שְׁתִיָּה
𐤔𐤕𐤉𐤄
shᵉthîyâh
H8360 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Feminine noun denoting the act of drinking or the process of consuming a beverage, most commonly referring to the act itself rather than the substance. In biblical contexts, it specifically designates drinking, especially in ceremonial, ritual, or festive settings, and may also refer to the portion allotted for drinking during such occasions. The sense may extend to include drink-offerings or the administration of a specified drink in a ritual procedure.
Semantic Range
act of drinking, process of consuming a drink, ritual drinking, drinking portion, drink-offering (contextually), ceremonial consumption
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁתה (to drink), with the -יה suffix commonly forming abstract nouns from verbal roots in Hebrew. While שׁתה denotes the verbal act ('to drink'), שְׁתִיָּה functions as the abstract noun, denoting the act or process itself ('drinking').
Historical & Contextual Notes
שְׁתִיָּה appears rarely and often in contexts related to ritual or designated feasting, such as in the context of the ordeal of the suspected adulteress (Numbers 5) or the preparations for festivals and banquets (as in Esther 1–7). The term emphasizes the act, sometimes in contrast to אֶשֶׁת (drink, beverage), which refers to the liquid itself rather than its consumption. In certain passages (Esther), it has a special association with official banquets or royal festivities, highlighting communal or authorized drinking rather than everyday personal refreshment. The later translation tradition may render שְׁתִיָּה as 'potation' or 'drink,' but these do not fully capture the ritual and communal overtones present in many biblical usages. In rabbinic literature, שְׁתִיָּה continues to denote drinking, both mundane and ritual. Usage does not denote ethnic or religious identity but is descriptive of the act or event.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of שְׁתִי; potation; drinking.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שתה (š-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 |
| H8358 | שְׁתִי | drunkenness |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8360-01 |
וְ/הַ/שְּׁתִיָּ֥ה | vehashetiyah | HC/Td/Ncfsa |
and-the-drinking | and the drinking | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8360-01 |
Esther 1:8 | וְ/הַ/שְּׁתִיָּ֥ה | vehashetiyah | HC/Td/Ncfsa |
and-the-drinking | and the drinking |