שָׁפָת
𐤔𐤐𐤕
shâphâth
H8240 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A double stall or enclosure, especially for cattle; also denotes a two-pronged hook used for suspending, flaying, or butchering animals. The term refers primarily to functional items in animal husbandry and ritual slaughter, and can also extend to pots or vessels, likely by metonymy or semantic extension from the concept of holding or containing.
Semantic Range
stall for cattle, enclosure, double stall, two-pronged hook, hook for flaying or butchering, hook for suspending animals, pot, container
Root / Etymology
Root: שָׁפַת (shaphat) 'to set, place, put'; שָׁפָת appears to be a derivative, essentially meaning 'a thing-set'. The formation reflects a nominal use based on the verbal root, indicating something constructed or put in place, such as a stall, or something set up such as a hook. The sense of 'pot' may arise by further extension as a vessel set upon a fire or in a particular position, but this is less common.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׁפָת occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Ezekiel 40:43), where it most likely denotes a two-pronged hook, used in butchering or flaying sacrificial animals. The related root שָׁפַת more commonly means 'to set' or 'to place,' especially with regard to setting pots or vessels upon a fire (e.g., 2 Kings 4:38). The nominal form שָׁפָת, however, focuses not on the act but on the object. In animal husbandry and cultic contexts of the monarchic and later periods, it could refer to specific fixtures used in slaughter or preparation of animals. In some ancient versions and later translations, the word is rendered as 'pot' based on the root meaning 'set' (cf. LXX rendering of some instances). English translations often diverge; in some, the specialized function is lost or obscured. The semantic field partially overlaps with other terms for hooks or vessels (like וָו or סִיר), but שָׁפָת retains a distinct sense linked to the preparation or presentation of animals in cultic practice.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁפַת; a (double) stall (for cattle); also a (two-pronged) hook (for flaying animals on); hook, pot.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שפת (š-p-t) — to set, to place, to put
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8239 | שָׁפַת | Set in place |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8240-02 |
וְ/הַֽ/שְׁפַתַּ֗יִם | vehashefatayim | HC/Td/Ncmda |
and-the-ledges | the double-stall | 1 |
H8240-01 |
שְׁפַ֫תָּ֥יִם | shefatayim | HNcmda |
the sheepfolds | double stall | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8240-02 |
Ezekiel 40:43 | וְ/הַֽ/שְׁפַתַּ֗יִם | vehashefatayim | HC/Td/Ncmda |
and-the-ledges | the double-stall |
H8240-01 |
Psalms 68:14 | שְׁפַ֫תָּ֥יִם | shefatayim | HNcmda |
the sheepfolds | double stall |