שְׁתִי
𐤔𐤕𐤉
shᵉthîy
H8358 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
State of intoxication or drunkenness, typically resulting from excessive consumption of fermented drink. In biblical contexts, denotes the physical and behavioral effects of wine or strong drink, such as staggering or impaired judgment. Can also serve as a figurative expression for moral or spiritual confusion or loss of self-control.
Semantic Range
drunkenness, intoxication, the state of being drunk, loss of sobriety
Root / Etymology
From the root שתה (שָׁתָה), meaning 'to drink.' The noun שְׁתִי is abstract, formed from the verbal root to express the state or result of drinking (specifically, overindulgence to the point of drunkenness).
Historical & Contextual Notes
שְׁתִי appears only in poetic or wisdom literature, with strongest attestation in Proverbs 23:21, speaking of the consequences of excessive drinking. The etymological relationship with the verb שתה ('to drink') is clear, but the noun focuses on the resultant state of inebriation rather than the act itself. In later periods, Aramaic and post-biblical Hebrew use different terms for intoxication, but שְׁתִי remains as a poetic or literary form. Standard English versions often translate as 'drunkenness,' but the nuance of the Hebrew may encompass both the physiological state and the accompanying loss of self-mastery. There is no evidence that the term applies metaphorically to religious or national identity in the First Temple period. It is distinct from related Hebrew terms such as סֹבֶא (sōbê), which also refers to drunkenness but with a stronger connotation of habitual or persistent inebriation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁתָה; intoxicaion; drunkenness.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שתה (sh-t-h) — to drink, consume liquid
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4960 | מִשְׁתֶּה | in a drinking-feast |
| H4961 | מִשְׁתֶּה | the drinking-banquet |
| H8354 | שָׁתָה | I will drink |
| H8355 | שְׁתָה | they drank |
| H8360 | שְׁתִיָּה | and the drinking |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8358-01 |
בַ/שְּׁתִֽי | vasheti | HRd/Ncmsa |
for drunkenness | drunkenness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8358-01 |
Ecclesiastes 10:17 | בַ/שְּׁתִֽי | vasheti | HRd/Ncmsa |
for drunkenness | drunkenness |