שִׁפְחָה (H8198) — Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁפְחָה

𐤔𐤐𐤇𐤄

shiphchâh

H8198 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׁפח to spread out, pour out, extend

Definition

A female slave or servant, specifically a woman of non-Israelite origin who is owned or possessed as property and serves within a household. The term designates an individual of lower social status, generally distinct from free women (whether Israelite or otherwise), and often functions in legal and social contexts to distinguish between classes of women in ancient Israel. In some settings, may refer to a female in servitude who could be given in marriage, bear children for her mistress (especially in cases of infertility), or transferred through inheritance. The semantic range includes slave girl, handmaid, maidservant, bondwoman, or concubine of lower status than a wife.

Semantic Range

female slave, maidservant, handmaid, bondwoman, concubine of slave status, womanservant

Root / Etymology

From the root שָׁפַח (sh-p-ḥ), meaning 'to spread out, pour out.' The derived noun שִׁפְחָה refers to one who is 'spread out' in the sense of being extended to another household, i.e., a female person placed in service. The suggested connection to מִשְׁפָּחָה (family, clan) is based on the idea of household expansion, though this derivation is debated and not universally accepted.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the patriarchal and monarchic periods, שִׁפְחָה typically indicated a female slave of foreign origin, integrated into an Israelite household to perform domestic duties. She could be differentiated from the אָמָה, another term for female servant/slave, though the distinction is not always clear; some sources suggest שִׁפְחָה emphasizes the woman's foreignness or lower status and her role inside the home, as opposed to labor in the field. A שִׁפְחָה could be given to an Israelite male for procreation if his wife was childless (e.g., Hagar to Abraham, Bilhah to Jacob). In legal texts, she could be subject to manumission, sale, or inheritance and possessed limited rights compared to free women. In post-exilic and later literature, the term continues to indicate servile status, but the legal and social structures around slavery became further regulated. Modern English translations commonly use 'maidservant' or 'handmaid,' but these do not always capture the full dimension of social status and lack of autonomy implied by the Hebrew term, nor do they adequately distinguish between the different classes of servitude in ancient Israelite and Judahite society. The English term 'bondwoman' (KJV) reflects the servility but is less common in modern usage. No anachronistic religious or ethnic labels (such as 'Jew') should be applied when discussing ancient contexts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine from an unused root meaning to spread out (as a family; see מִשְׁפָּחָה); a female slave (as a member of the household); (bond-, hand-) maid(-en, -servant), wench, bondwoman, womanservant.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שׁפח (š-p-ḥ) — spread out, pour out, extend

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H4940	מִשְׁפָּחָה	in their clans

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H8198-10`	שִׁפְחָתְ/ךָ֛	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your servant	your slave-woman	10
`H8198-08`	שִׁפְחַ֥ת	shifechat	`HNcfsc`	maidservant	female slave of	7
`H8198-19`	וְ/לִ/שְׁפָח֖וֹת	velishefachot	`HC/R/Ncfpa`	and-as-maids	and to female slaves	6
`H8198-18`	וּ/שְׁפָחֹ֔ת	ushefachot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and female servants	and female slaves	6
`H8198-13`	שִׁפְחָת֑/וֹ	shifechato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his female servant	his slave-woman	5
`H8198-02`	הַ/שְּׁפָחֽוֹת	hashefachot	`HTd/Ncfpa`	maidservants	the slave-women	5
`H8198-07`	שִׁפְחָ֥ה	shifechah	`HNcfsa`	maidservant	slave-woman	4
`H8198-12`	שִׁפְחָתִ֔/י	shifechati	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my maid/servant	my bondwoman	3
`H8198-09`	שִׁפְחָתָ֔/הּ	shifechatah	`HNcfsc/Sp3fs`	her handmaid/servant	her slave-girl	3
`H8198-20`	וְ/שִׁפְחָ֑ה	veshifechah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and a female servant	and a bondwoman	2
`H8198-03`	הַ/שִּׁפְחָ֔ה	hashifechah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the maidservant	the slave-woman	2
`H8198-05`	לְ/שִׁפְחָֽה	leshifechah	`HR/Ncfsa`	as a maidservant	to a female slave	2
`H8198-15`	שִׁפְחֹתֶֽי/ךָ	shifechoteykha	`HNcfpc/Sp2ms`	of your maidservants	your slave-women	1
`H8198-14`	שִׁפְחֹתָ֔י/ו	shifechotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	female servants	his female slaves	1
`H8198-11`	שִׁפְחָתֵ/ךְ֙	shifechatekhe	`HNcfsc/Sp2fs`	your maidservant	your female slave	1
`H8198-01`	בְּ/שִׁפְחָתֶֽ/ךָ	beshifechatekha	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	to your maidservant	in your slave-woman	1
`H8198-17`	וּ/לְ/שִׁפְחָֽתְ/ךָ֙	uleshifechatekha	`HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and to your maidservant	and to your female slave	1
`H8198-16`	שִׁפְח֨וֹתֵי/כֶ֜ם	shifechoteykhem	`HNcfpc/Sp2mp`	female-servants	your bondwomen	1
`H8198-06`	לְ/שִׁפְחָתְ/ךָ֥	leshifechatekha	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	your maidservant has	to your slave-girl	1
`H8198-04`	כַּ/שִּׁפְחָ֖ה	kashifechah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	as with the maid	as a slave-woman	1

Occurrences in Scripture

63 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H8198-18`	Genesis 12:16	וּ/שְׁפָחֹ֔ת	ushefachot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and maidservants	and female slaves
`H8198-07`	Genesis 16:1	שִׁפְחָ֥ה	shifechah	`HNcfsa`	maidservant	slave-woman
`H8198-12`	Genesis 16:2	שִׁפְחָתִ֔/י	shifechati	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my maid/servant	my bondwoman
`H8198-09`	Genesis 16:3	שִׁפְחָתָ֔/הּ	shifechatah	`HNcfsc/Sp3fs`	her maidservant	her slave-girl
`H8198-12`	Genesis 16:5	שִׁפְחָתִ/י֙	shifechati	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my servant	my bondwoman
`H8198-11`	Genesis 16:6	שִׁפְחָתֵ/ךְ֙	shifechatekhe	`HNcfsc/Sp2fs`	your maidservant	your female slave
`H8198-08`	Genesis 16:8	שִׁפְחַ֥ת	shifechat	`HNcfsc`	servant	female slave of
`H8198-18`	Genesis 20:14	וּ/שְׁפָחֹ֔ת	ushefachot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and maidservants	and female slaves
`H8198-18`	Genesis 24:35	וּ/שְׁפָחֹ֔ת	ushefachot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and female servants	and female slaves
`H8198-08`	Genesis 25:12	שִׁפְחַ֥ת	shifechat	`HNcfsc`	the maidservant	female slave of
`H8198-13`	Genesis 29:24	שִׁפְחָת֑/וֹ	shifechato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his servant girl	his slave-woman
`H8198-07`	Genesis 29:24	שִׁפְחָֽה	shifechah	`HNcfsa`	maidservant	slave-woman
`H8198-13`	Genesis 29:29	שִׁפְחָת֑/וֹ	shifechato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his maidservant	his slave-woman
`H8198-05`	Genesis 29:29	לְ/שִׁפְחָֽה	leshifechah	`HR/Ncfsa`	as a maidservant	to a female slave
`H8198-09`	Genesis 30:4	שִׁפְחָתָ֖/הּ	shifechatah	`HNcfsc/Sp3fs`	her handmaid/servant	her slave-girl
`H8198-08`	Genesis 30:7	שִׁפְחַ֣ת	shifechat	`HNcfsc`	maidservant	female slave of
`H8198-09`	Genesis 30:9	שִׁפְחָתָ֔/הּ	shifechatah	`HNcfsc/Sp3fs`	her servant	her slave-girl
`H8198-08`	Genesis 30:10	שִׁפְחַ֥ת	shifechat	`HNcfsc`	maidservant	female slave of
`H8198-08`	Genesis 30:12	שִׁפְחַ֣ת	shifechat	`HNcfsc`	servant of	female slave of
`H8198-12`	Genesis 30:18	שִׁפְחָתִ֖/י	shifechati	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my maid/servant	my bondwoman
`H8198-18`	Genesis 30:43	וּ/שְׁפָחוֹת֙	ushefachot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and female servants	and female slaves
`H8198-20`	Genesis 32:6	וְ/שִׁפְחָ֑ה	veshifechah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and maidservant	and a bondwoman
`H8198-14`	Genesis 32:23	שִׁפְחֹתָ֔י/ו	shifechotayv	`HNcfpc/Sp3ms`	female servants	his female slaves
`H8198-02`	Genesis 33:1	הַ/שְּׁפָחֽוֹת	hashefachot	`HTd/Ncfpa`	maidservants	the slave-women
`H8198-02`	Genesis 33:2	הַ/שְּׁפָח֛וֹת	hashefachot	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the servants	the slave-women
`H8198-02`	Genesis 33:6	הַ/שְּׁפָח֛וֹת	hashefachot	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the maidservants	the slave-women
`H8198-08`	Genesis 35:25	שִׁפְחַ֣ת	shifechat	`HNcfsc`	maidservant	female slave of
`H8198-08`	Genesis 35:26	שִׁפְחַ֥ת	shifechat	`HNcfsc`	maid	female slave of
`H8198-03`	Exodus 11:5	הַ/שִּׁפְחָ֔ה	hashifechah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the maidservant	the slave-woman
`H8198-07`	Leviticus 19:20	שִׁפְחָה֙	shifechah	`HNcfsa`	a slave woman	slave-woman
`H8198-19`	Deuteronomy 28:68	וְ/לִ/שְׁפָח֖וֹת	velishefachot	`HC/R/Ncfpa`	and-as-maids	and to female slaves
`H8198-10`	1 Samuel 1:18	שִׁפְחָתְ/ךָ֛	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your servant	your slave-woman
`H8198-16`	1 Samuel 8:16	שִׁפְח֨וֹתֵי/כֶ֜ם	shifechoteykhem	`HNcfpc/Sp2mp`	female-servants	your bondwomen
`H8198-10`	1 Samuel 25:27	שִׁפְחָתְ/ךָ֖	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your servant	your slave-woman
`H8198-05`	1 Samuel 25:41	לְ/שִׁפְחָ֔ה	leshifechah	`HR/Ncfsa`	a servant	to a female slave
`H8198-10`	1 Samuel 28:21	שִׁפְחָֽתְ/ךָ֙	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your handmaid	your slave-woman
`H8198-10`	1 Samuel 28:22	שִׁפְחָתֶ֔/ךָ	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	of your handmaid	your slave-woman
`H8198-17`	2 Samuel 14:6	וּ/לְ/שִׁפְחָֽתְ/ךָ֙	uleshifechatekha	`HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and to your maidservant	and to your female slave
`H8198-10`	2 Samuel 14:7	שִׁפְחָתֶ֗/ךָ	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your servant	your slave-woman
`H8198-10`	2 Samuel 14:12	שִׁפְחָתְ/ךָ֛	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your servant	your slave-woman
`H8198-10`	2 Samuel 14:15	שִׁפְחָֽתְ/ךָ֙	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your-female-servant	your slave-woman
`H8198-10`	2 Samuel 14:17	שִׁפְחָ֣תְ/ךָ֔	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your servant	your slave-woman
`H8198-10`	2 Samuel 14:19	שִׁפְחָֽתְ/ךָ֔	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	of your handmaid	your slave-woman
`H8198-03`	2 Samuel 17:17	הַ/שִּׁפְחָה֙	hashifechah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the servant girl	the slave-woman
`H8198-06`	2 Kings 4:2	לְ/שִׁפְחָתְ/ךָ֥	leshifechatekha	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	your maidservant has	to your slave-girl
`H8198-01`	2 Kings 4:16	בְּ/שִׁפְחָתֶֽ/ךָ	beshifechatekha	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	to your maidservant	in your slave-woman
`H8198-18`	2 Kings 5:26	וּ/שְׁפָחֽוֹת	ushefachot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and female servants	and female slaves
`H8198-19`	Isaiah 14:2	וְ/לִ/שְׁפָח֑וֹת	velishefachot	`HC/R/Ncfpa`	and handmaids	and to female slaves
`H8198-04`	Isaiah 24:2	כַּ/שִּׁפְחָ֖ה	kashifechah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	as with the maid	as a slave-woman
`H8198-13`	Jeremiah 34:9	שִׁפְחָת֛/וֹ	shifechato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his female servant	his slave-woman
`H8198-13`	Jeremiah 34:10	שִׁפְחָת/וֹ֙	shifechato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his maidservant	his slave-woman
`H8198-02`	Jeremiah 34:11	הַ/שְּׁפָח֔וֹת	hashefachot	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the female servants	the slave-women
`H8198-19`	Jeremiah 34:11	וְ/לִ/שְׁפָחֽוֹת	velishefachot	`HC/R/Ncfpa`	and for female servants	and to female slaves
`H8198-13`	Jeremiah 34:16	שִׁפְחָת֔/וֹ	shifechato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his female servant	his slave-woman
`H8198-19`	Jeremiah 34:16	וְ/לִ/שְׁפָחֽוֹת	velishefachot	`HC/R/Ncfpa`	and female servants	and to female slaves
`H8198-02`	Joel 3:2	הַ/שְּׁפָח֑וֹת	hashefachot	`HTd/Ncfpa`	the handmaidens	the slave-women
`H8198-07`	Psalms 123:2	שִׁפְחָה֮	shifechah	`HNcfsa`	a maid	slave-woman
`H8198-20`	Proverbs 30:23	וְ֝/שִׁפְחָ֗ה	veshifechah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and a female servant	and a bondwoman
`H8198-10`	Ruth 2:13	שִׁפְחָתֶ֑/ךָ	shifechatekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your maidservant	your slave-woman
`H8198-15`	Ruth 2:13	שִׁפְחֹתֶֽי/ךָ	shifechoteykha	`HNcfpc/Sp2ms`	of your maidservants	your slave-women
`H8198-18`	Ecclesiastes 2:7	וּ/שְׁפָח֔וֹת	ushefachot	`HC/Ncfpa`		and female slaves
`H8198-19`	Esther 7:4	וְ/לִ/שְׁפָח֤וֹת	velishefachot	`HC/R/Ncfpa`	and female slaves	and to female slaves
`H8198-19`	2 Chronicles 28:10	וְ/לִ/שְׁפָח֖וֹת	velishefachot	`HC/R/Ncfpa`	and-for-female-slaves	and to female slaves

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