שָׁפֵל (H8213) — Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁפֵל

𐤔𐤐𐤋

shâphêl

H8213 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שפל to be low, become low, make low, humble, depress, lower

Definition

To be low or become low, to lower, to humble, or to be humbled. The verb primarily denotes a physical or social lowering, both in literal (geographical, physical) and metaphorical (status, honor, pride) senses. It may describe the bringing down of a person's status, the reduction of pride or arrogance, or simply being in a low or humble state.

Semantic Range

to be low (physically or socially), to become low, to bring low (cause to be low), to humble, to humiliate, to debase or abase, to reduce in rank or status, to put down, to diminish pride or significance

Root / Etymology

Root שָׁפֵל derives from the triliteral root שׁ־פ־ל, which bears the basic idea of being low, humble, or brought down. The form שָׁפֵל is the Qal stem, functioning in both intransitive (to be low) and transitive (to make or cause to be low) senses.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שָׁפֵל frequently appears in both literal and figurative contexts. Literally, it may describe terrain or physical position (e.g., low places as opposed to high places). Figuratively, it refers to humility or the lowering of status, often by humbling the proud or exalted, sometimes by divine action. It contrasts with רוּם ('to be high, exalted'). During the monarchic and exilic periods, the verb is used both to describe the lowering of individuals (social status or inner spirit) and nations (political failure or subjugation). Unlike words related to עָנָה ('to be poor, afflicted'), which emphasize suffering, שָׁפֵל stresses the aspect of humbled status or position. Later translations frequently render שָׁפֵל as 'humble,' 'bring low,' or 'abase,' but the wider semantic field includes any form of lowering—physical, social, emotional, or moral. In post-exilic usage, the concept of humility gained additional religious resonance, though the root itself remains focused on status or position.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to depress or sink (expectation figuratively, to humiliate, intransitive or transitive); abase, bring (cast, put) down, debase, humble (self), be (bring, lay, make, put) low(-er).

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Root Family

שפל (š-p-l) — to be low, become low, make low, humble, lower

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H8216	שֶׁפֶל	in the lowland
H8217	שָׁפָל	in being low
H8218	שִׁפְלָה	and in the lowland
H8219	שְׁפֵלָה	in the lowland region
H8220	שִׁפְלוּת	and in lowliness of

Word Forms

24 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H8213-08`	מַשְׁפִּ֖יל	mashepil	`HVhrmsa`	brings down	one who lowers	2
`H8213-11`	תַּשְׁפִּֽיל	tashepil	`HVhi2ms`	you will humble	you will bring low	2
`H8213-20`	וְ/שָׁפֵֽל	veshafel	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and brought low	and he became low	2
`H8213-16`	וַ/יִּשְׁפַּל	vayishepal	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and humbles himself	and he became low	2
`H8213-24`	יִשְׁפָּֽלוּ	yishepalu	`HVqi3mp`	shall be made low	they will become low	2
`H8213-12`	תַּשְׁפִּילֶ֑/נּוּ	tashepilenu	`HVhi3fs/Sp3ms`	will bring low	she will bring him low	1
`H8213-14`	תִּשְׁפַּֽלְנָה	tishepalenah	`HVqi3fp`	shall be humbled	they will become low	1
`H8213-21`	יַ֝שְׁפִּ֗יל	yashepil	`HVhi3ms`	he-lowers	he causes to be low	1
`H8213-18`	וְ/הִשְׁפִּיל֙	vehishepil	`HC/Vhq3ms`	and he will bring low	and he made low	1
`H8213-05`	הִשְׁפַּ֣לְתִּי	hishepaleti	`HVhp1cs`	I-have-brought-down	I brought low	1
`H8213-13`	תִּשְׁפַּ֥ל	tishepal	`HVqi3fs`	it-will-be-humbled	she will become low	1
`H8213-01`	אַשְׁפִּֽיל	ashepil	`HVhi1cs`	I-will-humble	I will bring low	1
`H8213-19`	וְ/שָׁפַלְתְּ֙	veshafalete	`HC/Vqq2fs`	you will be brought low	and you became low	1
`H8213-15`	וַ/תַּשְׁפִּ֖ילִי	vatashepili	`HC/Vhw2fs`	and you debased	and you made low	1
`H8213-02`	הַֽ/מַּשְׁפִּילִ֥י	hamashepili	`HTd/Vhrmsc`	who humbles himself	the one bringing low	1
`H8213-06`	הִשְׁפִּ֛יל	hishepil	`HVhp3ms`	he-laid-low	he made low	1
`H8213-23`	יַשְׁפִּילֶ֤/נָּה	yashepilenah	`HVhi3ms/Sp3fs`	he lays it low	he will bring her low	1
`H8213-17`	וְ/הַשְׁפִּילֵֽ/הוּ	vehashepilehu	`HC/Vhv2ms/Sp3ms`	and humble him	and bring him low	1
`H8213-03`	הַשְׁפִּֽיל	hashepil	`HVhc`	bring low	to make low	1
`H8213-09`	מֵֽ֭/הַשְׁפִּ֣ילְ/ךָ	mehashepilekha	`HR/Vhc/Sp2ms`	than that you be put lower	from lowering you	1
`H8213-04`	הַשְׁפִּ֣ילוּ	hashepilu	`HVhv2mp`	Humble yourselves	Bring low!	1
`H8213-10`	שָׁפֵ֔ל	shafel	`HVqp3ms`	will be humbled	he became low	1
`H8213-22`	יַשְׁפִּילָ/הּ֙	yashepilah	`HVhi3ms/Sp3fs`	he lays it low	he will bring her low	1
`H8213-07`	הִ֭שְׁפִּילוּ	hishepilu	`HVhp3cp`	they humble	they brought low	1

Occurrences in Scripture

29 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H8213-08`	1 Samuel 2:7	מַשְׁפִּ֖יל	mashepil	`HVhrmsa`	brings-low	one who lowers
`H8213-11`	2 Samuel 22:28	תַּשְׁפִּֽיל	tashepil	`HVhi2ms`	you will humble	you will bring low
`H8213-16`	Isaiah 2:9	וַ/יִּשְׁפַּל	vayishepal	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and humbles himself	and he became low
`H8213-10`	Isaiah 2:11	שָׁפֵ֔ל	shafel	`HVqp3ms`	will be humbled	he became low
`H8213-20`	Isaiah 2:12	וְ/שָׁפֵֽל	veshafel	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and brought low	and he became low
`H8213-20`	Isaiah 2:17	וְ/שָׁפֵ֖ל	veshafel	`HC/Vqq3ms`	and shall be brought low	and he became low
`H8213-16`	Isaiah 5:15	וַ/יִּשְׁפַּל	vayishepal	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and shall be humbled	and he became low
`H8213-14`	Isaiah 5:15	תִּשְׁפַּֽלְנָה	tishepalenah	`HVqi3fp`	shall be humbled	they will become low
`H8213-24`	Isaiah 10:33	יִשְׁפָּֽלוּ	yishepalu	`HVqi3mp`	will be brought low	they will become low
`H8213-01`	Isaiah 13:11	אַשְׁפִּֽיל	ashepil	`HVhi1cs`	I-will-humble	I will bring low
`H8213-18`	Isaiah 25:11	וְ/הִשְׁפִּיל֙	vehishepil	`HC/Vhq3ms`	and he will bring low	and he made low
`H8213-06`	Isaiah 25:12	הִשְׁפִּ֛יל	hishepil	`HVhp3ms`	he-laid-low	he made low
`H8213-23`	Isaiah 26:5	יַשְׁפִּילֶ֤/נָּה	yashepilenah	`HVhi3ms/Sp3fs`	he lays it low	he will bring her low
`H8213-22`	Isaiah 26:5	יַשְׁפִּילָ/הּ֙	yashepilah	`HVhi3ms/Sp3fs`	he lays it low	he will bring her low
`H8213-19`	Isaiah 29:4	וְ/שָׁפַלְתְּ֙	veshafalete	`HC/Vqq2fs`	you will be brought low	and you became low
`H8213-13`	Isaiah 32:19	תִּשְׁפַּ֥ל	tishepal	`HVqi3fs`	it-will-be-humbled	she will become low
`H8213-24`	Isaiah 40:4	יִשְׁפָּ֑לוּ	yishepalu	`HVqi3mp`	shall be made low	they will become low
`H8213-15`	Isaiah 57:9	וַ/תַּשְׁפִּ֖ילִי	vatashepili	`HC/Vhw2fs`	and you debased	and you made low
`H8213-04`	Jeremiah 13:18	הַשְׁפִּ֣ילוּ	hashepilu	`HVhv2mp`	Humble yourselves	Bring low!
`H8213-05`	Ezekiel 17:24	הִשְׁפַּ֣לְתִּי	hishepaleti	`HVhp1cs`	I-have-brought-down	I brought low
`H8213-03`	Ezekiel 21:31	הַשְׁפִּֽיל	hashepil	`HVhc`	bring low	to make low
`H8213-11`	Psalms 18:28	תַּשְׁפִּֽיל	tashepil	`HVhi2ms`	you will humble	you will bring low
`H8213-21`	Psalms 75:8	יַ֝שְׁפִּ֗יל	yashepil	`HVhi3ms`	he-lowers	he causes to be low
`H8213-02`	Psalms 113:6	הַֽ/מַּשְׁפִּילִ֥י	hamashepili	`HTd/Vhrmsc`	who humbles himself	the one bringing low
`H8213-08`	Psalms 147:6	מַשְׁפִּ֖יל	mashepil	`HVhrmsa`	brings down	one who lowers
`H8213-09`	Proverbs 25:7	מֵֽ֭/הַשְׁפִּ֣ילְ/ךָ	mehashepilekha	`HR/Vhc/Sp2ms`	than that you be put lower	from lowering you
`H8213-12`	Proverbs 29:23	תַּשְׁפִּילֶ֑/נּוּ	tashepilenu	`HVhi3fs/Sp3ms`	will bring low	she will bring him low
`H8213-07`	Job 22:29	הִ֭שְׁפִּילוּ	hishepilu	`HVhp3cp`	they humble	they brought low
`H8213-17`	Job 40:11	וְ/הַשְׁפִּילֵֽ/הוּ	vehashepilehu	`HC/Vhv2ms/Sp3ms`	and humble him	and bring him low

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