שָׂפָם
𐤔𐤐𐤌
sâphâm
H8222 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A part of the face associated with the upper lip, often indicating the beard or mustache region in Hebrew usage of the First Temple period. In context, שָׂפָם refers primarily to the mustache—the hair growing above the upper lip—rather than the full beard. The word also serves to denote the upper lip itself, especially in contexts relating to ritual impurity and mourning practices, where covering or disfiguring the שָׂפָם is mentioned.
Semantic Range
mustache, upper lip, the hair above the upper lip, facial hair on the upper lip, part of the face covered in mourning or impurity rites
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root שָׂפָה (s-p-h), meaning 'lip, edge, border, bank.' The word שָׂפָם adds the final ם, forming a noun that refers to something attached to or covering the lip—specifically the mustache region.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׂפָם appears primarily in priestly and prophetic texts (e.g., Leviticus 13:45, Ezekiel 24:17,22), in prescriptions for the mourning or purification rituals, such as covering the upper lip (shrouding the שָׂפָם) or refraining from grooming it. Whereas English translations may render the word as 'upper lip,' 'mustache,' or 'beard,' the underlying Hebrew refers most precisely to the mustache area—the part of the facial hair on and above the upper lip. The term is distinct from זָקָן (zaqan), which unequivocally means 'beard' (the hair on the chin and jaw). Unlike later periods, in which grooming the mustache or beard might carry specific cultural or religious meaning, the biblical text employs שָׂפָם as a marker of mourning, ritual status, or disease (e.g., leprosy protocols). The later Rabbinic application of the term expands or specifies it further, but in the Hebrew Bible it retains this more restricted semantic field.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׂפָה; the beard (as a lippiece); beard, (upper) lip.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׂפה (ś-p-h) — lip, edge, border
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8222-01 |
שָׂפָ֖ם | safam | HNcmsa |
his-mustache | mustache | 4 |
H8222-02 |
שְׂפָמ֗/וֹ | sefamo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his mustache | his upper-lip hair | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8222-01 |
Leviticus 13:45 | שָׂפָ֖ם | safam | HNcmsa |
his-mustache | mustache |
H8222-02 |
2 Samuel 19:25 | שְׂפָמ֗/וֹ | sefamo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his mustache | his upper-lip hair |
H8222-01 |
Ezekiel 24:17 | שָׂפָ֔ם | safam | HNcmsa |
your mustache | mustache |
H8222-01 |
Ezekiel 24:22 | שָׂפָם֙ | safam | HNcmsa |
mustache/lip | mustache |
H8222-01 |
Micah 3:7 | שָׂפָ֖ם | safam | HNcmsa |
their-lips | mustache |