Strong's Lexicon shiphchah: Maidservant, female servant, handmaid Original Word: שִׁפְחָה Word Origin: Derived from the root שָׁפַח (shaphach), meaning "to pour out" or "to spread." Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G3814 (παιδίσκη, paidiskē) - A young girl, maidservant - G1401 (δοῦλος, doulos) - Servant, slave Usage: The term "shiphchah" refers to a female servant or maidservant in the household. It is used to describe women who serve in various capacities, often in domestic settings. In the patriarchal society of ancient Israel, a "shiphchah" could be a slave or a free woman serving in a household. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with "amah," another word for a female servant, though "shiphchah" often implies a closer, more personal service to the family. Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel, the role of a "shiphchah" was integral to the household economy. These women were responsible for various domestic tasks, including cooking, cleaning, and assisting their mistresses. In some cases, they could also bear children for their masters, as seen in the stories of Hagar (Genesis 16) and Bilhah (Genesis 30). The status of a "shiphchah" could vary; some were slaves, while others might have been hired servants. The treatment of servants was subject to Mosaic Law, which provided certain protections and rights (Exodus 21:7-11). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition maid, maidservant NASB Translation female (9), female servant (3), female servants (5), maid (20), maids (5), maidservant (15), maidservants (1), servants* (6), slave (1), slave girl (1), slaves* (4), women (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שִׁפְחָה noun feminine maid, maid-servant (synonym אָמָה, q. v.; originally = concubine ? compare √); — absolute ׳שׁ Genesis 16:1 +; construct שִׁפְחַת Genesis 16:2 +; suffix שִׁפְחָתִי Genesis 16:2 +, etc.; plural absolute שְׁפָחוֺת Genesis 12:16 +; suffix שִׁפְחֹתֶ֑ךָ Ruth 2:13, etc.; — 1 literally, maid, maid-servant, as belonging to a mistress Genesis 16:1,3,6,8 (PJ) Genesis 29:24; Genesis 29:29 (P) Psalm 123:2; Proverbs 30:23; Isaiah 24:2; even where concubine of master (compare אָמָה) Genesis 16:2,5 (PJ) Genesis 25:12; Genesis 35:25,26 (P) Genesis 30:4,7,9,10,12,18 (all J E); less often reference to master Genesis 29:24,29 (J), Ruth 2:13, of concubine Genesis 32:23, compare Genesis 33:1,2,6 (all J); marriageable Leviticus 19:20 (H, compare Exodus 11:5; not elsewhere in legisl.); in General, especially of menial service (never אָמָה) Exodus 11:5 (J) 1 Samuel 25:41 (opposed to אָמָה) 2 Samuel 17:17 ("" עֶבֶד) Genesis 12:16; Genesis 24:35(J) Genesis 20:14 (E) Genesis 30:43 (P) Genesis 32:6 (J; collective) Deuteronomy 28:68; 1 Samuel 8:16; 2 Kings 5:26; Isaiah 14:2; Jeremiah 34:9,10,11 (twice in verse); Jeremiah 34:16 (twice in verse); Joel 3:2; Ecclesiastes 2:7; 2Chronicles 28:10; Esther 7:4. 2 figurative in address, שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ, etc., of speaker, in token of humility (see אָמָה) Ruth 2:13 ("" אָמָה Ruth 3:9), 1 Samuel 1:18 ("" id. 1 Samuel 1:16), 1 Samuel 25:27, ("" 1 Samuel 25:24f.), 1 Samuel 28:21,22; 2 Samuel 14:6,7,12 (twice in verse); 2 Samuel 14:15,17,19; ("" אָמָה 2 Samuel 14:15; 2 Samuel 14:16); 2 Kings 4:2,16; not toward God; but see אָמָה. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance handmaiden, bondwoman, woman-servant Feminine from an unused root meaning to spread out (as a family; see mishpachah); a female slave (as a member of the household) -- (bond-, hand-)maid(-en, -servant), wench, bondwoman, womanservant. see HEBREW mishpachah Forms and Transliterations בְּשִׁפְחָתֶֽךָ׃ בשפחתך׃ הַשְּׁפָח֑וֹת הַשְּׁפָח֔וֹת הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹת הַשְּׁפָחֽוֹת׃ הַשִּׁפְחָ֔ה הַשִּׁפְחָה֙ השפחה השפחות השפחות׃ וְ֝שִׁפְחָ֗ה וְלִשְׁפָח֑וֹת וְלִשְׁפָח֖וֹת וְלִשְׁפָח֤וֹת וְלִשְׁפָחֽוֹת׃ וְשִׁפְחָ֑ה וּלְשִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ וּשְׁפָח֔וֹת וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת וּשְׁפָחֽוֹת׃ וּשְׁפָחוֹת֙ ולשפחות ולשפחות׃ ולשפחתך ושפחה ושפחות ושפחות׃ ושפחת כַּשִּׁפְחָ֖ה כשפחה לְשִׁפְחָ֔ה לְשִׁפְחָֽה׃ לְשִׁפְחָתְךָ֥ לשפחה לשפחה׃ לשפחתך שִׁפְח֨וֹתֵיכֶ֜ם שִׁפְחַ֣ת שִׁפְחַ֥ת שִׁפְחָ֣תְךָ֔ שִׁפְחָ֥ה שִׁפְחָֽה׃ שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֔ שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ שִׁפְחָה֙ שִׁפְחָה֮ שִׁפְחָת֑וֹ שִׁפְחָת֔וֹ שִׁפְחָת֛וֹ שִׁפְחָתְךָ֖ שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛ שִׁפְחָתִ֔י שִׁפְחָתִ֖י שִׁפְחָתִי֙ שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙ שִׁפְחָתֶ֑ךָ שִׁפְחָתֶ֔ךָ שִׁפְחָתֶ֗ךָ שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ שִׁפְחָתָ֖הּ שִׁפְחָתוֹ֙ שִׁפְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃ שִׁפְחֹתָ֔יו שפחה שפחה׃ שפחותיכם שפחת שפחתה שפחתו שפחתי שפחתיו שפחתיך׃ שפחתך bə·šip̄·ḥā·ṯe·ḵā beshifchaTecha bəšip̄ḥāṯeḵā haš·šə·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ haš·šip̄·ḥāh hashshefaChot hashshifChah haššəp̄āḥōwṯ haššip̄ḥāh kaš·šip̄·ḥāh kashshifChah kaššip̄ḥāh lə·šip̄·ḥā·ṯə·ḵā lə·šip̄·ḥāh leshifChah leshifchateCha ləšip̄ḥāh ləšip̄ḥāṯəḵā shifChah shifChat shifchaTah shifchateCh shifchaTecha shifchaTi shifchaTo shifchoTav shifchoTeicha shifChoteiChem šip̄·ḥā·ṯāh šip̄·ḥā·ṯe·ḵā šip̄·ḥā·ṯə·ḵā šip̄·ḥā·ṯêḵ šip̄·ḥā·ṯî šip̄·ḥā·ṯōw šip̄·ḥāh šip̄·ḥaṯ šip̄·ḥō·ṯāw šip̄·ḥō·ṯe·ḵā šip̄·ḥō·w·ṯê·ḵem šip̄ḥāh šip̄ḥaṯ šip̄ḥāṯāh šip̄ḥāṯêḵ šip̄ḥāṯeḵā šip̄ḥāṯəḵā šip̄ḥāṯî šip̄ḥāṯōw šip̄ḥōṯāw šip̄ḥōṯeḵā šip̄ḥōwṯêḵem ū·lə·šip̄·ḥā·ṯə·ḵā ū·šə·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ ū·šə·p̄ā·ḥōṯ uleshifchateCha ūləšip̄ḥāṯəḵā ūšəp̄āḥōṯ ūšəp̄āḥōwṯ ushefaChot velishfaChot veshifChah wə·liš·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ wə·šip̄·ḥāh wəlišp̄āḥōwṯ wəšip̄ḥāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 12:16 HEB: וַחֲמֹרִ֔ים וַעֲבָדִים֙ וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת וַאֲתֹנֹ֖ת וּגְמַלִּֽים׃ NAS: and male and female servants and female donkeys KJV: and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, INT: and donkeys and male and female and female and camels Genesis 16:1 Genesis 16:2 Genesis 16:3 Genesis 16:5 Genesis 16:6 Genesis 16:8 Genesis 20:14 Genesis 24:35 Genesis 25:12 Genesis 29:24 Genesis 29:24 Genesis 29:29 Genesis 29:29 Genesis 30:4 Genesis 30:7 Genesis 30:9 Genesis 30:10 Genesis 30:12 Genesis 30:18 Genesis 30:43 Genesis 32:5 Genesis 32:22 Genesis 33:1 Genesis 33:2 63 Occurrences |