שָׁפָן (H8227) — Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁפָן

𐤔𐤐𐤍

Shafan

H8227 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׁפן to hide, to cover, to burrow (uncertain)

Definition

Shaphan refers to a small, burrowing mammal native to rocky terrains of the Levant, most likely the rock hyrax (Procavia capensis). In the Hebrew Bible, it is noted primarily for its behavior of living among rocks and crevices and its classification as a non-kosher animal (Leviticus 11:5; Deuteronomy 14:7). The semantic range also allows for the animal's general behavior or metaphorical extensions linked to its way of hiding or seeking shelter in stones.

Semantic Range

a small rock-dwelling mammal (hyrax), animal noted for hiding among rocks, prey animal with rumination-like movement, (rarely) metaphor for vulnerability or shelter-seeking

Root / Etymology

The root is uncertain. The Hebrew spelling שָׁפָן may be related to a root with the sense of 'to hide' or 'cover,' but this is not attested elsewhere in Hebrew, and a precise etymology is unclear. Some ancient sources (e.g., Talmudic and later Rabbinic literature) propose connections with terms for hiddenness or burrowing, but no widely attested Semitic cognate supports this conclusively.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Shaphan (שָׁפָן) is distinct from other biblical animal names and appears four times, all in dietary or zoological contexts. Although older translations (e.g., KJV 'coney') sometimes render it as 'rabbit' or 'cony,' modern zoological research identifies it firmly with the rock hyrax, a small, gregarious mammal with padded feet, common in Israelite territories. The animal lacks the features later associated with true rabbits or hares, which do not inhabit the region and differ significantly in anatomy and behavior. The biblical description focuses on rumination-like jaw movement and habitat—living among rocks—rather than taxonomic classification. Later traditions sometimes use 'shaphan' as a personal or family name (see 2 Kings 22:3), but the animal sense is limited to dietary laws and natural world references. There are no significant semantic developments between the monarchic and post-exilic periods, and the term remains stable in reference across historical strata.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׂפַן; a species of rockrabbit (from its hiding), i.e. probably the hyrax; coney.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שפן (sh-p-n) — to hide, to cover, to burrow (uncertain)

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H3473	יִשְׁפָּן	He Will Hide
H8223	שָׁפָם	and Shapham
H8226	שָׂפַן	stored-up ones of

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H8227-03`	שָׁפָ֨ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax	29
`H8227-01`	הַ/שָּׁפָ֗ן	hashafan	`HTd/Ncmsa`	rock badger	the rock-hider	2
`H8227-04`	שְׁ֭פַנִּים	shefanim	`HNcmpa`	rock badgers	rock-hiding hyraxes	1
`H8227-02`	לַֽ/שְׁפַנִּֽים	lashefanim	`HRd/Ncmpa`	for the rock badgers	to the rock-hyraxes	1
`H8227-05`	וְ/שָׁפָ֣ן	veshafan	`HC/Np`	and Shaphan	and Rock-Hyrax	1

Occurrences in Scripture

34 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H8227-01`	Leviticus 11:5	הַ/שָּׁפָ֗ן	hashafan	`HTd/Ncmsa`	rock badger	the rock-hider
`H8227-01`	Deuteronomy 14:7	הַ/שָּׁפָ֜ן	hashafan	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the coney	the rock-hider
`H8227-03`	2 Kings 22:3	שָׁפָ֨ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Kings 22:8	שָׁפָ֣ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Kings 22:8	שָׁפָ֖ן	shafan-2	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Kings 22:9	שָׁפָ֤ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Kings 22:10	שָׁפָ֤ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Kings 22:10	שָׁפָ֖ן	shafan-2	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Kings 22:12	שָׁ֠פָן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Kings 22:12	שָׁפָ֣ן	shafan-2	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-05`	2 Kings 22:14	וְ/שָׁפָ֣ן	veshafan	`HC/Np`	and Shaphan	and Rock-Hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Kings 25:22	שָׁפָֽן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 26:24	שָׁפָ֔ן	shafan	`HNp`	of Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 29:3	שָׁפָ֔ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 36:10	שָׁפָ֨ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 36:11	שָׁפָ֛ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 36:12	שָׁפָ֛ן	shafan	`HNp`	of Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 39:14	שָׁפָ֔ן	shafan	`HNp`	of Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 40:5	שָׁפָ֡ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 40:9	שָׁפָן֙	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 40:11	שָׁפָֽן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 41:2	שָׁפָ֛ן	shafan	`HNp`	of Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Jeremiah 43:6	שָׁפָ֑ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	Ezekiel 8:11	שָׁפָ֜ן	shafan	`HNp`	of Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-02`	Psalms 104:18	לַֽ/שְׁפַנִּֽים	lashefanim	`HRd/Ncmpa`	for the rock badgers	to the rock-hyraxes
`H8227-04`	Proverbs 30:26	שְׁ֭פַנִּים	shefanim	`HNcmpa`	rock badgers	rock-hiding hyraxes
`H8227-03`	2 Chronicles 34:8	שָׁפָ֨ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Chronicles 34:15	שָׁפָ֣ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Chronicles 34:15	שָׁפָֽן	shafan-2	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Chronicles 34:16	שָׁפָ֤ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Chronicles 34:18	שָׁפָ֤ן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Chronicles 34:18	שָׁפָ֖ן	shafan-2	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Chronicles 34:20	שָׁ֠פָן	shafan	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax
`H8227-03`	2 Chronicles 34:20	שָׁפָ֣ן	shafan-2	`HNp`	Shaphan	rock-hiding hyrax

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