שְׁפַל
𐤔𐤐𐤋
shᵉphal
H8214 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be brought low, to become or cause to become low in status, position, pride, or emotion; to humble, abase, or subdue. This verb expresses a lowering—either literal (physical lowering) or more commonly metaphorical, such as a reduction in status, authority, expectation, or morale. Often used for deliberate actions that result in humiliation, abasing oneself or others, but may also denote passive experience of being humbled or diminished.
Semantic Range
to be/bring low (literally or figuratively), to humble, abase, bring down, depress (of pride, position, or expectation), to subdue, to humiliate
Root / Etymology
Root: שׁפל (sh-p-l). The root שׁפל in Hebrew conveys the sense of being low, lowly, or abased. In Aramaic, this root retains the same core meaning and extends to the verb form as used in Biblical Aramaic. The verb שְׁפַל is the Peal (G) form in Aramaic, signifying a process of becoming or being made low, humble, or subjugated. The Hebrew counterpart is שָׁפַל, both deriving from the same Semitic root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible (notably in Daniel 4:34, 37), שְׁפַל occurs with reference to being humbled, often in a royal context—e.g., the experience of Nebuchadnezzar’s abasement. The word thus frequently denotes a reversal of status—typically the humiliation or abasing of the proud or powerful by a higher authority (often as divine action). There is a conceptual link, but not strict synonymy, with terms for 'affliction' (עָנָה), which often carry more of a sense of oppression or suffering. In comparison, שְׁפַל emphasizes status or pride being brought low rather than general suffering. In postbiblical Aramaic and later Hebrew, the root continues to denote humility and lowness but develops additional figurative senses in religious and ethical discourse. Standard English translations usually render this as 'abase,' 'humble,' or 'bring low,' but some nuance is lost, especially concerning its use for powerful antagonists being subjected to humiliation. The later term 'Jew' is found in English renderings of passages where Babylonian or Persian kings address Israelites, but the lexeme itself is neutral, relating to status rather than ethnicity or religious identity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁפֵל; {to depress or sink (expectation figuratively, to humiliate, intransitive or transitive)}; abase, humble, put down, subdue.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁפל (sh-p-l) — lowliness, being low, becoming low, humbling, abasing
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8215 | שְׁפַל | and low-ranking |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8214-01 |
הַשְׁפֵּ֖לְתְּ | hashepelete | AVhp2ms |
you have humbled | you brought low | 1 |
H8214-04 |
יְהַשְׁפִּֽל | yehashepil | AVhi3ms |
he-will-subdue | he will bring low | 1 |
H8214-02 |
לְ/הַשְׁפָּלָֽה | lehashepalah | AR/Vhc |
to-humiliate | to bring low | 1 |
H8214-03 |
מַשְׁפִּֽיל | mashepil | AVarmsa |
humbling | one who brings low | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8214-02 |
Daniel 4:34 | לְ/הַשְׁפָּלָֽה | lehashepalah | AR/Vhc |
to-humiliate | to bring low |
H8214-03 |
Daniel 5:19 | מַשְׁפִּֽיל | mashepil | AVarmsa |
humbling | one who brings low |
H8214-01 |
Daniel 5:22 | הַשְׁפֵּ֖לְתְּ | hashepelete | AVhp2ms |
you have humbled | you brought low |
H8214-04 |
Daniel 7:24 | יְהַשְׁפִּֽל | yehashepil | AVhi3ms |
he-will-subdue | he will bring low |