Lexical Summary shathaq: To be quiet, to be silent, to be still Original Word: שָׁתַק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be calm, cease, be quiet A primitive root; to subside -- be calm, cease, be quiet. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be quiet NASB Translation become calm (2), quiet (1), quiets down (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [שָׁתַק] verb be quiet (late) (Late Hebrew id., be silent; Aramaic שְׁתַק, שְׁתֵיק,  be quiet, silent (compare also שׁקט)); — Qal Imperfect3masculine singular, of sea יִשְׁתֹּק הַיָּם Jonah 1:11,12 (followed by מֵעַל), of quarrel, strife Proverbs 26:30; 3masculine plural of persons at sea, יִשְׁתֹּ֑קוּ Psalm 107:30. Topical Lexicon Range and Distribution of Usage שָׁתַק appears only four times in the Old Testament: Psalm 107:30, Proverbs 26:20, Jonah 1:11, and Jonah 1:12. In every occurrence it stands at the turning point between turmoil and tranquility, marking the decisive moment when noise, strife, or storm gives way to calm. Portrait of Divine Sovereignty over Chaos Psalm 107 recounts seafarers “at their wits’ end” (verse 27) until the Lord intervenes. “They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to the haven they desired” (Psalm 107:30). The calming of the sea is not merely a meteorological event but a theophany: God silences the restless deep that symbolized chaos in the ancient Near East. By choosing שָׁתַק the psalmist highlights the total, immediate cessation of danger—an echo later embodied when Jesus “rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased” (Luke 8:24). Moral Stillness within the Community Proverbs 26:20 applies the same verb to interpersonal conflict: “Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.” Here שָׁתַק moves from nature to ethics. Just as God alone can hush the sea, so believers, acting in wisdom, can extinguish strife by removing its fuel. The proverb therefore commends deliberate restraint of the tongue as a God-honoring participation in His peacemaking character (compare James 3:5–6). Narrative Climax in Jonah Twice in Jonah 1 the foreign sailors seek the calming of the storm. Their question—“What should we do to you to calm this sea that is upon us?” (Jonah 1:11)—is answered when Jonah offers himself as a substitute: “Pick me up and throw me into the sea so that it may quiet down for you” (Jonah 1:12). The narrative uses שָׁתַק to underscore the moment God’s judgment on Jonah’s disobedience is satisfied and His mercy toward the sailors is revealed. The cessation of the storm foreshadows the wider mercy God will show to Nineveh and anticipates the greater Substitute who will bring ultimate peace (Isaiah 53:5). Thematic Threads 1. God as Peacemaker: Whether on the high seas or in the village square, true calm originates with the Lord. Ministry Significance • Shepherding Hearts in Crisis: When believers face external storms or internal anxiety, the verb שָׁתַק invites confident prayer for God to still the waters. Conclusion Though rare, שָׁתַק unifies physical, relational, and redemptive peace under one divine Author. Each occurrence testifies that when God speaks or His servants act in obedience, the raging elements—whether winds or words—fall silent. Forms and Transliterations וְיִשְׁתֹּ֥ק וישתק יִשְׁתֹּ֑קוּ יִשְׁתֹּ֥ק ישתק ישתקו veyishTok wə·yiš·tōq wəyištōq yiš·tō·qū yiš·tōq yishTok yishToku yištōq yištōqūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 107:30 HEB: וַיִּשְׂמְח֥וּ כִֽי־ יִשְׁתֹּ֑קוּ וַ֝יַּנְחֵ֗ם אֶל־ NAS: because they were quiet, So He guided KJV: Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth INT: were glad because were quiet guided about Proverbs 26:20 Jonah 1:11 Jonah 1:12 4 Occurrences |
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