Lexical Summary shathah or shath: To drink Original Word: שָׁתָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance foundation, purpose From shiyth; a basis, i.e. (figuratively) political or moral support -- foundation, purpose. see HEBREW shiyth NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shith Definition foundation, stay (of society) NASB Translation foundations (1), pillars (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [שָׁת] noun masculine (AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 84) foundation, stay (of society) (√ שׁית Thes Köii. l. 172); — plural הַשָּׁתוֺת יֵהָרֵס֑וּן Psalm 11:3 (probably figurative of established usages, laws, etc., ᵑ9 leges, Symm θεσμοί, so Hup-Now Bae Che (1888) and others; > Thes and others of nobles); Thes puts here also שָֽׁתֹתֶ֫יהָ Isaiah 19:10 (so ᵑ0 probably intends), which Ew Di Kit then interpret of working-classes, "" עשֵֹׁי שֶׂכֶר; but perhaps opposed to of this, the upper classes, so as to include all ranks of society, Thes De CheComm.; CheHpt Buhl and others שֹׁתֶיהָ weavers of it (compare Du Marti), see III. שׁתה. Topical Lexicon Semantic Scope שָׁתָה denotes the underlying supports of a structure, whether architectural, social, or moral. Scripture employs the term figuratively for the pillars that uphold community life and covenant order. Canonical Occurrences 1. Psalm 11:3 – “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”. Literary and Theological Significance Psalm 11 situates שָׁתָה at the intersection of ethics and worship. While human institutions appear to disintegrate, the psalmist immediately redirects attention to the Lord’s sovereign throne (verse 4), underscoring that divine stability transcends human instability. Isaiah 19 casts the same word into an international oracle: Egypt’s industrial and political “pillars” collapse under divine judgment, illustrating that no civilization can endure when its spiritual moorings are severed. Together these texts affirm that societal health is inseparable from covenant faithfulness. Historical Setting In the ancient Near East a building’s foundations were often the final element to fail, signifying complete ruin when they did. Israel’s poets and prophets leveraged this cultural perception, portraying moral decay or national upheaval as a house whose footings have been undermined. For David, that threat came from lawless adversaries; for Isaiah, it was the impending economic implosion of a superpower whose waterways and crafts sustained its wealth. Ministry Application • Preaching: The imagery of toppled foundations validates lament over cultural decline while steering believers to renewed confidence in God’s unshakable reign (compare Hebrews 12:28). Inter-Testamental and New Covenant Echoes The Septuagint renders שָׁתָה with terms later used in the New Testament for “foundation” (θεμέλιος). Paul builds on the motif, declaring “no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). The writer of Hebrews contrasts the perishable foundations of the old creation with the “city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Such continuity affirms the coherence of biblical revelation: the stability forfeited in Psalm 11 and Isaiah 19 finds its answer in the unshakeable kingdom inaugurated by Christ. Summary שָׁתָה, though rare, carries weighty theological freight. Its two appearances frame the whole sweep of redemptive history—from David’s crisis of societal collapse to Isaiah’s vision of international upheaval—both resolved in the enduring sovereignty of God. For believers today, the word calls for vigilance in guarding moral and doctrinal foundations and for steadfast hope in the One whose kingdom cannot be moved. Forms and Transliterations הַ֭שָּׁתוֹת השתות שָׁתֹתֶ֖יהָ שתתיה haš·šā·ṯō·wṯ Hashshatot haššāṯōwṯ šā·ṯō·ṯe·hā šāṯōṯehā shatoTeihaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 11:3 HEB: כִּ֣י הַ֭שָּׁתוֹת יֵֽהָרֵס֑וּן צַ֝דִּ֗יק NAS: If the foundations are destroyed, What KJV: If the foundations be destroyed, INT: If the foundations are destroyed the righteous Isaiah 19:10 2 Occurrences |
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