שִׁפְמִי
𐤔𐤐𐤌𐤉
Shifemi
H8225 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A gentilic or personal designation indicating association with Shepham, likely referring to a person who belonged to, originated from, or was linked by descent to the location Shepham. In biblical usage, it designates a Shiphmite—that is, one of Shepham, either by residence or lineage.
Semantic Range
inhabitant of Shepham, descendant of Shepham, member of a family or clan associated with Shepham, gentilic derived from a place name
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁ־פ־ם (שְׁפָם), which serves as a place name (Shepham), with the gentilic suffix -י (־ִי) forming a designation for an inhabitant or descendant. The root meaning of שׁ־פ־ם is otherwise unattested in Hebrew, serving only as a toponym.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שִׁפְמִי appears only as a proper noun in genealogical lists (e.g., 1 Chronicles 27:27) where it functions as a personal nickname or tribal marker. It most plausibly indicates either birth, descent, or a clan’s original geographic association with Shepham—a place mentioned in Numbers 34:10–11 as a northeast border point of Canaan. In genealogical contexts, such gentilics can denote clan or lineage identity rather than personal origin alone. The traditional English rendering as 'Shiphmite' preserves the linguistic form but obscures the concrete association with a real or ancestral place; later translations sometimes use 'of Shepham.' Unlike ethnonyms such as Yisre'eli (Israelite) or Yehudi (Judean), שִׁפְמִי is highly localized. There is no evidence it was used as a broad ethnic, geographic, or religious identifier in later periods. Occurs in the monarchic period lists, with no attested meaning or usage beyond this.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patrial from שְׁפָם; a Shiphmite or inhabitant of Shepham; Shiphmite.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁפם (š-p-m) — association with Shepham, origin from Shepham (toponymic identity)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7781 | שׁוּפָמִי | the Shuphamite clansman |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8225-01 |
הַ/שִּׁפְמִֽי | hashifemi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Shiphmite | the Shephamite | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8225-01 |
1 Chronicles 27:27 | הַ/שִּׁפְמִֽי | hashifemi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Shiphmite | the Shephamite |