שׁוּף
𐤔𐤅𐤐
shûwph
H7779 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To strike, crush, or bruise, often describing the action of inflicting harm upon a body part (especially the heel or head), typically in a hostile encounter. The word can also denote the act of tramping, battering, or snapping at, with usage sometimes extending metaphorically to the overwhelming or complete defeat of an adversary.
Semantic Range
to strike or deliver a violent blow (especially to the head or heel); to bruise or crush (body part); to snap at (as animal or enemy); to batter or overwhelm (metaphorically, in limited contexts)
Root / Etymology
Root שׁוּף, generally related to the idea of pressing, snapping, or striking. While the root's base meaning refers to a swift, forceful contact such as striking or crushing, the actual lexical usage in biblical Hebrew narrows predominantly to the context of violence inflicted on a vulnerable area, as seen in pivotal narrative passages. The root is rare in biblical Hebrew, and its nuance derives heavily from the limited contexts in which it appears.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שׁוּף appears only a few times in the Hebrew Bible, notably in Genesis 3:15, where it describes the reciprocal wounding or crushing action between the serpent and the seed of the woman. Its usage in this verse and elsewhere does not consistently match the broad range suggested by older lexica or translation traditions. In Genesis 3:15, most English translations use 'bruise' or 'strike,' but the original Hebrew may convey a more violent crushing action. The root's obscurity has led to various renderings in pre-modern translations—such as 'snap at' or 'bruise.' Its sense overlaps with but is distinct from other Hebrew roots for violence or harm, such as מחץ (to crush, shatter) or דכא (to break, crush). There is no clear evidence that שׁוּף ever meant 'to cover' as suggested in some older lexica. Use of the term in post-biblical Hebrew is extremely rare, and it is not part of the general vocabulary; its semantic range must be determined primarily from context and comparative Semitics.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to gape, i.e. snap at; figuratively, to overwhelm; break, bruise, cover.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שוף (š-w-p̄) — strike, crush, snap at
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8207 | שְׁפִיפֹן | striking serpent |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7779-03 |
יְשׁוּפֵ֑/נִי | yeshufeni | HVqi3ms/Sp1cs |
bruises me | he will strike me | 2 | |
H7779-02 |
יְשׁוּפְ/ךָ֣ | yeshufekha | HVqi3ms/Sp2ms |
will bruise you | He will crush you | 1 | |
H7779-01 |
תְּשׁוּפֶ֥/נּוּ | teshufenu | HVqi2ms/Sp3ms |
will bruise him | you will strike him | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7779-02 |
Genesis 3:15 | יְשׁוּפְ/ךָ֣ | yeshufekha | HVqi3ms/Sp2ms |
will bruise you | He will crush you | |
H7779-01 |
Genesis 3:15 | תְּשׁוּפֶ֥/נּוּ | teshufenu | HVqi2ms/Sp3ms |
will bruise him | you will strike him | |
H7779-03 |
Psalms 139:11 | יְשׁוּפֵ֑/נִי | yeshufeni | HVqi3ms/Sp1cs |
will-cover-me | he will strike me | |
H7779-03 |
Job 9:17 | יְשׁוּפֵ֑/נִי | yeshufeni | HVqi3ms/Sp1cs |
bruises me | he will strike me |