STRONGS NUMBER H8199


Word Summary
shaphat: to judge, govern
Original Word: שָׁפַט
Transliteration: shaphat
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-fat')
Part of Speech: Verb
Short Definition: to judge, govern
Meaning: to judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate
Strong's Concordance
avenge, that condemn, contend, defend, execute judgment, be a judgment

A primitive root; to judge, i.e. Pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or figuratively) -- + avenge, X that condemn, contend, defend, execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), X needs, plead, reason, rule.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

H8199. shaphat

שָׁפַט185 verb judge, govern (Late Hebrew in derivatives; Phoenician שפט‎ = שֹׁפֵט‎, also in proper name; Punic sufet Lzb381; Biblical Aramaic שָֽׁפְטִין‎; Assyrian šapâtu (t = ת‎), synonym dânu (דִּין‎), judge DlWB 684, šip‰u (ט‎), probably judgment [and šapi‰u, caption?] JenZA iv (1889), 278 f.; on possible connection with Arabic see NöZMG xi (1886), 724; on usage of verb See FergusonJBL viii (1888), 130 ff.); —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular ׳שׁJudges 16:31 +, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִשְׁמֹּטGenesis 16:5, יִשְׁמּוֺטIsaiah 11:3; 3masculine plural יִשְׁמְּטוּGenesis 31:53 +, יִשְׁמּ֫וּטוּExodus 18:26 (Ki יִשְׁמּוּט֫וּ‎; compare Ges§ 47g), etc.; Infinitive absolute שָׁפוֺטGenesis 19:9; construct שְׁפֹטRuth 1:1, לַשְׁמֹּטExodus 8:13 +, etc.; Imperative שְׁפָטֿProverbs 31:9, שָׁפְטָהPsalm 82:8; Lamentations 3:59, שִׁפְטוּIsaiah 1:17 +, שְׁפֹ֑טוּZechariah 7:9, etc.; Participle שֹׁפֵט1 Samuel 3:13 +, etc.; —

1 act as law-giver, judge, governor (giving law, deciding controversies and executing law, civil, religious, political, social; both early and late):

a. of God only, הארץ כל שֹׁפֵטGenesis 18:25 (J), "" מֶלֶךְ‎,מְחֹקֵקIsaiah 33:22.

b. of man, Genesis 19:9 (twice in verse) (J), Moses deciding cases Exodus 18:13 (E), making known statutes 18:16 (E); so his assistants 18:22; 18:22; 18:26; 18:26 (E), "" Deuteronomy 1:16; of ישׂראל שׁפטיNumbers 25:5 (executioners); ׳י‎ set שֹׁפְטִים‎ over Israel Judges 2:16, 18; 2 Samuel 7:11 = 1 Chronicles 17:10, to deliver Israel, ישׂדאל שׁפטJudges 3:10; 4:4; 10:2, 39t. Judges; 1 Samuel 4:18; 7:15-16, 17; 2 Kings 23:22, compare 1 Samuel 7:6; Participle שֹׁפֵט‎ as substantive also Judges 2:17-18, 19; 1 Samuel 8:1-2, 2 Kings 23:22; יִשׂ ׳שֹׁפְטֵי1 Chronicles 17:6 ("" 2 Samuel 7:7 שִׂבְטֵי‎), הַשֹּׁפְטִים שְׁפֹט בִּימֵיRuth 1:1 (twice in verse) (compare מוֺשִׁיעִים‎ Obadiah 21); שׁפט‎, "" מֶלֶךְ1 Samuel 8:5-6, 20; Hosea 7:7; 13:10; ישׂראל שֹׁפֵט‎ Micah 4:14 (= king); king judges people 1 Kings 3:9 (twice in verse) = 2 Chronicles 1:10; 1 Kings 15:5 2 Chronicles 26:21; 1:11; absolute 1 Kings 7:7; Isaiah 16:5; "" שׂריםExodus 2:14 (E) Amos 2:3; Zephaniah 3:3; "" יוֺעַץIsaiah 1:26; Job 12:17, compare Isaiah 3:2; אָרֶץ שֹׁפְטֵי40:23 ("" רוֺזְנִים‎), Proverbs 8:16 ("" שׂרים‎), Psalm 2:10; 148:11 ("" מלכים‎); שׁפטונו אשׁר שׁפטינוDaniel 9:12 (twice in verse).

2 specifically decide controversy, discriminate between Persons, in civil, political, domestic and religious questions:

a. of God Psalm 82:1: ׳שׁ בֵּיןוּ֗֗֗בֵיןGenesis 16:5 (J; domestic), Judges 11:27 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 24:13; 24:16 (all of war), Ezekiel 34:20 (relig.); with בֵּיןלְ֗֗֗34:17, 22 (religious); with בֵּנֵינוּGenesis 31:53 (E; domestic), Isaiah 2:4 = Micah 4:3 (of war); with בְּ2 Chronicles 20:12 (war); with accusative 1 Kings 8:32 2 Chronicles 6:23; Ecclesiastes 3:17, condemning wicked and justifying righteous Job 21:22 ("" ידע‎), 23:7; absolute Exodus 5:21 (J) Job 22:13; ׳שׁ צֶדֶקJeremiah 11:20; Psalm 9:5; ׳י‎ is צַדִּיק שׁוֺפֵט7:12.

b. of man, ׳שׁ בֵּיןוּ֗֗֗בֵיןExodus 18:16 (E) Numbers 35:24 (P) Deuteronomy 1:16 (all civil), Isaiah 5:3 (relig.); with accusative Leviticus 19:15 (H) Deuteronomy 25:1 (all civil), Ezekiel 20:4 (twice in verse); 22:2 (twice in verse); 23:36; ׳שׁ מִשְׁמָּטDeuteronomy 16:18; 1 Kings 3:28 (Solomon); במשׁפטיםEzekiel 44:24, with ל2 Chronicles 19:6; absolute Ezekiel 44:24; Isaiah 11:3 (king); influenced by bribes Micah 3:11; 7:3; Job 9:24; Absalom desires to decide cases as שֹׁפֵט2 Samuel 15:4 (implying lack of such in his time); according to 2 Chronicles 19:5. 6 Jehoshaphat set up שׁפטים‎, apparently for the first as judges in this specific sense; code of Deuteronomy recognizes them: הַשֹּׁפֵט‎ declares הַמִּשְׁמָּט דְּבַרDeuteronomy 17:9, 12; 25:2; שׁפטים‎ + שֹׁטְרִים16:18; 1 Chronicles 23:4; 26:29; Joshua 8:33 (+ זְקֵנִים‎), 23:2; 24:1 (D; both + רָאשִׁים זקנים,‎), + זקנים‎ only Deuteronomy 21:2; Ezra 10:14, + כֹּהֲנִיםDeuteronomy 19:17-18, שׂרים2 Chronicles 1:2.

3 execute judgment:

a. discriminating, of man only, אמת משׁפטZechariah 7:9, שׁ ׳מֵישָׁרִיםPsalm 58:2 judge uprightly; שׁלום משׁפטZechariah 8:16, צֶדֶקProverbs 31:9, עָוֶלPsalm 82:2.

b. vindicating, with accusative: (I) subject God, יתוםPsalm 10:18, accusative of person 26:1; 43:1; Psalm 58:12 (read שֹׁפְטָם‎ for שׁפטים‎), ׳שׁ משׁפטLamentations 3:59; מִיַּדvindicate by delivering from hand of 1 Samuel 24:16; 2 Samuel 18:19, 31; ׳י צִדְקִי כְּ שָׁפְטֵנִיPsalm 7:9; צִדְקְךָ כְּ שָׁפְטֵנִי35:24. (2) subject man, with accusative יתוםIsaiah 1:17, 23; דל(יםׅ11:4; Proverbs 29:14; Psalm 82:3; עם עניי72:4; אביונים משׁפטJeremiah 5:28.

c. condemning and punishing, (I) God פ ׳כְּדַרְכֵיaccording to ways of Ezekiel 7:3, 8; 18:30; 24:14; 33:20; 36:19; במשׁפטים7:27; 23:24; נאפות משׁפטי16:38 (= 23:45 of human judges); with accusative 1 Samuel 3:13; Psalm 51:5; Ezekiel 11:10-11, Ezekiel 21:35; 35:11. (2) of man, only נַפְשׁוֺ שֹׁפְטֵיPsalm 109:31 and Ezekiel 23:45 above, probably also Psalm 141:6 (corrupt).

d. at theophanic advent for final judgment: God is שֹׁפֵטPsalm 50:6; 75:8; הארץ שׁפט94:2, with accusative הארץ לשׁפט בא96:13 = 1 Chronicles 16:33; Psalm 98:9; ׳שׁ הארץ82:8; הנוים כל‎ Joel 4:12; עמים67:5; תבל9:9; 96:13 = 98:9; ׳שׁ מישׁרים75:3.

Niph`al Perfect1singular נִשְׁמַּטְתִּיEzekiel 20:36 4t.; Imperfect1singular אִשָּׁפֵט20:36; אִשָּֽׁפְטָה1 Samuel 12:7, etc.; Infinitive construct חִשָּׁפֵט2 Chronicles 22:8; suffix הִשָּֽׁפְטוֺPsalm 37:33; 109:7; Participle נִשְׁמָּטIsaiah 59:4 4t.; —

1 reciprocal, (Ges§ 51d), enter into controversy, plead: with אֵתwith, of God Jeremiah 2:35; Ezekiel 17:20; 20:35-36, (twice in verse); 38:22; of man 1 Samuel 12:7 (+ ᵐ5 לָכֶם וְאַגִּידָה‎ We Dr BuHpt Now), Proverbs 29:9; with עִם‎, of God Joel 4:2, of man 2 Chronicles 22:8; with ל‎, of God Jeremiah 25:31; ׳נשׁ יחדIsaiah 43:26 have controversy together; באשׁby fire (of God) 66:16; באמונה59:4.

2 passive be judged, Psalm 9:20; 37:33; 109:7.

Pô`el Participle suffix מְשֹׁפְטִי‎ (dubious; Hi Bu מִשְׁמָּטִי‎), = my apponent-at-law (Ges§ 55b) Job 9:15; + Zf 3:15; Psalm 109:31 We and others

[שְׁפַט‎] verb judge (Biblical Hebrew שָׁפַט‎); — Participle as plural noun absolute שָֽׁפְמִיןEzra 7:25 judges.

שַׁמִּיר‎ see שׁפר‎. below