שָׁחָה

𐤔𐤇𐤄

shâchâh

H7812 verb

SILEX Entry

Root שׁחה to bow down, to stoop, to prostrate oneself

Definition

To bow down, prostrate oneself, or stoop, in an act of deference, submission, or homage; used of physically lowering the body as a gesture of respect before a superior, whether human (such as a king or dignitary) or divine (God or a deity). The action can be reflexive (bowing oneself) or directed toward another, and is used in a variety of settings including courtly, social, and ritual. In extended contexts, may also signify rendering homage or expressing deep respect, but is physically anchored in the body gesture of bowing or prostration.

Semantic Range

to bow down in homage, to prostrate oneself before a superior, to make obeisance, to show reverence through a physical gesture, to worship (by bowing down), to humble oneself physically, to crouch or stoop

Root / Etymology

From the root שָׁחָה, meaning 'to bow down' or 'to prostrate.' The root conveys the physical act of bending or lowering oneself, which is the foundation for the derived senses of homage or worship. The term is ancient Semitic and attested in related languages, though the precise etymological development is within the semantic sphere of physical self-lowering or submission.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שָׁחָה appears both in religious and secular contexts. It is used of bowing before a human superior (e.g., a king, Genesis 23:7; 1 Samuel 20:41), as well as in contexts of homage or submission to a deity, whether YHWH or another god (Genesis 22:5; Exodus 34:14). In many English translations, when the object is YHWH, it is frequently rendered 'worship,' while in non-divine contexts it is translated as 'bow down,' 'do obeisance,' or similar. This lexical division can obscure the fact that the act is the same: a gesture of respect or submission. Only context determines whether 'worship' is intended, not the lexeme itself. Over time, especially in post-exilic and Second Temple texts, the term's use narrows to predominantly religious contexts, though in older narratives, social and political gestures of homage are equally in view. In contrast, related terms such as כָּרַע (karaʻ, 'to kneel') may emphasize bending the knee rather than full prostration, but the actions can overlap.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God); bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שחה (š-ḥ-h) — to bow down, to stoop, to prostrate oneself

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7811 שָׂחָה I will cause to swim
H7816 שְׁחוּת his sunken pit

Word Forms

40 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7812-23 וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ vayishetachu HC/Vtw3ms and worshiped and he bowed himself down 40
H7812-22 וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֑וּ vayishetachavu HC/Vtw3mp and worshiped and they bowed themselves down 23
H7812-06 לְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֥ת lehishetachaot HR/Vtc to worship to bow oneself down 14
H7812-19 וַ/תִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ vatishetachu HC/Vvw3fs and bowed and she prostrated herself 7
H7812-20 וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ vayishetachauu HC/Vvw3mp and they bowed down and they prostrated themselves 6
H7812-13 תִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ tishetachavu HVvi2mp you shall worship you will bow yourselves down 6
H7812-12 תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה tishetachaveh HVvi2ms you shall bow down you will prostrate yourself 6
H7812-30 וְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם vehishetachavitem HC/Vvq2mp and worship and you yourselves bowed down 5
H7812-31 וְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲו֧וּ vehishetachavu HC/Vvq3cp and worship and they bowed themselves down 5
H7812-34 וְ/יִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֤וּ veyishetachavu HC/Vvj3mp and worship and let them bow themselves down 5

Occurrences in Scripture

175 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7812-23 Genesis 18:2 וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ vayishetachu HC/Vtw3ms and bowed and he bowed himself down
H7812-23 Genesis 19:1 וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ vayishetachu HC/Vtw3ms bowed down and he bowed himself down
H7812-32 Genesis 22:5 וְ/נִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה venishetachaveh HC/Vvi1cp and worship and we will bow ourselves down
H7812-23 Genesis 23:7 וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ vayishetachu HC/Vtw3ms and bowed down and he bowed himself down
H7812-23 Genesis 23:12 וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ֙ vayishetachu HC/Vtw3ms bowed down and he bowed himself down
H7812-23 Genesis 24:26 וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ vayishetachu HC/Vtw3ms and worshiped and he bowed himself down
H7812-17 Genesis 24:48 וָֽ/אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה vaeshetachaveh HC/Vvw1cs and worshiped and I prostrated myself
H7812-23 Genesis 24:52 וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ vayishetachu HC/Vtw3ms he bowed down and he bowed himself down
H7812-36 Genesis 27:29 ו/ישתחו vyshtchv HC/Vvj3ms and bow down and let him prostrate himself
H7812-34 Genesis 27:29 וְ/יִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֤וּ veyishetachavu HC/Vvj3mp and bow down and let them bow themselves down