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שָׁתָה

𐤔𐤕𐤄

shâthâh

H8354 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To drink liquid, primarily referring to the physical act of consuming liquids, most commonly water, wine, or other beverages. The term can also extend in some contexts to figurative senses such as imbibing or partaking (e.g., of wrath, suffering, or experience). Used both in literal descriptions of drinking and, less frequently, in metaphorical or evocative language.

Semantic Range

to drink (liquid), to imbibe, to consume liquid, to partake (figuratively: of wrath, cup, or experience), to get drunk (in combination with other terms), to absorb (figurative usage)

Root / Etymology

From the root שׁתה, likely derived from a base meaning 'to drink.' The verb is distinct but related to שָׁקָה, which means 'to give drink, water, cause to drink.' שָׁתָה serves as the simple (qal) stem of the action, while שָׁקָה is causative (hiphil) or intensive. There is no evidence for further etymological layers or connections outside North-West Semitic.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שָׁתָה is the standard Biblical Hebrew verb for 'to drink.' It appears throughout the Hebrew Bible, from the patriarchal narratives (e.g., Genesis 9:21, Noah drinking wine) through the monarchy and into prophetic and wisdom literature. Its usage is almost always literal, describing the consumption of liquids, though in some passages it is used metaphorically: e.g., 'drink the cup of wrath' (Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15), symbolizing suffering or judgment. The verb is applied both to humans and animals, and at times appears in ritual contexts (e.g., the drinking of wine in feasts or offerings). While the English 'to drink' is a straightforward translation, English may lack the idiomatic force of the Hebrew in some metaphorical uses; for instance, 'drinking' in biblical idiom can connote full participation in an experience (cf. Job 34:7, 'drinks scorn like water'). The word does not carry later connotations associated with excessive drinking or drunkenness unless specified by context. It is distinct from related terms such as רָוָה (ravah, 'to be saturated' or 'quench thirst') and serves as the basic term for drinking action in Hebrew narrative and law.

Translation Consistency

primary "drink" 203 occurrences

The primary and most natural meaning in the SILEX range is the physical act of consuming liquid. Corpus evidence shows the vast majority of renderings use forms of “drink” (133 of 217), and the verb also naturally extends to the common figurative uses (e.g. drinking a cup of wrath, partaking of an experience). “Drink” is simple, idiomatic, and covers the typical literal and metaphorical senses, so it provides consistent, natural English for all forms under H8354.

Alternatives (14 occurrences):
"drinking-one" (6x) "drinkers of" (4x) "drinking-ones" (3x) "drinkers" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively); [idiom] assuredly, banquet, [idiom] certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk ([idiom] -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of שָׁקָה.)

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

שתה (š-t-h) — to drink, consume liquid, imbibe

Root שׁתה to drink, consume (liquid), ingest (fluid)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4960 מִשְׁתֶּה in a drinking-feast
H4961 מִשְׁתֶּה the drinking-banquet
H8355 שְׁתָה they drank
H8358 שְׁתִי drunkenness
H8360 שְׁתִיָּה and the drinking

Word Forms

54 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H8354-04 לִ/שְׁתֹּֽת lishetot HR/Vqc to drink to drink to drink 23
H8354-53 יִשְׁתּ֖וּ yishetu HVqi3mp they drink they drink they will drink 15
H8354-37 וַ/יִּשְׁתּ֗וּ vayishetu HC/Vqw3mp and they drank and they drank and they drank 12
H8354-52 יִשְׁתֶּ֤ה yisheteh HVqi3ms drinks he will drink he will drink 12
H8354-25 תִּשְׁתֶּה tisheteh HVqi3fs you shall drink she drinks you will drink 12
H8354-39 וְ/לִ/שְׁתּ֖וֹת velishetot HC/R/Vqc and to drink and to drink and to drink 10
H8354-35 וַ/יֵּ֥שְׁתְּ vayeshete HC/Vqw3ms and he drank and he drank and he drank 9
H8354-28 תִשְׁתּֽוּ tishetu HVqi2mp you shall drink you will drink you (pl.) will drink 7
H8354-47 וְ/שֹׁתִים֙ veshotim HC/Vqrmpa and drinking and drinking-ones and drinking-ones 6
H8354-15 שְׁתֵ֔ה sheteh HVqv2ms Drink Drink! Drink! 6

Occurrences in Scripture

217 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H8354-35 Genesis 9:21 וַ/יֵּ֥שְׁתְּ vayeshete HC/Vqw3ms he drank and he drank and he drank
H8354-38 Genesis 24:14 וְ/אֶשְׁתֶּ֔ה veesheteh HC/Vqi1cs and I will drink and I will drink and I will drink
H8354-15 Genesis 24:14 שְׁתֵ֔ה sheteh HVqv2ms drink Drink! Drink!
H8354-15 Genesis 24:18 שְׁתֵ֣ה sheteh HVqv2ms Drink Drink! Drink!
H8354-04 Genesis 24:19 לִ/שְׁתֹּֽת lishetot HR/Vqc drinking to drink to drink
H8354-04 Genesis 24:22 לִ/שְׁתּ֔וֹת lishetot HR/Vqc to drink to drink to drink
H8354-15 Genesis 24:44 שְׁתֵ֔ה sheteh HVqv2ms drink Drink! Drink!
H8354-15 Genesis 24:46 שְׁתֵ֔ה sheteh HVqv2ms Drink Drink! Drink!
H8354-33 Genesis 24:46 וָ/אֵ֕שְׁתְּ vaeshete HC/Vqw1cs so I drank I drank I drank
H8354-37 Genesis 24:54 וַ/יִּשְׁתּ֗וּ vayishetu HC/Vqw3mp and they drank and they drank and they drank
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