שָׁלַח

From the study of Isaiah 50:1

Range of meaning

In its basic form the verb means "to send". In the intensive form it means to send away, dismiss, or let go: release a slave (Deut 15:12), drive out, divorce a wife (Deut 22:19, 29; 24:1, 3, 4; Jer 3:1, 8; Mal 2:16). The passive form (Pual) means "to be sent away".

Against the English

BSB, WEB and YLT keep "sent away". KJV's "put away" was the ordinary English for divorce in 1611. A modern reader may not recognise it as a divorce term.

How it drifted

"Put away" in this sense dropped out of everyday English. Today it sounds like storing something or setting it aside.

Used elsewhere in the period

It is the standard divorce verb in Deuteronomy and Jeremiah 3. Malachi 2:16 uses the same verb. The Septuagint uses exapostellō here, the verb it uses for divorce in Deut 24.

From the study of Proverbs 31:20

Range of meaning

In the simple form: to send, or to stretch out (a hand). In the intensive (piel) form: to send off, release, let go, stretch out fully. Used with yād it means reaching out, either to take or to do something (Gen 3:22; 22:10) or, as here, toward someone.

Against the English

"Reaches out" (BSB, ESV), "reacheth forth" (KJV), "extends" (WEB, NIV), "stretches out" (NASB), "sent forth" (YLT). These are all faithful. YLT alone keeps the sense of "sending".

Used elsewhere in the period

The same form, šilləḥāh, appears in v. 19: "her hands she stretches to the distaff". In Prov 31 the verb ties the two verses together. In the wider Bible, "stretching out the hand" is often hostile (Gen 37:22; 1 Sam 24:6). Here it is the opposite: the hand goes out to help.

From the study of Amos 8:11

Range of meaning

Basic sense: send, stretch out, let go. In this rare causative stem it means to send in or let loose upon, used of judgments released on a land.

Against the English

'Send' is accurate. The supplied lemma gloss 'depart' reflects other stems of the verb and does not fit here.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same stem is used of God sending swarms (Exod 8:21 [Heb 8:17]) and wild beasts (Lev 26:22) as judgments. Compare 'I will send famine upon it' (Ezek 14:13, different stem).