Lexical Summary shaphel: To be low, to be abased, to humble Original Word: שָׁפֵל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance abase, bring cast, put down, debase, humble self, be bring, lay, make, A primitive root; to depress or sink (expec. Figuratively, to humiliate, intransitive or transitive) -- abase, bring (cast, put) down, debase, humble (self), be (bring, lay, make, put) low(-er). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be or become low, to be abased NASB Translation abase (4), abased (6), been abased (1), bring him low (1), bring down (1), brings down (1), brings low (1), brought low (1), cast down (1), go down (1), humbles (1), laid low (1), lay low (2), lays it low (2), lowly (1), made low (1), make him low (1), placed lower (1), puts down (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שָׁפֵל verb be or become low, be abased (Late Hebrew, derived species; Assyrian šapâlu, derived species and derivatives; Sabean ספל noun humility or lowland DHMxxix (1875), 604; Arabic  ,  ,  be low (LagBN 48); Aramaic שְׁפַל,  (derived species)); — Qal Perfect3masculine singular ׳שׁ Isaiah 2:11; 2feminine singular וְשָׁפַלְתְּ Isaiah 29:4, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular וַיִּשְׁמַּל Isaiah 2:9; Isaiah 5:15; 3feminine plural תִּשְׁמַּלְנָה Isaiah 5:15, etc.; Infinitive construct שְׁפַל Ecclesiastes 12:4; Proverbs 16:19, see below; — 1 all Isaiah: become (be brought, laid) low, of trees Isaiah 10:33 ("" גְּדֻעִים), mountains Isaiah 40:4 (opposed to נִשָּׂא), of כָּלנִֿשָּׂא Isaiah 2:12 (but read, for ׳שׁ, נִשְׂגָּב [Kohler], or גָּבֹהַּ [Lag], so Du CheHpt Di-Kit Marti); figurative be humiliated, of man Isaiah 2:9; Isaiah 5:15, his loftiness Isaiah 2:17, haughty eyes Isaiah 2:11 (all "" שָׁחַח), Isaiah 5:15; of city Isaiah 32:19; as helping verb (= adverb) מֵאֶרֶץ ׳וְשׁ תְּדַבֵּ֑רִי Isaiah 29:4 thou shalt speak low out of the ground (Ges§ 120g; "" מֵעָפָר תִּשַׁח אִמְרָתֵךְ). 2 שְׁפַלרֿוּחַ Proverbs 16:9 to be lowly of spirit, so Buhl SS Toy and others; Thes Rob Ges and others below שָׁפָל. 3 of sound Ecclesiastes 12:4. Hiph`il Perfect3masculine singular הִשְׁמִּיל Isaiah 25:12, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יַשְׁמִּיל Psalm 75:8, suffix יַשְׁמִּילֶנָּה יַשְׁמִּילָהּ Isaiah 26:5 (but 2nd verb probably doublet), etc.; Imperative masculine plural (suffix) הַשְׁמִּילֵ (הוּׅ Job 40:11; Jeremiah 13:18; Infinitive construct suffix הַשְׁמִּילְךָ Proverbs 25:7 (Ezek 21:31 read absolute הַשְׁמֵּיל, "" הַגְבֵּהַּ, so Co Krae Ges§ 113bb R. 3); Participle מַשְׁמִּיל 1 Samuel 2:7; Psalm 147:6; מַשְׁמִּילִי (Ges§ 90l) Psalm 113:6; — 1 usually figurative, ׳י subject, lay low, tree Ezekiel 17:24 (opposed to הִגְבַּהְתִּי); city Isaiah 26:5 ("" הֵשַׁח); fortress Isaiah 25:12 (+ הֵשַׁח; Du thinks doublet of Isaiah 26:5); humiliate pride Isaiah 26:11; Isaiah 13:11, compare Job 40:11; object עֵינַיִם רָמוֺת Psalm 18:28, so read also "" 2 Samuel 22:28, אַףמְֿרוֺמֵם׳מַשׁ׳י 1 Samuel 2:7, רְשָׁעִים Psalm 147:6; וְזֶה יָרִים ׳זֶה יַשׁ Psalm 75:8, compare Ezekiel 21:31. 2 hum. subject set one in a lower place Proverbs 25:7; subject hum. pride Proverbs 29:23; declar. Isaiah 57:9 thou didst shew abasement עַדשְֿׁאוֺל. 3 as helping verb: + verb coordinate, שֵׁ֑בוּ ׳הַשׁ Jeremiah 13:18 make low, sit down = take a low seat (Ges§ 120g); + infinitive לִרְאוֺת ׳מַשׁ Psalm 113:6 he who maketh low to look upon heaven and earth (i.e. ׳י; "" הַמַּגְבִּיתִי לָשָׁ֑בֶת Psalm 113:5; Ges§ 114m). — הִשְׁמִּילוּ וַתּאֹמֶר גֵּוָה֑ Job 22:29 is dubious; "" יוֺשִׁעַ favours אֱלוֺהַּ as subject, which Bu conjecture For ׳וַתּאֹ, read then הִשְׁמִּיל, ׳א hath abased pride, so (in part) Du; > they cast (thee) down (RV); men are cast down (׳הִשׁ intransitive; AV, compare LagBN 121); (thy ways) are brought low (Ew De Di). [שְׁפֵל] verb be low (see Biblical Hebrew); — Haph`el bring low, humble: Perfect2masculine singular הַשְׁמֵּלְתְּ לִבְבָח Daniel 5:22 thou hast not humbled thine heart; Imperfect3masculine singular יְהַשְׁמִּ֑ל Daniel 7:24, Infinitive לְהַשְׁמָּלָה Daniel 4:34, Participle מַשְׁמִּ֑ל Daniel 5:19, all with accusative of person bring low, put down. Topical Lexicon Concept OverviewShaphal describes the act of being made low or bringing low. In Scripture it functions both literally (topographic depressions) and figuratively (humbling persons, nations, and pride). The verb therefore serves as a vital vehicle for the biblical doctrine that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Geographical Sense: Low Places and Vulnerability In several passages the root is employed of depressed terrain, underpinning the name “Shephelah,” the lowland that stretches between the Judean hill-country and the Mediterranean plain (for example, Joshua 10:40; 1 Kings 10:27 where the region is mentioned by its derivative noun). These occurrences subtly reinforce a theological motif: what is low is easily overrun unless the Lord protects (Judges 1:9). Geography becomes parable; the land’s position mirrors the spiritual posture God requires. Personal Humility and Worship Shaphal most frequently addresses persons rather than places. Job 22:29 observes, “When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up,’ then He will save the lowly”. The humbled person is the one whom God delights to exalt (cf. Job 5:11). The Psalter echoes the theme: “For You save an afflicted people, but haughty eyes You bring low” (Psalm 18:27). Israel’s praise is inseparable from her confession of smallness, teaching worshippers that true exaltation begins with self-abasement before the covenant LORD. National Reversal: Kings and Kingdoms Brought Low Prophets repeatedly press shaphal into service when announcing judgment on arrogant regimes. Isaiah declares, “The pride of man will be humbled and the loftiness of men brought low; and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:17). The downfall of proud Babylon (Isaiah 13:11), the humiliation of Egypt (Ezekiel 32:24), and the warning to Edom (Obadiah 4, using a cognate) all weave shaphal into a wider tapestry: every power that magnifies itself will be levelled. Moral Instruction in Wisdom Literature Proverbs frames shaphal as the wiser course of life: “It is better to be lowly in spirit with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud” (Proverbs 16:19). Pride courts downfall; humility secures honor (Proverbs 29:23). In these instructional settings the verb urges voluntary self-abasement now to avoid enforced humiliation later—a principle Jesus will later recast in parable form (Luke 14:11). Covenantal Significance and Messianic Foreshadowing The Davidic portrait in 2 Samuel 22:28—“You save the humble, but Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low”—prefigures the Messiah whose kingdom belongs to the “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). The Servant Songs of Isaiah amplify the paradox: the One marred and despised becomes high and lifted up (Isaiah 52:13). The trajectory from shaphal to exaltation culminates at the cross and resurrection, validating the Old Testament pattern. Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. God still chooses the foolish and weak to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). Shaphal warns leaders against self-reliance and encourages dependence on grace. Key Passages Proverbs 15:33; Proverbs 16:19; Proverbs 29:23 Isaiah 2:12-17; Isaiah 5:15; Isaiah 10:33; Isaiah 13:11 These and the remaining occurrences (approximately twenty-nine in total) consistently proclaim the same lesson: every height not founded on reverence for God will be levelled, while those who willingly take the low place will be raised up by His mighty hand. Forms and Transliterations אַשְׁפִּֽיל׃ אשפיל׃ הִ֭שְׁפִּילוּ הִשְׁפִּ֛יל הִשְׁפַּ֣לְתִּי ׀ הַֽמַּשְׁפִּילִ֥י הַשְׁפִּ֣ילוּ המשפילי השפיל השפילו השפלתי וְהִשְׁפִּיל֙ וְהַגָּבֹ֖הַ וְהַשְׁפִּילֵֽהוּ׃ וְשָׁפֵ֖ל וְשָׁפֵֽל׃ וְשָׁפַלְתְּ֙ וַיִּשְׁפַּל־ וַתַּשְׁפִּ֖ילִי והגבה והשפיל והשפילהו׃ וישפל־ ושפל ושפל׃ ושפלת ותשפילי יִשְׁפָּ֑לוּ יִשְׁפָּֽלוּ׃ יַ֝שְׁפִּ֗יל יַשְׁפִּילֶ֤נָּה יַשְׁפִּילָהּ֙ ישפיל ישפילה ישפילנה ישפלו ישפלו׃ מֵֽ֭הַשְׁפִּ֣ילְךָ מַשְׁפִּ֖יל מהשפילך משפיל שָׁפֵ֔ל שפל תִּשְׁפַּ֥ל תִּשְׁפַּֽלְנָה׃ תַּשְׁפִּֽיל׃ תַּשְׁפִּילֶ֑נּוּ תשפיל׃ תשפילנו תשפל תשפלנה׃ ’aš·pîl ’ašpîl ashPil ham·maš·pî·lî hammashpiLi hammašpîlî haš·pî·lū hashPilu hašpîlū hiš·pal·tî hiš·pî·lū hiš·pîl hishPalti hishPil Hishpilu hišpaltî hišpîl hišpîlū maš·pîl mashPil mašpîl mê·haš·pî·lə·ḵā mehashPilecha mêhašpîləḵā šā·p̄êl šāp̄êl shaFel taš·pî·len·nū taš·pîl tashPil tashpiLennu tašpîl tašpîlennū tiš·pal tiš·pal·nāh tishPal tishPalnah tišpal tišpalnāh vaiyishpal vattashPili vehaggaVoha vehashpiLehu vehishPil veshafalT veshaFel wat·taš·pî·lî wattašpîlî way·yiš·pal- wayyišpal- wə·hag·gā·ḇō·ha wə·haš·pî·lê·hū wə·hiš·pîl wə·šā·p̄alt wə·šā·p̄êl wəhaggāḇōha wəhašpîlêhū wəhišpîl wəšāp̄alt wəšāp̄êl yaš·pî·lāh yaš·pî·len·nāh yaš·pîl yashPil yashpiLah yashpiLennah yašpîl yašpîlāh yašpîlennāh yiš·pā·lū yishPalu yišpālūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Samuel 2:7 HEB: מוֹרִ֣ישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁ֑יר מַשְׁפִּ֖יל אַף־ מְרוֹמֵֽם׃ NAS: and rich; He brings low, He also KJV: and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and INT: makes and rich brings also exalts 2 Samuel 22:28 Job 22:29 Job 40:11 Psalm 18:27 Psalm 75:7 Psalm 113:6 Psalm 147:6 Proverbs 25:7 Proverbs 29:23 Isaiah 2:9 Isaiah 2:11 Isaiah 2:12 Isaiah 2:17 Isaiah 5:15 Isaiah 5:15 Isaiah 10:33 Isaiah 13:11 Isaiah 25:11 Isaiah 25:12 Isaiah 26:5 Isaiah 26:5 Isaiah 29:4 Isaiah 32:19 Isaiah 40:4 29 Occurrences |
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