Word Study for H5606 (סָפַק) | Strong's Concordance

çâphaq /saw-fak'/ Ask about this word

Rootor שָׂפַק

Meaning(1 Kings 20:10; Job 27:23; Isaiah 2:6), a primitive root; to clap the hands (in token of compact, derision, grief, indignation, or punishment); by implication of satisfaction, to be enough; by implication of excess, to vomit

KJV usageclap, smite, strike, suffice, wallow.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çâphaq — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word çâphaq, represented by H5606, is a primitive root with a range of meanings centered on striking or clapping. It appears 11 times across 10 unique verses in the Bible. Its definition includes to clap the hands as a token of derision, grief, or indignation; to smite; and by implication, to be enough or suffice.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H5606 conveys powerful, often negative, emotions through physical action. It is used to express derision, as when passersby clap their hands at the fallen Jerusalem Lamentations 2:15 or when men clap their hands at a wicked man in judgment Job 27:23. It can signify intense anger, as when Balak smote his hands together at Balaam Numbers 24:10. The word also depicts deep grief and repentance, where a person would smite their thigh in shame (Jeremiah 31:19, Ezekiel 21:12). In other contexts, it is used to express the idea of sufficiency, as when Ben-Hadad questions if the dust of Samaria will suffice for his armies 1 Kings 20:10, or to describe Moab, who in judgment shall wallow in his vomit Jeremiah 48:26.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help illustrate the contexts in which H5606 is found:

H3709 kaph (the hollow hand or palm): This word is frequently paired with H5606 to specify the action of clapping hands, whether in derision Lamentations 2:15 or anger Numbers 24:10.
H3409 yârêk (the thigh): This is the object struck in gestures of deep grief and repentance, as seen when the prophet is commanded to smite therefore upon thy thigh Ezekiel 21:12.
H8319 shâraq (to be shrill, i.e. to whistle or hiss): This action often accompanies the clapping of hands in mockery and scorn, as those who pass by Jerusalem both clap and hiss Lamentations 2:15.
H639 ʼaph (properly, the nose or nostril; also ire): This word for anger is directly connected to the physical act of smiting hands, as seen when Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam Numbers 24:10.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5606 is demonstrated in its use as an outward expression of profound spiritual and emotional states.

Response to Divine Judgment: The act of clapping hands or hissing at a person or city is a human reaction to perceived judgment. Onlookers clap their hands at the wicked Job 27:23 and at the desolation of Jerusalem Lamentations 2:15, underscoring the shame associated with judgment.
Physical Manifestation of Repentance: The act of striking the thigh is a visceral sign of inner turmoil, shame, and repentance. In response to being divinely instructed, the repenting individual smote upon his thigh, ashamed of the reproach of his youth Jeremiah 31:19.
Indignation Against God's Will: Balak's clapping of his hands shows fury when his plan to curse Israel is thwarted by God's blessing Numbers 24:10. In Isaiah 2:6, Israel's "pleasing themselves" H5606 with strangers signifies making a compact with and delighting in foreign practices forbidden by God.

Summary

In summary, H5606 is a dynamic verb that translates internal states into powerful physical gestures. More than just a simple action, to clap, smite, or strike communicates a spectrum of intense emotions, from the derisive scorn of an enemy to the deep-seated grief of a repentant heart. It serves as a biblical illustration of how the body can express indignation, agreement, or a response to the profound work of God in judgment and instruction.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 10 occurrences, inflected in 8 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

יִשְׂפֹּק
יַשְׂפִּיקוּ
יִּסְפֹּק
סָפַק
סְפֹק
סָפַקְתִּי
סָפְקוּ
סְפָקָ

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 10 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Job (3 verses); never once in the other 32.

Numbers

1 Kings

Job

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.