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שַׁי

𐤔𐤉

shay

H7862 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שוה to level, make equal, present, offer

Definition

A tangible gift, tribute, or present, especially one offered to a superior, ruler, or deity as an act of respect or allegiance. The term usually refers to items presented voluntarily or as a demonstration of submission or recognition of authority, rather than obligatory tax or offering. Its usage signifies the gesture of honoring or appeasing an individual of higher status.

Semantic Range

gift, present, tribute, offering (to deity or ruler), present as homage, diplomatic or religious offering

Root / Etymology

From the root שוה (sh-w-h), 'to level, be equal, become like, set, present.' The noun שַׁי is derived from this root and developed the meaning of 'offering' or 'gift,' emphasizing the act of presenting something to another, often a figure of authority.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שַׁי appears primarily in poetic and prophetic passages (e.g., Psalm 68:30, Isaiah 18:7, 23:18), usually in reference to tribute brought to a higher power, typically a militarily or politically dominant ruler, or deity. It contrasts with מִנְחָה (minḥah), another term for offering or gift, as מִנְחָה often denotes ritual offerings, including grain offerings, whereas שַׁי emphasizes the gesture of presentation and tribute, often without specific ritual connotations. In the Iron Age and monarchic periods, such tributes reflected diplomatic relations or acknowledgment of hegemony. Later translation traditions sometimes rendered שַׁי as 'gift' or 'present,' and in some English versions this sense is preserved, though the political or religious nuances may be flattened. The term is rare compared to other vocabulary for offerings and is often associated with poetic description of tribute brought to Zion or to an Israelite king, or as gifts presented to YHWH.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably from שָׁוָה; a gift (as available); present.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שוה (sh-w-h) — to level, make equal, present, offer

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3145 יוֹשַׁוְיָה And Yahweh-has-established
H3438 יִשְׁוָה and Yishvah
H3440 יִשְׁוִי to Yishvi
H3441 יִשְׁוִי the Yishvite
H7737 שָׁוָה I will make equal

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7862-01 שַׁ֜י shay HNcmsa gift tribute-gift 3

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7862-01 Isaiah 18:7 שַׁ֜י shay HNcmsa gift tribute-gift
H7862-01 Psalms 68:30 שָֽׁי shay HNcmsa tribute tribute-gift
H7862-01 Psalms 76:12 שַׁ֝֗י shay HNcmsa gift tribute-gift
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