English · KJV
H7602

שָׁאַף

shâʼaph /shaw-af'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto inhale eagerly; figuratively, to cover; by implication, to be angry; also to hasten
KJV usagedesire (earnestly), devour, haste, pant, snuff up, swallow up.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shâʼaph — 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 shâʼaph, represented by H7602, is a primitive root that signifies an eager inhalation or desire. It appears 14 times across 14 unique verses in the Bible. The term carries a powerful, often aggressive, connotation, with its meaning extending figuratively to encompass actions like to devour, swallow up, pant, snuff up, or to hasten.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H7602 frequently describes a destructive and consuming action. Enemies are depicted as those who would "daily swallow me up" Psalms 56:2, oppressing the righteous Psalms 56:1. The Lord is called upon to save David from the reproach of one who "would swallow me up" Psalms 57:3. This theme of destructive consumption is also seen in prophecies against Israel, where enemies "have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side" Ezekiel 36:3. The word can also illustrate an intense, almost animalistic longing. Jeremiah describes wild asses H6501 in a drought that "snuffed up the wind" (Jeremiah 14:6, Jeremiah 2:24). In a positive sense, the psalmist expresses a deep spiritual yearning, stating, "I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments" Psalms 119:131.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the intense nature of H7602:

  • H1800 dal (poor): The word is used to describe the object of wicked desire, as the unrighteous "pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor" Amos 2:7.
  • H34 ʼebyôwn (needy): Similar to its connection with the poor, H7602 is used to describe those who "swallow up the needy" Amos 8:4, highlighting a predatory injustice.
  • H7307 rûwach (wind): In the context of instinctual desperation, wild asses are twice described as those that "snuff up the wind" (Jeremiah 2:24, Jeremiah 14:6), demonstrating an eager but fruitless inhalation.
  • H4687 mitsvâh (commandment): In a turn from the negative, the psalmist expresses a righteous passion, where he "panted" because he "longed for thy commandments" Psalms 119:131.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7602 is significant as it portrays the dynamics of desire and consumption in both human and divine realms.

  • The Voracious Nature of Sin: The term is repeatedly used to illustrate how wickedness seeks to consume the vulnerable. Enemies want to "swallow up" the righteous (Psalms 56:1, Psalms 56:2), and the unjust "pant" after the poor H1800 Amos 2:7, showing sin as a destructive appetite.
  • Righteous Spiritual Longing: In sharp contrast, H7602 is used to express a profound and holy desire for God's law. The psalmist's act of panting for God's commandments H4687 reframes this intense desire as a virtue when directed toward God Psalms 119:131.
  • Divine Judgment and Action: God himself is the subject of this verb in the context of judgment. He declares, "I will destroy and devour at once" Isaiah 42:14, showing His power to consume His adversaries. A servant of God also "earnestly desireth the shadow" Job 7:2, pointing to a longing for rest and deliverance provided by God.

Summary

In summary, shâʼaph H7602 is a dynamic word expressing intense and eager action. It most often conveys a negative, destructive impulse to swallow up or devour, particularly the wicked against the righteous and poor. However, it also captures the desperate gasping of an animal for air and, most significantly, the passionate panting of a soul longing for God's commandments. This single term powerfully illustrates the spectrum from sinful, consuming greed to holy, spiritual desire.

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 14 occurrences, inflected in 12 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.

  • שֹּׁאֲפִים
  • שָׁאֲפוּ
  • אֶשְׁאַף
  • אֶשְׁאָפָ
  • שָׁאַף
  • תִּשְׁאַף
  • יִשְׁאַף
  • שָׁאֹף
  • שׁוֹאֵף
  • שֹׁאֲפִ
  • שָׁאֲפָה
  • שְׁאָפַ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H6501 פֶּרֶא or פֶּרֶה; (Jeremiah 2:24), from פָּרָא in the secondary sense of running wild; the onager; wild (ass). H1800 דַּל from דָּלַל; properly, dangling, i.e. (by implication) weak or thin; lean, needy, poor (man), weaker. H34 אֶבְיוֹן from אָבָה, in the sense of want (especially in feeling); destitute; beggar, needy, poor (man). H7307 רוּחַ from רוּחַ; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubs H4687 מִצְוָה from צָוָה; a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law); (which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance, pr

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 14 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (4 verses); never once in the other 32.

3
Job
4
Psalms
1
Ecclesiastes
1
Isaiah
2
Jeremiah
1
Ezekiel
2
Amos

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.