Shalach means to send, send away, stretch out, or let go. It appears about 850 times. It covers sending messengers, releasing captives, extending a hand, and dispatching forces.
God sends messengers, prophets, and ultimately His Son. 'Whom shall I send?' (Isaiah 6:8) and 'As the Father has sent me, I am sending you' (John 20:21) frame mission theology. God also 'sent' Israel into exile and 'sent' redemption. The verb captures divine initiative and agency.