שְׁבַח
𐤔𐤁𐤇
shᵉbach
H7624 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To offer praise, give glory, or express admiration, typically directed toward a deity; to laud or extol through words or song. The term denotes the act of vocal or public affirmation of another's greatness, especially in liturgical or formal contexts. In biblical usage, the primary addressee is the God of Israel, and the word often describes an act of community or congregational acclaim.
Semantic Range
to praise, to glorify, to extol, to sing or speak words of adulation or acclaim, to declare greatness
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁבח, meaning 'to praise' or 'to laud.' As an Aramaic verb, it is cognate to the Hebrew שָׁבַח (shavach), which has a similar meaning. The core idea is the vocal expression of acclaim or exaltation. Derived noun forms also relate to praise or commendation in both Aramaic and Hebrew usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
This verb appears exclusively in the Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible (primarily Daniel and Ezra), reflecting Aramaic as the administrative and liturgical language of the Persian period. While often rendered simply as 'praise' in English translations, the Aramaic term carries nuances of public acknowledgment or formal glorification, similar to its Hebrew cognate but with some shifts reflecting Aramaic liturgical style. The act is usually collective and solemn, distinct from more general words for thanks (הוֹדָה) or blessing (בָּרַךְ). In later periods, 'to praise' is the standard meaning, but the term is also found in rabbinic Aramaic and Jewish liturgy, maintaining the core sense of vocal acclaim. English versions sometimes narrow the meaning, translating as 'adore' or 'glorify,' but the word in biblical contexts centers on spoken or sung proclamation of greatness, not silent reverence.
Translation Consistency
'Praise' is the common, natural verb used throughout English translations for שְׁבַח’s primary sense of giving glory, extolling, or singing acclaim, especially to God. It matches the attested renderings (praised/praising) while remaining broad enough to cover spoken or sung, individual or communal expressions of acclaim, and is more natural than more formal alternatives like 'glorify' or 'extol.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁבַח; to adulate, i.e. adore; praise.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שבח (sh-b-ḥ) — to praise, to glorify, to extol
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7623 | שָׁבַח | to praise oneself |
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7624-05 |
וְ֠/שַׁבַּחוּ | veshabachu | AC/Vpp3mp |
and praised | and they extolled | and they praised | 1 |
H7624-02 |
שַׁבַּ֑חְתָּ | shabacheta | AVpp2ms |
you have praised | you have extolled | you have praised | 1 |
H7624-01 |
מְשַׁבַּ֨ח | meshabach | AVprmsa |
was-praising | the one who praises | was praising | 1 |
H7624-03 |
שַׁבְּחֵ֣ת | shabechet | AVpp1cs |
I-praised | I extolled | I praised | 1 |
H7624-04 |
וּ/מְשַׁבַּח֙ | umeshabach | AC/Vprmsa |
and praise | and the extolling one | and praise | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7624-04 |
Daniel 2:23 | וּ/מְשַׁבַּח֙ | umeshabach | AC/Vprmsa |
and praise | and the extolling one | and praise |
H7624-03 |
Daniel 4:31 | שַׁבְּחֵ֣ת | shabechet | AVpp1cs |
I-praised | I extolled | I praised |
H7624-01 |
Daniel 4:34 | מְשַׁבַּ֨ח | meshabach | AVprmsa |
was-praising | the one who praises | was praising |
H7624-05 |
Daniel 5:4 | וְ֠/שַׁבַּחוּ | veshabachu | AC/Vpp3mp |
and praised | and they extolled | and they praised |
H7624-02 |
Daniel 5:23 | שַׁבַּ֑חְתָּ | shabacheta | AVpp2ms |
you have praised | you have extolled | you have praised |