שָׁחָה (H7812) — Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁחָה

𐤔𐤇𐤄

shâchâh

H7812 verb

SILEX Entry

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.

Translation Consistency

primary "bow" 43 occurrences

'Bow' is the most natural, commonly attested English verb that captures the physical act of lowering oneself in deference or homage (including prostration). It matches the typical usage across contexts (courtly, social, ritual, and worship), is more natural-sounding than 'prostrate' or 'worship' for general cases, and was the dominant rendering in the occurrences list—making it the best consistent base verb for all forms of שָׁחָה.

Alternatives (7 occurrences):

"prostrated" (6x) "prostrated myself" (1x)

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

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

שׁחה (shâchâh) — to bow down, to stoop, to prostrate oneself

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

Word Forms

40 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H7812-23`	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and worshiped	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down	40
`H7812-22`	וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּ	vayishetachavu	`HC/Vtw3mp`	and worshiped	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down	23
`H7812-06`	לְ/הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֧ת	lehishetachaot	`HR/Vtc`	to worship	to bow oneself down	to bow oneself down	14
`H7812-19`	וַ/תִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ	vatishetachu	`HC/Vvw3fs`	and bowed	and she prostrated herself	and she bowed herself down	7
`H7812-12`	תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה	tishetachaveh	`HVvi2ms`	you shall bow down	you will prostrate yourself	you will bow down	6
`H7812-13`	תִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ	tishetachavu	`HVvi2mp`	you shall worship	you will bow yourselves down	you will bow yourselves down	6
`H7812-20`	וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֖וּ	vayishetachauu	`HC/Vvw3mp`	and they bowed down	and they prostrated themselves	and they prostrated themselves	6
`H7812-05`	הִשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ	hishetachavu	`HVvv2mp`	worship	they bowed themselves down	bow yourselves down	5
`H7812-30`	וְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם	vehishetachavitem	`HC/Vvq2mp`	and worship	and you yourselves bowed down	and you yourselves bowed down	5
`H7812-31`	וְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ	vehishetachavu	`HC/Vvq3cp`	and worship	and they bowed themselves down	and bow yourselves down	5
`H7812-34`	וְ/יִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֤וּ	veyishetachavu	`HC/Vvj3mp`	and worship	and let them bow themselves down	and let them bow themselves down	5
`H7812-29`	וְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥יתָ	vehishetachavita	`HC/Vvq2ms`	and worship	and you bowed yourself down	and you bowed yourself down	4
`H7812-08`	מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֔ים	mishetachavim	`HVvrmpa`	were bowing down	those bowing themselves down	those bowing themselves down	3
`H7812-14`	וּ/לְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֣ת	ulehishetachaot	`HC/R/Vvc`	and to bow down	and to prostrate oneself	and to bow down	3
`H7812-36`	ו/ישתחו	vyshtchv	`HC/Vvw3ms`	and bow down	and let him prostrate himself	and bowed down	3
`H7812-38`	יִשְׁתַּחֲוּ֥וּ	yishetachauu	`HVvi3mp`	shall bow down	they will prostrate themselves	they will bow down	3
`H7812-39`	יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה	yishetachaveh	`HVvi3ms`	he bowed down	he will bow himself down	he will bow himself down	3
`H7812-40`	יִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֔וּ	yishetachavu	`HVvi3mp`	they-bow-down	they bow themselves down	they will bow themselves down	3
`H7812-02`	אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה	eshetachaveh	`HVvi1cs`	I will bow down	I will bow myself down	I will bow myself down	2
`H7812-03`	הַ/מִּשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥ים	hamishetachavim	`HTd/Vvrmpa`	bow down	the self-bowing ones	the self-bowing ones	2
`H7812-07`	מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה	mishetachaveh	`HVvrmsa`	was worshiping	the one bowing himself	the one bowing himself	2
`H7812-10`	נִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֣ה	nishetachaveh	`HVvi1cp`	let us worship	we will bow ourselves down	let us bow ourselves down	2
`H7812-16`	וּ/מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙	umishetachavim	`HC/Vvrmpa`	and paying-homage	and those bowing themselves down	and those bowing themselves down	2
`H7812-18`	וַ/תִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽיןָ	vatishetachaveyna	`HC/Vvw3fp`	and bowed down	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down	2
`H7812-25`	וְ/הִשְׁתַּֽחֲוּוּ	vehishetachauu	`HC/Vvq3cp`	and bow down	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down	2
`H7812-27`	וְ/הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֖יתִי	vehishetachaveyti	`HC/Vvp1cs`	and I bow down	and I bowed myself down	and I bow down	2
`H7812-33`	וְ/יִשְׁתַּחֲוּ֥וּ	veyishetachauu	`HC/Vvj3mp`	and-will-worship	and let them bow themselves down	and let them bow themselves down	2
`H7812-01`	בְּ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָ֨תִ/י֙	behishetachavayati	`HR/Vvc/Sp1cs`	when I bow down	in my bowing myself down	when I bow down	1
`H7812-04`	הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֔יתִי	hishetachaveyti	`HVvp1cs`	I have bowed myself	I prostrated myself	I prostrated myself	1
`H7812-09`	מִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֥ם	mishetachavitem	`HVvrmpa`	bowing down	the ones bowing themselves down	bowing down	1
`H7812-11`	שְׁחִ֣י	shechi	`HVqv2fs`	bow-down	Bow yourself down	Bow yourself down	1
`H7812-15`	וּ/מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה	umishetachaveh	`HC/Vvrmsa`	or paying homage	bowing himself down	and bowing himself down	1
`H7812-17`	וָֽ/אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה	vaeshetachaveh	`HC/Vvw1cs`	and worshiped	and I prostrated myself	and I prostrated myself	1
`H7812-21`	וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה	vayishetachaveh	`HC/Vvw3ms`	and he bowed down	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down	1
`H7812-24`	וְ/אֶֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה	veeshetachaveh	`HC/Vvi1cs`	that I may worship	and I will prostrate myself	and I will bow down	1
`H7812-26`	וְ/הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוָ֛ה	vehishetachavah	`HC/Vvq3ms`	and-he-shall-worship	and he bowed himself down	and he shall bow himself down	1
`H7812-28`	וְ/הִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִי	vehishetachavi	`HC/Vvv2fs`	and bow down	and bow yourself down	and bow yourself down	1
`H7812-32`	וְ/נִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה	venishetachaveh	`HC/Vvi1cp`	and worship	and we will bow ourselves down	and we will bow ourselves down	1
`H7812-35`	וְ/יִשְׁתַּ֨חוּ֙	veyishetachu	`HC/Vvi3ms`	and he worships	and he will bow himself down	and he prostrates himself	1
`H7812-37`	יַשְׁחֶ֑/נָּה	yashechenah	`HVhi3ms/Sp3fs`	weighs-it-down	he will make her bow down	it will make her bow down	1

Occurrences in Scripture

175 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H7812-23`	Genesis 18:2	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and bowed	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-23`	Genesis 19:1	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	bowed down	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-32`	Genesis 22:5	וְ/נִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה	venishetachaveh	`HC/Vvi1cp`	and worship	and we will bow ourselves down	and we will bow ourselves down
`H7812-23`	Genesis 23:7	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and bowed down	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-23`	Genesis 23:12	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ֙	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	bowed down	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-23`	Genesis 24:26	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and worshiped	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-17`	Genesis 24:48	וָֽ/אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה	vaeshetachaveh	`HC/Vvw1cs`	and worshiped	and I prostrated myself	and I prostrated myself
`H7812-23`	Genesis 24:52	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	he bowed down	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-36`	Genesis 27:29	ו/ישתחו	vyshtchv	`HC/Vvj3ms`	and bow down	and let him prostrate himself	and let him bow himself down
`H7812-34`	Genesis 27:29	וְ/יִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֤וּ	veyishetachavu	`HC/Vvj3mp`	and bow down	and let them bow themselves down	and let them bow themselves down
`H7812-33`	Genesis 27:29	וְ/יִשְׁתַּחֲוּ֥וּ	veyishetachauu	`HC/Vvj3mp`	bow down	and let them bow themselves down	and let them bow themselves down
`H7812-23`	Genesis 33:3	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֤חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and bowed down	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-18`	Genesis 33:6	וַ/תִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽיןָ	vatishetachaveyna	`HC/Vvw3fp`	and they bowed down	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down
`H7812-22`	Genesis 33:7	וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֑וּ	vayishetachavu	`HC/Vtw3mp`	and they bowed down	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down
`H7812-22`	Genesis 33:7	וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ	vayishetachavu-2	`HC/Vtw3mp`	and they bowed down	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down
`H7812-18`	Genesis 37:7	וַ/תִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖יןָ	vatishetachaveyna	`HC/Vvw3fp`	and bowed down	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down
`H7812-08`	Genesis 37:9	מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֖ים	mishetachavim	`HVvrmpa`	were bowing down	those bowing themselves down	those bowing themselves down
`H7812-06`	Genesis 37:10	לְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֥ת	lehishetachaot	`HR/Vtc`	to bow down	to bow oneself down	to bow oneself down
`H7812-22`	Genesis 42:6	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ	vayishetachavu	`HC/Vtw3mp`	and bowed down	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down
`H7812-22`	Genesis 43:26	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ	vayishetachavu	`HC/Vtw3mp`	and bowed down	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down
`H7812-36`	Genesis 43:28	ו/ישתחו	vyshtchv	`HC/Vvw3ms`	and prostrated	and let him prostrate himself	and they prostrated themselves
`H7812-20`	Genesis 43:28	וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ	vayishetachauu	`HC/Vvw3mp`	themselves	and they prostrated themselves	and they prostrated themselves
`H7812-23`	Genesis 47:31	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	And he bowed down	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-23`	Genesis 48:12	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and he bowed down	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-38`	Genesis 49:8	יִשְׁתַּחֲוּ֥וּ	yishetachauu	`HVvi3mp`	shall bow down	they will prostrate themselves	they will bow down
`H7812-20`	Exodus 4:31	וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ	vayishetachauu	`HC/Vvw3mp`	and worshipped	and they prostrated themselves	and they prostrated themselves
`H7812-25`	Exodus 11:8	וְ/הִשְׁתַּֽחֲוּוּ	vehishetachauu	`HC/Vvq3cp`	and bow down	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down
`H7812-20`	Exodus 12:27	וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ	vayishetachauu	`HC/Vtw3mp`	and worshiped	and they prostrated themselves	and they prostrated themselves
`H7812-23`	Exodus 18:7	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ֙	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and bowed down	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-12`	Exodus 20:5	תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה	tishetachaveh	`HVvi2ms`	you shall bow down	you will prostrate yourself	you will bow down
`H7812-12`	Exodus 23:24	תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֤ה	tishetachaveh	`HVvi2ms`	you shall bow down	you will prostrate yourself	you will bow down
`H7812-30`	Exodus 24:1	וְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם	vehishetachavitem	`HC/Vvq2mp`	and you shall worship	and you yourselves bowed down	and you shall bow down
`H7812-22`	Exodus 32:8	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ	vayishetachavu	`HC/Vtw3mp`	and have worshiped	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down
`H7812-25`	Exodus 33:10	וְ/הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֔וּ	vehishetachauu	`HC/Vvq3cp`	and worshiped	and they bowed themselves down	and they bowed themselves down
`H7812-23`	Exodus 34:8	וַ/יִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and worshiped	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-12`	Exodus 34:14	תִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה	tishetachaveh	`HVvi2ms`	you shall worship	you will prostrate yourself	you will bow down
`H7812-06`	Leviticus 26:1	לְ/הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֖ת	lehishetachaot	`HR/Vtc`	to bow down	to bow oneself down	to bow oneself down
`H7812-23`	Numbers 22:31	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and-he-worshipped	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-20`	Numbers 25:2	וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֖וּ	vayishetachauu	`HC/Vvw3mp`	bowed down	and they prostrated themselves	and they prostrated themselves
`H7812-29`	Deuteronomy 4:19	וְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥יתָ	vehishetachavita	`HC/Vvq2ms`	and worship	and you bowed yourself down	and you bowed yourself down
`H7812-12`	Deuteronomy 5:9	תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה	tishetachaveh	`HVvi2ms`	you shall bow down	you will prostrate yourself	you will bow down
`H7812-29`	Deuteronomy 8:19	וְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוִ֣יתָ	vehishetachavita	`HC/Vvq2ms`	and worship	and you bowed yourself down	and you bowed yourself down
`H7812-30`	Deuteronomy 11:16	וְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם	vehishetachavitem	`HC/Vvq2mp`	and worship	and you yourselves bowed down	and you bow down
`H7812-23`	Deuteronomy 17:3	וַ/יִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and worshiped	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-29`	Deuteronomy 26:10	וְ/הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֔יתָ	vehishetachavita	`HC/Vvq2ms`	and-you-shall-worship	and you bowed yourself down	and you shall bow yourself down
`H7812-20`	Deuteronomy 29:25	וַ/יִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֖וּ	vayishetachauu	`HC/Vvw3mp`	and they bowed down	and they prostrated themselves	and they prostrated themselves
`H7812-29`	Deuteronomy 30:17	וְ/הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֛יתָ	vehishetachavita	`HC/Vvq2ms`	and worship	and you bowed yourself down	and you bowed yourself down
`H7812-23`	Joshua 5:14	וַ/יִּשְׁתָּ֔חוּ	vayishetachu	`HC/Vtw3ms`	and worshiped	and he bowed himself down	and he bowed himself down
`H7812-13`	Joshua 23:7	תִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ	tishetachavu	`HVvi2mp`	bow down	you will bow yourselves down	you will bow yourselves down
`H7812-30`	Joshua 23:16	וְ/הִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם	vehishetachavitem	`HC/Vvq2mp`	and bow down	and you yourselves bowed down	and you yourselves bowed down

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