סָתַם

çâtham /saw-tham'/ Ask about this word
Meaningor שָׂתַם; (Numbers 24:15), a primitive root; to stop up; by implication, to repair; figuratively, to keep secret
KJV usageclosed up, hidden, secret, shut out (up), stop.
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Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word çâtham, represented by H5640, is a primitive root meaning to stop up or, figuratively, to keep secret. It appears 14 times in 14 unique verses, conveying concepts of both physical obstruction and deliberate concealment. Its application ranges from stopping wells and repairing walls to hiding prophetic words.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its literal sense, H5640 is frequently used in the context of military strategy and conflict. The Philistines stopped the wells dug by Abraham's servants (Genesis 26:15, Genesis 26:18). Similarly, King Hezekiah stopped the fountains and watercourses outside Jerusalem to prevent the invading Assyrian army from finding water (2 Chronicles 32:3, 2 Chronicles 32:30). The word also describes the repairing of Jerusalem's walls, where the breaches began to be stopped Nehemiah 4:7. Figuratively, it describes concealment and inaccessibility. Daniel is commanded to shut up the words of a prophecy until the time of the end (Daniel 12:4, Daniel 12:9). In a lament, it is used to say God shutteth out prayer Lamentations 3:8, and it is used to describe a secret hidden from the wise Ezekiel 28:3.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of H5640:

  • H2856 châtham (to close up; especially to seal; make an end, mark, seal (up), stop): This word is often paired with H5640 to add a sense of finality and security. After Daniel is told to shut up H5640 the words, he is also commanded to seal H2856 the book Daniel 12:4.
  • H4390 mâlêʼ (to fill or (intransitively) be full of): This term describes the method by which something is stopped. The Philistines stopped H5640 Abraham's wells and filled H4390 them with earth Genesis 26:15.
  • H6004 ʻâmam (to associate; by implication, to overshadow (by huddling together); become dim, hide): This word for hiding is used directly with H5640 to emphasize the inability to conceal something. In Ezekiel, it is said of the king of Tyrus that there is no secret H5640 that can be hidden H6004 from him Ezekiel 28:3.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H5640 centers on divine sovereignty over revelation and access to God.

  • Concealment of Prophecy: God commands Daniel to shut thou up the vision, indicating that its meaning is intentionally kept secret for a future time Daniel 8:26. This highlights God's control over the timing and understanding of his divine plan.
  • Spiritual Obstruction: The word illustrates a barrier in one's relationship with God. In Lamentations, the cry that God shutteth out prayer signifies a profound sense of divine silence and inaccessibility during a time of judgment Lamentations 3:8.
  • Inner Knowledge: In contrast to concealing prophecy from the public, H5640 also refers to the hidden part of a person where God imparts wisdom, showing a deep and personal level of divine communication Psalms 51:6.

Summary

In summary, H5640 carries a dual meaning that moves from the tangible to the theological. It describes the physical act of blocking a well or a wall (2 Kings 3:25, Nehemiah 4:7) as well as the profound spiritual act of concealing a divine prophecy Daniel 12:4. Whether used to describe human military tactics or God's sovereign timing, çâtham serves as a powerful term for that which is stopped, closed up, and kept secret.

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 14 occurrences, inflected in 11 grammatical forms.

  • Qal Imperative 2nd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Qal Participle Passive Singular Masculine Absolute 2×
  • Qal Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Niphal Infinitive Construct 1×
  • Piel Consecutive Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Piel Perfect 3rd Plural common gender 1×
  • Qal Consecutive Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Qal Imperfect 2nd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Qal Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Qal Infinitive Construct 1×
  • Qal Participle Passive Plural Masculine Absolute 1×
Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
2nd
Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Passive
The subject is acted upon.
Imperative
A command or entreaty.
Infinitive
The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Qal
The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Niphal
Simple passive or reflexive of the Qal.
Piel
The intensive stem — strengthened or emphatic action.
Consecutive Imperfect
Imperfect with vav — carries narrative forward ("and he…").
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).
Construct
Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

Theographic Context

Biblical Distribution

Appears in 14 verses across 8 books. Most frequent in 2 Chronicles (3 verses).

2
Genesis
2
2 Kings
3
2 Chronicles
1
Nehemiah
1
Psalms
1
Lamentations
1
Ezekiel
3
Daniel

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