אַשְׁפָּה
𐤀𐤔𐤐𐤄
ʼashpâh
H827 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A container or case used for holding arrows—a quiver. Primarily denotes an equipment item carried by warriors or hunters for storing arrows. May appear concretely as the physical object or, by extension, as a metonym for weaponry. Literary usage can emphasize preparation for combat or readiness.
Semantic Range
quiver (for arrows), arrow-case, store of arrows
Root / Etymology
From the root אשׁף or a root akin to אשׁף, possibly related to the idea of covering, enclosing, or containing—though the exact etymology remains uncertain. The word may reflect a type of container or sheath. Its relation to אַשָּׁף ('ashshaf, conjurer/magician) is morphological but semantically unclear; the connection seems to be the sense of enclosure or holding but is not definitive.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אַשְׁפָּה appears only in poetic or descriptive military contexts in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Nehemiah 4:17 [4:11]; Psalms 127:5; Job 39:23). It is distinct from other terms for containers or weapon-related objects, such as כֶּלִי (keli, general vessel or weapon) or נֶשֶׁק (nesheq, weaponry). The term almost exclusively denotes a quiver, not a general container, and does not overlap with later meanings such as 'refuse heap' that developed in some later Hebrew usage. English translations consistently render אַשְׁפָּה as 'quiver,' though this can miss the nuance of a specialized military object in ancient Israelite warfare. There is no evidence that the term carried metaphorical or extended senses related to 'magician' in biblical Hebrew, despite potential morphological similarity with אֲשָּׁף. In Second Temple and later Hebrew, the word sometimes took on other connotations, but these are chronologically distinct.
Translation Consistency
"Quiver" is the common, natural English noun for a container that holds arrows and matches the primary sense and frequency in the data. It covers both the concrete object and the metonymic sense (weaponry/readiness) more naturally than the less common compound "arrow-case."
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
perhaps (feminine) from the same as אַשָּׁף (in the sense of covering); a quiver or arrow-case; quiver.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אשׁף (ʾ-š-p̄) — to cover, to enclose, to contain
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H827-02 |
אַשְׁפָּת֖/וֹ | ashepato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his quiver | his arrow-case | his quiver | 3 |
H827-01 |
אַשְׁפָּ֔ה | ashepah | HNcfsa |
the quiver | arrow-case | quiver | 2 |
H827-03 |
בְּ/אַשְׁפָּת֖/וֹ | beashepato | HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
in his quiver | in his arrow-case | in his arrow-case | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H827-01 |
Isaiah 22:6 | אַשְׁפָּ֔ה | ashepah | HNcfsa |
the quiver | arrow-case | quiver |
H827-03 |
Isaiah 49:2 | בְּ/אַשְׁפָּת֖/וֹ | beashepato | HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms |
in his quiver | in his arrow-case | in his arrow-case |
H827-02 |
Jeremiah 5:16 | אַשְׁפָּת֖/וֹ | ashepato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
their quiver | his arrow-case | his quiver |
H827-02 |
Psalms 127:5 | אַשְׁפָּת֗/וֹ | ashepato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
quiver | his arrow-case | his quiver |
H827-01 |
Job 39:23 | אַשְׁפָּ֑ה | ashepah | HNcfsa |
the quiver | arrow-case | quiver |
H827-02 |
Lamentations 3:13 | אַשְׁפָּתֽ/וֹ | ashepato | HNcfsc/Sp3ms |
his quiver | his arrow-case | his quiver |