Peshitta Constellations

Explore the New Testament from its Aramaic roots

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Read the New Testament in its original Aramaic with transliteration and translation. Click any underlined word to discover its triliteral root. Use the ⚙️ settings to choose your preferred translation language and script.

Read Luke 1:28 →

Every triliteral root connects Aramaic to its sister languages. Search a root and explore its Hebrew and Arabic cognates, then visualize the full Semitic family as an interactive graph. The Root Card shows the semantic field, a key verse, and sister roots — roots sharing 2 of 3 consonants (e.g., SH-L-M ↔ SH-L-KH).

Explore ܫܘܚ R-W-KH → | Visualize R-W-KH →

Select a verse and watch how all its roots form a constellation of interconnected meanings. From the reader, click the scatter_plot icon next to the verse number.

scatter_plot The Annunciation — Luke 1:28 →

Semitic languages don't define: they radiate. Every word grows from a triliteral root that opens a force field. Discover the method of Semitic exegesis behind this application.

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ܫܟܒ SH-KH-P — lie down, sleep

Semantic field: reclining, horizontal rest, prostration

What gets lost in translation: In Aramaic, ܫܟܒ (shkhab) is fundamentally a postural, bodily act: the body laying itself horizontal upon the ground, the bed, or the tomb. The root covers everything from simply reclining to rest, to … Explore this root →

שָׁכַב shakhavשִׁכְבָה shikh'vahשָׁכֵב shakhev شَكَبَ shakabaشَاكِب shāki'bشَكْب shak'b

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support, lean, ordain

Peshitta Occurrences

Form	Transliteration	Gloss	References
ܣܡܟܐ	smkʾ smk'	support, lean, ordain	Matthew 23:6 Mark 12:39 Luke 9:14 Luke 14:7 Luke 14:8 Luke 20:46 John 2:8 John 2:9 John 2:9
ܣܡܝܟܐ	smykʾ smyk'	support, lean, ordain	Matthew 14:6 Matthew 22:10 Matthew 22:11 Mark 6:26 John 12:2 John 13:28
ܣܡܟܝܢ	smkyn smkyn	support, lean, ordain[pl]	Mark 6:39 Mark 6:39 Mark 6:40 Mark 6:40
ܘܣܡܝܟܐ	wsmykʾ wsmyk'	support, lean, ordain	Matthew 14:9
ܒܣܡܟܐ	bsmkʾ bsmk'	in-support, lean, ordain	Luke 9:14
ܘܐܣܡܟܘ	wʾsmkw w'smkw	and-[impf]support, lean, ordain[3pl] Aphel	Luke 9:15
ܐܣܡܟܘ	ʾsmkw 'smkw	[impf]support, lean, ordain[3pl] Aphel	Luke 9:14

Hebrew Cognates

Word	Transliteration	Meaning
סָמַךְ	samakh	to support
סְמִיכָה	smichah	support, sustenance
סָמוּך	samukh	adjacent, contiguous
הִסְתַּמֵּךְ	histaméykh	to lean on, recline

Arabic Cognates

Word	Transliteration	Meaning
سَنَدَ	sanadá	to support, sustain
سَمِيك	samīk	thick, massive
اِسْتِنَادَ	istináad	support, prop