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שְׁחַת

𐤔𐤇𐤕

shᵉchath

H7844 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שׁחת to corrupt, to ruin, to destroy, to decay

Definition

To spoil, ruin, corrupt, or cause decay—used with reference to moral corruption, destruction, or physical ruin. In Aramaic biblical contexts, שְׁחַת refers to the act of making something corrupt, ruined, or unfit, whether through physical decay, moral perversion, or social deterioration. The term is used in causative senses (to bring about corruption or ruin), and sometimes in passive-stative senses (to become corrupted or ruined).

Semantic Range

to spoil, to ruin, to corrupt morally, to decay, to cause to become ruined or unfit, to bring about destruction; refers to both physical and moral/spiritual decay in various Aramaic contexts

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root שׁחת (sh-ḥ-t), which primarily means 'to spoil, destroy, ruin, corrupt.' In Hebrew usage, it is common in the qal and pi‘el binyanim (stems), and the Aramaic form in Biblical Aramaic retains a similar meaning, derived with sound shifts typical of Aramaic. The underlying sense of the root is to act corruptly or to cause destruction.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, the primary meaning of the Hebrew root שׁחת is 'to destroy, corrupt,' encompassing both physical destruction and moral/ethical corruption. The Aramaic usage—occurring in writings such as Daniel and Ezra—parallels this, maintaining the sense of causing ruin, decay, or corruption, whether of things, cities, or people. In contexts where the term appears, it most often refers to acts of significant harm or the deterioration of integrity, quality, or structure—whether literal (physical decay or destruction) or metaphorical (corruption of character or governance). English translations often render the term as 'corrupt,' 'ruin,' 'destroy,' or 'fault,' though the breadth of meaning includes both intentional (active causing of ruin) and unintentional (becoming ruined) senses. Care must be taken not to conflate the term with later connotations in English of legal or technical 'fault,' as the biblical use often relates to underlying physical, social, or moral breakdown. Contrast with related roots such as שׁמד (to exterminate) or אבד (to be lost, perish), where שַׁחַת expresses a broader continuum from decay to total destruction rather than complete loss or being cut off.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁחַת; {to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively)}; corrupt, fault.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שׁחת (sh-ḥ-t) — to corrupt, to ruin, to destroy, to decay

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4889 מַשְׁחִית the destroyer
H4893 מִשְׁחָת their corruption
H7843 שָׁחַת I will ruin them

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7844-01 וּ/שְׁחִיתָה֙ ushechitah AC/VQsfsa and corrupt and ruined one 3

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7844-01 Daniel 2:9 וּ/שְׁחִיתָה֙ ushechitah AC/VQsfsa and corrupt and ruined one
H7844-01 Daniel 6:5 וּ/שְׁחִיתָ֜ה ushechitah AC/VQsfsa nor corruption and ruined one
H7844-01 Daniel 6:5 וּ/שְׁחִיתָ֔ה ushechitah-2 AC/VQsfsa nor fault and ruined one
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