession); ice (no preposition) Psalm 147:17.
accusative of person + location 2 Kings 2:16 (subject ), Nehemiah 9:11; Jonah 2:4 ( + accusative of location); + Ezekiel 28:17 (figurative); location (of exile) Deuteronomy 29:27; especially of s rejecting men, accusative of person + 2 Kings 13:23; 2 Kings 24:20, compare 2 Kings 17:20; Jeremiah 7:15 (twice in verse); Jeremiah 52:3, also Psalm 51:13 and (without ) Psalm 71:9; casting sins (accusative) Isaiah 38:17, location Micah 7:19.
cast down, honour of Israel + accusative of location, local, Lamentations 2:1; accusative of person Psalm 102:11 (opposed to ).
Joshua 18:8,10 (RD) cast lots in behalf of; Micah 2:5 (see
, I. ); Isaiah 19:8 i.e. fishermen; Judges 9:17, see ; Job 29:17 out of his teeth I cast the prey.
Perfect3masculine singular Daniel 8:11; 2masculine singular Isaiah 14:19, etc.; Imperfect2feminine singular Ezekiel 16:5; 3masculine plural Isaiah 34:3; Participle 2 Samuel 20:21, etc.; —
be thrown, cast, accusative of head, person + of wall 2 Samuel 20:21; carcass, location 1 Kings 13:24,25,28; Jeremiah 14:16; Jeremiah 36:30.
be cast forth, out, absolute of dead Isaiah 34:3; of grave Isaiah 14:19; Ezekiel 16:5 (Jerusalem personified as infant); Jeremiah 22:28 (of exile).
be cast down, Ezekiel 19:12 (Israel, figurative of vine); absolute of sanctuary Daniel 8:11.
, be cast, of Psalm 22:11 (i.e. on his protection).
Topical Lexicon
Overview of Usage in Scripture The verb שָׁלַךְ occurs well over one hundred times across the Hebrew canon, describing the action of hurling, throwing, flinging, or casting something or someone from one place to another. Context determines whether the motion is literal (stones, wood, weapons, bodies), metaphorical (sins, burdens, idols), or judicial (nations, cities, kings). From Genesis through Zechariah, the word consistently portrays decisive removal—whether wrought by human hands or by the sovereign hand of God.
Physical Casting of Objects or Persons
1. Warfare and defense – Stones hurled from slings (for example, 2 Kings 3:25), or siege works and corpses flung over walls (2 Samuel 20:21–22).
2. Ritual action – Ashes and offal from sacrifices are “cast” outside the camp (Leviticus 1:16).
3. Everyday motion – Moses “threw” his staff (Exodus 4:3) and the tablets (Exodus 32:19); Elisha “cast” salt into Jericho’s spring (2 Kings 2:21).
4. Maritime scenes – Sailors “cast” cargo to lighten a ship (Jonah 1:5); Jonah himself is “cast” overboard (Jonah 1:15). The imagery becomes a literary bridge to New Testament shipwreck accounts.
Displays of Divine Power and Judgment
When God acts, שָׁלַךְ reveals His absolute authority:
• Exodus 15:4 – “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has thrown into the sea.”
• Lamentations 2:2 – The Lord “has hurled down the splendor of Israel.”
• Ezekiel 32:4 – Egypt’s monster-king is “cast” upon the open field, a public display of defeat.
• 2 Chronicles 25:12 – Edomite captives are “cast” from a cliff, underscoring covenant curses.
These uses stress that no adversary, however entrenched, can withstand the decisive throw of Yahweh.
Invitation to Cast Burdens on the LORD
The same verb that marks judgment also invites faith:
Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.”
Here שָׁלַךְ moves from battlefield to prayer closet, calling believers to fling every anxiety onto the One who both commands and carries.
Purging of Idolatry
A repeated prophetic summons employs שָׁלַךְ for the radical repudiation of idols.
Isaiah 30:22 – “You will toss them away like a menstrual cloth and call them ‘Filth!’”
Ezekiel 20:8 – The people “did not forsake the idols of Egypt” and therefore incurred judgment; they should have “cast” them away. The verb demands violent disengagement from false worship, an action as practical as discarding rubbish and as spiritual as repentance.
Prophetic and Poetic Imagery
1. Sins removed – Isaiah 38:17 extols God for having “cast all my sins behind Your back.”
2. Nations displaced – Psalm 78:55 recounts Canaanite dispossession: God “drove out [lit. ‘cast out’] nations before them.”
3. The Servant’s rejection – Isaiah 53 alludes indirectly, but Isaiah 14:19 bluntly pictures a tyrant “cast out of your grave.” Both foreshadow Christ, who was “despised and rejected,” yet whose resurrection reversed the casting-out motif.
Intertestamental and New Testament Echoes
Though the Hebrew verb itself does not appear in Greek Scripture, its theology echoes. 1 Peter 5:7 urges believers to “cast all your anxiety on Him,” echoing Psalm 55:22. Jesus speaks of casting salt, demons, and worthless servants (for example, Matthew 5:13; 25:30), demonstrating continuity between covenants in the call to decisive removal of evil and confident reliance on God.
Implications for Biblical Theology and Ministry
• Divine sovereignty – What God casts down stays down until He raises it.
• Human responsibility – Idols, sins, and anxieties must be actively thrown away; passivity is disobedience.
• Pastoral care – Encourage congregations to enact Psalm 55:22 in prayer, rehearsing God’s past “casting” of enemies as assurance that He can handle present cares.
• Missions and holiness – Just as Israel was to cast out Canaanite abominations, the church advances by disentangling from worldly idols, living out Titus 2:11–14.
Representative Occurrences
Exodus 15:4; 15:25; 32:19
Leviticus 1:16
Numbers 35:23
Joshua 10:11
1 Samuel 18:11; 31:4
2 Samuel 20:22
1 Kings 13:24; 14:9
2 Kings 2:21; 7:15; 10:25; 19:7
2 Chronicles 25:12
Nehemiah 13:15
Job 30:19
Psalm 50:17; 55:22; 102:10
Proverbs 22:8
Isaiah 30:22; 38:17
Jeremiah 7:29; 22:19
Lamentations 2:2
Ezekiel 20:8; 23:35; 32:4; 43:24
Jonah 1:4–16
Nahum 3:6
Zechariah 5:8
Concluding Observations
Shalak paints a vivid biblical tapestry: the Lord hurls proud nations into oblivion, while inviting humble believers to hurl every hindrance onto His faithful shoulders. Its narrative spans turbulent seas, battlefield walls, temple courts, and the quiet chambers of prayer. Each occurrence testifies that God decisively removes what obstructs His redemptive purpose and calls His people to do the same.
Forms and Transliterations
אַשְׁלִ֖יךְ אַשְׁלִ֣יךְ אַשְׁלִ֥יךְ אַשְׁלִ֨יךְ אשליך הִשְׁלִ֔יכוּ הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ הִשְׁלִ֣יךְ הִשְׁלִ֣יכָה הִשְׁלִ֤יךְ הִשְׁלִ֥יךְ הִשְׁלִ֥יכוּ הִשְׁלִ֨יךְ הִשְׁלִיכ֥וֹ הִשְׁלִיכָ֖ם הִשְׁלִיכָ֥ם הִשְׁלִכ֥וֹ הִשְׁלַ֖כְתָּ הִשְׁלַ֙כְתִּי֙ הִשְׁלַ֛כְתָּ הִשְׁלַ֧כְתָּ הִשְׁלַכְתִּ֗יךָ הַשְׁלִ֔יכוּ הַשְׁלִ֣יכוּ הַשְׁלִיכֵ֙הוּ֙ הַשְׁלִיכֵ֣הוּ הַשְׁלִכֵ֔הוּ הַשְׁלִכֵ֛הוּ הַשְׁלֵ֤ךְ הָשְׁלַ֣כְתִּי הָשְׁלַ֤כְתָּ הֻשְׁלָ֔כָה השליך השליכה השליכהו השליכו השליכם השלך השלכה השלכהו השלכו השלכת השלכתי השלכתיך וְֽהַשְׁלִ֔יכִי וְֽתַשְׁלִיכֵ֥הוּ וְהִשְׁלִ֔יךְ וְהִשְׁלִ֕יךְ וְהִשְׁלִ֤יכוּ וְהִשְׁלִ֥יךְ וְהִשְׁלִ֨יךְ וְהִשְׁלִ֨יכוּ וְהִשְׁלַכְתִּ֥י וְהִשְׁלַכְתֶּ֥נָה וְהִשְׁלַכְתָּ֤ וְהִשְׁלַכְתּ֖וֹ וְהַשְׁלֵ֔ךְ וְהַשְׁלֵ֕ךְ וְהַשְׁלֵ֥ךְ וְהֻ֨שְׁלְכ֔וּ וְהֻשְׁלַ֖ךְ וְיַשְׁלֵ֣ךְ וְיַשְׁלֵ֥ךְ וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה וְנַשְׁלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ וְתַשְׁלִ֛יךְ וְתַשְׁלֵ֤ךְ וַֽתֻּשְׁלְכִ֞י וַיַּ֨שְׁלִכֻ֔ם וַיַּשְׁלִ֖יכוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֗כוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֙יכוּ֙ וַיַּשְׁלִ֣יכוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֣כוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֤יכוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֤כוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֥יכוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֥כוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֨יכוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֨כוּ וַיַּשְׁלִיכ֛וּם וַיַּשְׁלִיכֵ֤הוּ וַיַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥הוּ וַיַּשְׁלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ וַיַּשְׁלִכֵ֛ם וַיַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ וַיַּשְׁלֵ֛ךְ וַיַּשְׁלֵ֤ךְ וַיַּשְׁלֵ֥ךְ וַיַּשְׁלֵ֨ךְ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ֙ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ֩ וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־ וַתַּשְׁלִ֥יכִי וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵ֤נִי וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵֽנִי׃ וַתַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ וַתַּשְׁלֵ֞ךְ וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ וָֽאַשְׁלִ֜יכָה וָֽאַשְׁלִךְ֙ וָֽאַשְׁלִכֵ֔ם וָאַשְׁלִ֥יךְ וָאַשְׁלִכֵ֣הוּ ואשליך ואשליכה ואשלך ואשלכהו ואשלכם והשליך והשליכו והשליכי והשלך והשלכו והשלכת והשלכתו והשלכתי והשלכתנה וישליכהו וישליכו וישליכום וישלך וישלך־ וישלכהו וישלכו וישלכם ונשליכה ונשלכהו ותשליך ותשליכהו ותשליכי ותשליכני ותשליכני׃ ותשלך ותשלכי יַשְׁלִ֗יכוּ יַשְׁלִ֣יךְ יַשְׁלִ֨יכוּ יֻשְׁלָ֔כוּ ישליך ישליכו ישלכו לְהַשְׁלִ֣יךְ לְהַשְׁלִֽיךְ׃ להשליך להשליך׃ מַשְׁלִ֣יךְ מַשְׁלִ֥יךְ מַשְׁלִיכֵ֥י מֻשְׁלֶ֔כֶת מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת מֻשְׁלָ֥ךְ מֻשְׁלָכִים֩ משליך משליכי משלך משלכים משלכת תַּ֭שְׁלִיכֵנִי תַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥נִי תַּשְׁלִיכֻ֔הוּ תַּשְׁלִכ֥וּן תשליכהו תשליכני תשלכון ’aš·lîḵ ’ašlîḵ ashLich hā·šə·laḵ·tā hā·šə·laḵ·tî haš·lêḵ haš·li·ḵê·hū haš·lî·ḵê·hū haš·lî·ḵū hāšəlaḵtā hāšəlaḵtî hasheLachta hasheLachti hashLech hashliChehu hashLichu hašlêḵ hašliḵêhū hašlîḵêhū hašlîḵū hiš·laḵ·tā hiš·laḵ·tî hiš·laḵ·tî·ḵā hiš·lî·ḵāh hiš·lî·ḵām hiš·li·ḵōw hiš·lî·ḵōw hiš·lî·ḵū hiš·lîḵ hishLachta hishLachti hishlachTicha hishLich hishLichah hishliCham hishliCho hishLichu hišlaḵtā hišlaḵtî hišlaḵtîḵā hišlîḵ hišlîḵāh hišlîḵām hišliḵōw hišlîḵōw hišlîḵū huš·lā·ḵāh hushLachah hušlāḵāh lə·haš·lîḵ lehashLich ləhašlîḵ maš·lî·ḵê maš·lîḵ mashLich mashliChei mašlîḵ mašlîḵê muš·lā·ḵîm muš·lāḵ muš·le·ḵeṯ mushLach mushlaChim mushLechet mušlāḵ mušlāḵîm mušleḵeṯ taš·lî·ḵê·nî taš·lî·ḵu·hū taš·li·ḵūn tashliCheni tashliChuhu tashliChun tašlîḵênî tašlîḵuhū tašliḵūn vaashliCh vaashLichah vaashliChehu vaashliChem vaiyashLech vaiyashliChehu vaiyashliChem vaiyashLichu vaiYashliChum vattashLech vattashliCheni vattashLichi vattushleChi vehashLech vehashLichi vehishlachTa vehishlachTenah vehishlachTi vehishlachTo vehishLich vehishLichu vehushLach veHushleChu venashLichah venashliChehu vetashLech vetashLich vetashliChehu veyashLech wā’ašliḵ wā’ašlîḵ wā’ašlîḵāh wā’ašliḵêhū wā’ašliḵêm wā·’aš·lî·ḵāh wā·’aš·li·ḵê·hū wā·’aš·li·ḵêm wā·’aš·liḵ wā·’aš·lîḵ wat·taš·lêḵ wat·taš·lî·ḵê·nî wat·taš·lî·ḵî wat·tuš·lə·ḵî wattašlêḵ wattašlîḵênî wattašlîḵî wattušləḵî way·yaš·lêḵ way·yaš·leḵ- way·yaš·li·ḵê·hū way·yaš·lî·ḵê·hū way·yaš·li·ḵêm way·yaš·li·ḵū way·yaš·lî·ḵū way·yaš·li·ḵum way·yaš·lî·ḵūm wayyašlêḵ wayyašleḵ- wayyašliḵêhū wayyašlîḵêhū wayyašliḵêm wayyašliḵū wayyašlîḵū wayyašliḵum wayyašlîḵūm wə·haš·lêḵ wə·haš·lî·ḵî wə·hiš·laḵ·tā wə·hiš·laḵ·te·nāh wə·hiš·laḵ·tî wə·hiš·laḵ·tōw wə·hiš·lî·ḵū wə·hiš·lîḵ wə·huš·laḵ wə·huš·lə·ḵū wə·naš·lî·ḵāh wə·naš·li·ḵê·hū wə·ṯaš·lêḵ wə·ṯaš·lî·ḵê·hū wə·ṯaš·lîḵ wə·yaš·lêḵ wəhašlêḵ wəhašlîḵî wəhišlaḵtā wəhišlaḵtenāh wəhišlaḵtî wəhišlaḵtōw wəhišlîḵ wəhišlîḵū wəhušlaḵ wəhušləḵū wənašlîḵāh wənašliḵêhū wəṯašlêḵ wəṯašlîḵ wəṯašlîḵêhū wəyašlêḵ yaš·lî·ḵū yaš·lîḵ yashLich yashLichu yašlîḵ yašlîḵū yuš·lā·ḵū yushLachu yušlāḵū
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