English · KJV
H7623

שָׁבַח

shâbach /shaw-bakh'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningproperly, to address in aloud tone, i.e. (specifically) loud; figuratively, to pacify (as if by words)
KJV usagecommend, glory, keep in, praise, still, triumph.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shâbach — 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 shâbach, represented by H7623, is a primitive root that properly means to address in a loud tone. It appears 11 times across 11 unique verses, and its meaning extends figuratively to encompass actions like pacifying, commending, stilling, or expressing praise and triumph.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7623 is used in several key contexts. In the Psalms, it describes God's absolute power over creation. He is the one who stilleth the noise of the seas and their waves Psalms 65:7 and who stillest the raging sea when its waves arise Psalms 89:9. The word is also a direct expression of worship. The psalmist declares, "my lips shall praise thee" because of God's lovingkindness Psalms 63:3, and it is a command for all nations to praise the LORD Psalms 117:1. Figuratively, it is used by a wise man who keepeth his mind in, or pacifies it Proverbs 29:11, and by the writer of Ecclesiastes to commend mirth Ecclesiastes 8:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concepts of praise and pacification:

  • H1984 hâlal (a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify; (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool(-ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy of) praise, rage, renowned, shine): This word for 'praise' is often used in parallel with shâbach, creating a powerful call to worship, as seen when all nations are called to 'praise' (hâlal) the LORD and 'praise' (shâbach) him Psalms 117:1.
  • H8416 tᵉhillâh (laudation; specifically (concretely) a hymn; praise): This noun refers to the praise itself. Believers are called not just to give thanks but to triumph (shâbach) in God's praise (tᵉhillâh) Psalms 106:47.
  • H3220 yâm (from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south; sea ([idiom] -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward)): This word for 'sea' is the object of the stilling action of shâbach, highlighting God's power to pacify what is chaotic and raging Psalms 89:9.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7623 is significant and varied.

  • Divine Sovereignty: The use of H7623 to describe God stilling the seas demonstrates His ultimate authority over the forces of nature. He pacifies the raging waves and the noise of the seas, showing that even the most chaotic elements are under His control (Psalms 65:7, Psalms 89:9).
  • The Scope of Praise: The call to praise is universal. The command in the Psalms extends beyond Israel to "all ye nations" and "all ye people," indicating that the worship of the LORD is for all humanity Psalms 117:1.
  • The Nature of Praise: Praise is both an outward declaration and an inward state of triumph. It is expressed through the lips Psalms 63:3 and passed down through generations Psalms 145:4. Furthermore, it is something to "glory" or "triumph" in, tied to God's holy name 1 Chronicles 16:35.
  • Wisdom as Self-Control: Figuratively, the concept of "stilling" or "pacifying" is applied to human wisdom. A wise man keepeth his mind in, exercising restraint, which is contrasted with the fool who utters all his mind Proverbs 29:11.

Summary

In summary, H7623 carries a rich, dual meaning of both vocal praise and powerful pacification. It is used to describe God's sovereign ability to still the chaos of creation, as well as the universal call for all people to praise and triumph in Him. Figuratively, it extends to the commendation of earthly things and the wisdom of self-restraint. The word shâbach thus reveals a dynamic concept, connecting the loud triumph of worship with the quiet strength that brings peace.

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 11 occurrences, inflected in 9 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Hithpael Infinitive Construct 2×
  • Piel Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
  • Hiphil Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 1×
  • Piel Consecutive Perfect 1st Singular common gender 1×
  • Piel Imperative 2nd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Piel Imperative 2nd Singular Feminine 1×
  • Piel Imperfect 2nd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Piel Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Piel Infinitive Construct 1×
Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine
Feminine grammatical gender.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
1st
First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
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".
Imperative
A command or entreaty.
Infinitive
The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Piel
The intensive stem — strengthened or emphatic action.
Hiphil
The causative stem — the subject causes the action.
Hithpael
Reflexive-intensive — the subject acts upon itself.
Consecutive Perfect
Perfect with vav — continues a sequence into the future.
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).
Construct
Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

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.

H1984 הָלַל a primitive root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to boast; and thus H8416 תְּהִלָּה from הָלַל; laudation; specifically (concretely) a hymn; praise. H3220 יָם from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the ar

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 11 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (7 verses); never once in the other 35.

1
1 Chronicles
7
Psalms
1
Proverbs
2
Ecclesiastes

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, 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.