← H8366 H8368 →

שָׁתַק

𐤔𐤕𐤒

shâthaq

H8367 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שׁתק to be quiet, to be still, to subside

Definition

To become quiet or still; to subside from agitation or activity. The sense includes calming after disturbance, ceasing from noise or movement, or becoming settled and tranquil. Used both literally of the calming of waters or tumult and metaphorically of pacification or cessation of conflict.

Semantic Range

to become calm, to be still, to be quiet, to subside from tumult or noise, to cease from movement or agitation, to settle

Root / Etymology

From the root שׁתק, which at the root level means to be quiet or still. The verb form שָׁתַק develops the nuance of ceasing activity and becoming calm; the process of becoming silent or tranquil as distinct from never having been active or noisy.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שָׁתַק occurs only a handful of times in the Hebrew Bible, most notably in poetic or prophetic texts (e.g. Job 34:29; Jeremiah 47:6). In these contexts, it may describe seas or peoples that were previously in turmoil becoming still, or the cessation of hostile activity. The term stands in contrast with other Hebrew roots denoting 'silence' such as חָרַשׁ (often 'to be silent' in the sense of withholding speech, sometimes in a posture of respect or obedience) and דָּמַם ('to be silent, still'—with an emphasis on ceasing motion or uproar). שָׁתַק especially conveys the return to calm after a period of tumult or noise. Standard English translations often render it as 'be quiet', 'subside', or 'be still', but these may not fully capture its nuance of calming or the dynamic movement from unrest to tranquility. There is no significant evidence of semantic shift across biblical periods, though its rarity in later Hebrew suggests it was always a somewhat marked or poetic term.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to subside; be calm, cease, be quiet.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

שׁתק (š-q-t) — quietness, stillness, subsiding

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H8367-01 וְ/יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק veyishetoq HC/Vqi3ms and it will be quiet and he will become still and it will become still 2
H8367-02 יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק yishetoq HVqi3ms ceases he will grow quiet it will be quiet 1
H8367-03 יִשְׁתֹּ֑קוּ yishetoqu HVqi3mp they were quiet they will become quiet they became quiet 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H8367-01 Jonah 1:11 וְ/יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק veyishetoq HC/Vqi3ms that the sea may be calm and he will become still and it will become still
H8367-01 Jonah 1:12 וְ/יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק veyishetoq HC/Vqi3ms and it will be quiet and he will become still and it will become still
H8367-03 Psalms 107:30 יִשְׁתֹּ֑קוּ yishetoqu HVqi3mp they were quiet they will become quiet they became quiet
H8367-02 Proverbs 26:20 יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק yishetoq HVqi3ms ceases he will grow quiet it will be quiet
← H8366 Hebrew Lexicon H8368 →