מִשְׁפָּת
𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤕
mishpâth
H4942 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place or structure for confining or containing animals, particularly sheep or cattle; more specifically, an enclosure, stall, or fold for livestock. In all attested biblical occurrences, the word appears in the dual form, indicating a pair of such enclosures or a structure with two compartments.
Semantic Range
stall, enclosure, pen, sheepfold (always dual, referring to a pair); compartment for cattle or sheep; holding place for livestock
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שָׁפָה (shaphah), meaning 'to sweep, bare, scrape off, level'; the formation suggests a place made bare, cleared, or leveled, appropriate for enclosing animals. The connection from root to lexical meaning is through the preparation or demarcation of land for use as animal enclosures. The semantic development from 'to clear, level' to 'enclosure, stall' reflects the preparatory act required for constructing a sheepfold or cattle stall.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term מִשְׁפָּת occurs only in the dual form in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Habakkuk 3:17), referring to pairs of stalls or double enclosures. Its rarity suggests it may reflect a specialized or regional vocabulary for livestock management, distinct from more common terms like גְּדֵרָה (gederah, 'sheepfold, enclosure') or אֵבֻס (evus, 'manger, feeding trough'). In early Israelite society, the distinction between open pens and more permanent stalls may have been significant for classification. Standard translations as 'stall,' 'sheepfold,' or 'pen' may obscure the dual/plural aspect and the specialized nature of this term. When this term occurs in post-monarchic or poetic contexts, it often stands as a poetic parallel to agricultural plenty or as a signifier of rural, pastoral prosperity. There is no evidence of religious or ritual usage distinct from practical animal husbandry.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁפָה; a stall for cattle (only dual); burden, sheepfold.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שׁפה (š-p-h) — to sweep, clear, level, make bare
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3472 | יִשְׁפָּה | and Yishpah |
| H8192 | שָׁפָה | the stripped-bare one |
| H8195 | שְׁפוֹ | Bare-One |
| H8221 | שְׁפָם | from Shepham |
| H830 | אַשְׁפֹּת | the refuse-heap |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4942-01 |
הַֽ/מִּשְׁפְּתָֽיִם | hamishepetayim | HTd/Ncmda |
the sheepfolds | the twin livestock-enclosures | the twin livestock-enclosures | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4942-01 |
Genesis 49:14 | הַֽ/מִּשְׁפְּתָֽיִם | hamishepetayim | HTd/Ncmda |
the sheepfolds | the twin livestock-enclosures | the twin livestock-enclosures |
H4942-01 |
Judges 5:16 | הַֽ/מִּשְׁפְּתַ֔יִם | hamishepetayim | HTd/Ncmda |
the sheepfolds | the twin livestock-enclosures | the twin livestock-enclosures |