שְׁפוּפָם
𐤔𐤐𐤅𐤐𐤌
Shefufam
H8197 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun, masculine: Shephupham or Shephuphan — a personal name referring to an Israelite, specifically a descendant of Benjamin. The word does not function as a common noun but as a proper name, and no indication is given in the biblical text of descriptive meaning (beyond possible relation to serpent imagery via the root).
Semantic Range
Shephupham/Shephuphan, proper noun; personal name of an Israelite descendent of Benjamin; no established use as a common noun
Root / Etymology
From the root שָׁפַף (to glide, to creep), related to the noun שְׁפִיפֹן (serpent, Gen 49:17). The form שְׁפוּפָם/שְׁפוּפָן is a proper noun, possibly originally descriptive ('one who creeps/glides' or 'serpent-like'), but by the biblical period used solely as a name. Root: שׁ־פ־ף.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Shephupham/Shephuphan is listed as a son of Benjamin in genealogical records (Numbers 26:39) and may correspond to the figure Shephuphan in 1 Chronicles 8:5 (spelled שְׁפוּפָן). The name is distinctive and rare; despite the root's association with serpent imagery, there is no textual evidence that the bearer of the name was regarded as snake-like or that the name was used with this connotation in the narrative. Differences in spelling (שְׁפוּפָם vs. שְׁפוּפָן) likely reflect dialectal variation, scribal transmission, or updating, not a distinction in meaning. English translations sometimes render the word as 'Shupham' or 'Shephuphan.' In later Jewish tradition, the names are connected with tribal lists but carry no special significance. The potential association with 'serpent' is etymological and not thematic in biblical usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or שְׁפוּפָן; from the same as שְׁפִיפֹן; serpent-like; Shephupham or Shephuphan, an Israelite; Shephuphan, Shupham.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁפף (š-p-p) — to glide, to creep, to move in a serpentine manner
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8197-01 |
לִ/שְׁפוּפָ֕ם | lishefufam | HR/Np |
of Shupham | to Shephupham | 1 |
H8197-02 |
וּ/שְׁפוּפָ֖ן | ushefufan | HC/Np |
and Shephuphan | and Shephuphan | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8197-01 |
Numbers 26:39 | לִ/שְׁפוּפָ֕ם | lishefufam | HR/Np |
of Shupham | to Shephupham |
H8197-02 |
1 Chronicles 8:5 | וּ/שְׁפוּפָ֖ן | ushefufan | HC/Np |
and Shephuphan | and Shephuphan |