Lexical Summary shichah: Meditation, contemplation, prayer, complaint Original Word: שִׁיחָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance pit For shuwchah; a pit-fall -- pit. see HEBREW shuwchah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shuach Definition a pit NASB Translation pit (1), pits (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שִׁיחָה noun feminine id.; — ׳ברה שִׁ Jeremiah 18:22 Kt (Qr שׁוּחָה), Psalm 57:7; plural שִׁיחוֺת ׳כ Psalm 119:85. Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Hebrew 7882 designates a man-made pit or trench intended to entrap. All three occurrences present the word metaphorically, portraying the schemes of the wicked against the righteous. The motif amplifies a recurring biblical assurance that those who engineer harm will ultimately suffer the very fate they planned for others. Ancient Near Eastern Background Hunting traps and defensive pits were common throughout the Levant. A shallow depression, camouflaged and lined with sharpened stakes or left empty to immobilize prey, furnished a vivid image of hidden malice. Scripture adopts this everyday danger as a moral and spiritual metaphor: sin fashions snares; covenant-breakers lay ambushes; the Lord, as covenant keeper, exposes and reverses their plots. Usage in the Psalms • Psalm 57:6: “They spread a net for my feet; my soul was despondent. They dug a pit before me, but they themselves have fallen into it.” David, pursued by Saul, articulates the principle of poetic justice. The verse sets the pattern: the contrivance of the enemy rebounds upon the enemy. Both psalms couple petition with confidence. The pit imagery underscores distress yet directs the heart toward an unshakable expectation of vindication. The righteous pray, wait, and witness the reversal. Usage in the Prophets Jeremiah 18:22 records the prophet’s imprecatory appeal: “May a cry be heard from their houses when You suddenly bring raiders upon them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and laid snares for my feet.” Jeremiah, threatened by his own townsmen, invokes covenant curses against covenant treachery. The pit becomes evidence in God’s courtroom, warranting judgment. Theological Themes 1. Retributive Justice Practical Ministry Applications • Pastoral Care: Encourage believers facing slander or betrayal. The psalmists supply language for lament without surrendering hope. Intertextual Connections Genesis 37:24 (Joseph cast into a pit), Psalm 35:7, Psalm 94:13, and Proverbs 28:10 expand the motif. Though different Hebrew terms may appear, the conceptual thread remains: schemes against the innocent are reversed by the sovereign Lord. Conclusion Strong’s 7882 illustrates Scripture’s relentless message: human malice is real, but God’s justice is surer. The dug pit, emblem of concealed hostility, becomes an altar of thanksgiving when the Lord overturns the scheme. As such, the term enriches worship, fortifies perseverance, and summons the church to holy integrity amid opposition. Forms and Transliterations שִׁיח֑וֹת שִׁיחָ֑ה שׁוּחָה֙ שוחה שיחה שיחות shiChah shiChot shuChah šî·ḥāh šî·ḥō·wṯ šîḥāh šîḥōwṯ šū·ḥāh šūḥāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 57:6 HEB: כָּר֣וּ לְפָנַ֣י שִׁיחָ֑ה נָפְל֖וּ בְתוֹכָ֣הּ NAS: They dug a pit before KJV: they have digged a pit before INT: dug before A pit They have fallen the midst Psalm 119:85 Jeremiah 18:22 3 Occurrences |
    |