שַׁעֲטָה
𐤔𐤏𐤈𐤄
shaʻăṭâh
H8161 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A noise produced by the forceful stamping or trampling, especially by animals; specifically, the clattering or pounding sound of hoofs striking the ground. In context, it refers to the audible effect caused by a herd or group of animals, often in rapid movement. Semantic range includes 'trampling', 'clattering of hoofs', 'stamping'.
Semantic Range
stamping sound, clattering noise of hooves, trampling, thundering of approaching animals, energetic motion manifest in sound
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שעט, which likely conveys the sense of stamping, trampling, or energetic movement. The specific root is not attested elsewhere in Biblical Hebrew and is considered 'unused' or rare, reconstructed based on the noun. The feminine ending -ה denotes a noun formed from this root concept. The underlying sense is of repeated striking or pounding motion, typically with the feet or hooves.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שַׁעֲטָה occurs in poetic or vivid descriptive contexts, particularly to evoke the auditory resonance of stampeding animals (cf. Jeremiah 47:3; Nahum 3:2). The term is onomatopoeic, capturing the staccato sound of hooves in fast movement. Its use is limited to a few passages; hence, its semantic field is primarily reconstructed from context and etymological considerations, rather than from a wide range of usages across biblical texts. Unlike more general words for 'sound' or 'noise' (e.g., קוֹל), שַׁעֲטָה is specific to the physical action of stamping or trampling, usually in association with horses or war animals in noise-dense scenes. Later translations (e.g., LXX) sometimes render it as 'noise' or 'clatter,' but the specific sense of trampling by hooves is to be preferred. It does not carry symbolic or religious connotation, but is a vivid, concrete term connected to battle imagery or panic scenes.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine from an unused root meaning to stamp; a clatter (of hoofs); stamping.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שעט (š-ʿ-ṭ) — to stamp, to trample, to rush about energetically
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8161-01 |
שַֽׁעֲטַת֙ | shaatat | HNcfsc |
of the stamping | hoof-clattering of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8161-01 |
Jeremiah 47:3 | שַֽׁעֲטַת֙ | shaatat | HNcfsc |
of the stamping | hoof-clattering of |