Lexical Summary shat: To set, place, appoint Original Word: שָׁאט Strong's Exhaustive Concordance that which is despised For active part of suwt (compare sh'at); one contemning -- that (which) despise(-d). see HEBREW suwt see HEBREW sh'at NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originthe same as shut, q.v. Brown-Driver-Briggs II. [שׁוּט] verb treat with despite, only Ezekiel (Aramaic שׁוּט,  despise; compare perhaps Assyrian šâ‰u, rebel, Meissn); — only Qal Participle, with accusative of person: masculine plural (substantive) הַשָּׁאטִים אוֺתָם Ezekiel 28:24,26 (Köii. 1. 108, 346 Ges§ 72p); feminine plural בְּנוֺת מְּלִשְׁתִּים הַשָּׁאטוֺת אוֺתָךְ Ezekiel 16:57 (Köib. 189). Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Theological Themes Shāʾaṭ expresses active contempt—an attitude that moves beyond silent dislike to open scorn that wounds and humiliates its object. In Scripture this scorn is treated as moral evil because it reverses the honor God assigns to His image-bearers and, in Israel’s case, His covenant people. Consequently the verb is always cast in a negative light; the one who despises invites divine reproof, while the despised receive divine vindication. Occurrences in Ezekiel 1. Ezekiel 16:57 marks Judah’s low point: “Now you are scorned by the daughters of Edom and your neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you”. The shame of exile gave surrounding nations opportunity to mock Jerusalem’s downfall. These three texts create a narrative arc—present humiliation (16:57), pledged removal of hostile scorners (28:24), and future tranquility free from contempt (28:26). Historical Setting Ezekiel prophesied during the Babylonian exile (early sixth century BC). Edomites, Philistines, and other neighbors exploited Judah’s ruin, confirming longstanding regional animosities (compare Obadiah 10–14 and Psalm 137:7). Their scorn functioned as proof that Israel had forfeited divine favor, yet the same contempt became grounds for God’s judgment against the mockers (Isaiah 10:12; Zechariah 2:8). Prophetic Reversals and Restoration The removal of those who “despise” Israel is part of a broader pattern in Ezekiel: Thus shāʾaṭ highlights a prophetic reversal: contempt today, covenant-blessing tomorrow. The motif anticipates the ultimate reversal when “the kingdoms of the world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15). Practical Ministry Principles 1. Refusing Contempt: Believers must guard their speech and attitudes, remembering that derision of others provokes God’s displeasure (Proverbs 17:5; James 3:9–10). Christological and Eschatological Trajectory While shāʾaṭ itself is not used of the Messiah, its theme aligns with Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected by men.” Jesus entered the experience of contempt to secure redemption and ultimate honor for His people (Hebrews 12:2). His resurrection guarantees the eschatological fulfillment envisioned in Ezekiel 28:24–26, when all scorn against God’s people will cease. Related Hebrew and Greek Ideas Hebrew bûz (“despise,” Proverbs 14:21) and Greek exoutheneō (“treat with contempt,” Luke 18:9) parallel shāʾaṭ, reinforcing the canonical unity of the theme: God opposes the proud and lifts the lowly. Key Lessons for Today • Contempt is never a trivial sin; it strikes at God’s honor in others. Forms and Transliterations הַשָּׁאט֥וֹת הַשָּׁאטִ֖ים הַשָּׁאטִ֤ים השאטות השאטים haš·šā·ṭîm haš·šā·ṭō·wṯ hashshaTim hashshaTot haššāṭîm haššāṭōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 16:57 HEB: בְּנ֣וֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים הַשָּׁאט֥וֹת אוֹתָ֖ךְ מִסָּבִֽיב׃ KJV: of the Philistines, which despise thee round about. INT: the daughters of the Philistines despise are around Ezekiel 28:24 Ezekiel 28:26 3 Occurrences |
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