The Hebrew verb shakam literally means 'to load the shoulder' or 'to set the shoulder to a burden,' but idiomatically it means to rise early in the morning. Occurring about 65 times in the OT, it is often used to describe urgent, earnest action — the action of someone who wakes before dawn to begin a critical task. In Jeremiah, God repeatedly sent His prophets 'rising up early' (shakam) to warn Israel.
God's persistent sending of prophets is described using shakam — 'Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them' (Jeremiah 7:25; 25:4; 35:15). This word reveals God's relentless, patient, urgent grace: He did not wait for Israel to come to Him but rose early — figuratively — to bring His word. For believers, shakam models the posture of earnest seeking: Abraham rose early (shakam) to meet God at Moriah (Genesis 22:3). The early riser who seeks God first is praised throughout Scripture.