Word Study for H7624 (שְׁבַח)

shᵉbach /sheb-akh'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to שָׁבַח

Meaningto adulate, i.e. adore

KJV usagepraise.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shᵉbach — 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 Aramaic word shᵉbach, represented by H7624, is a term corresponding to שָׁבַח, meaning to adulate, i.e. adore; praise. It is a specific term for worship, appearing 5 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible, with all occurrences found in the book of Daniel.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical context, H7624 is used to describe acts of worship directed at both the true God and false idols. Daniel uses the word when he praises the God of his fathers for granting him wisdom and might Daniel 2:23. Similarly, after his period of madness, King Nebuchadnezzar praises the most High when his understanding returns Daniel 4:34 and later praises the King of heaven whose works are truth Daniel 4:37. In stark contrast, the term is also used for the idolatrous worship of Belshazzar and his lords, who praised gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone (Daniel 5:4, Daniel 5:23).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words clarify and expand upon the concept of praise and adoration:

H1289 bᵉrak (to bless God (as an act of adoration)): This term is used in parallel with H7624 when Nebuchadnezzar "blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him" Daniel 4:34.
H1922 hădar (to magnify (figuratively); glorify, honour): This word frequently accompanies H7624 in Nebuchadnezzar's declarations of praise (Daniel 4:34, Daniel 4:37). Its absence is highlighted in Belshazzar's case, who praised idols but did not glorify the true God Daniel 5:23.
H3029 yᵉdâʼ (to praise; (give) thank(-s)): Daniel explicitly links this action with praise, stating, "I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers" Daniel 2:23.
H7313 rûwm (to be high actively, to rise or raise; extol, lift up (self), set up): This word contrasts righteous and unrighteous exaltation. Nebuchadnezzar learns to extol the King of heaven Daniel 4:37, whereas Belshazzar is condemned because he lifted up himself against the Lord of heaven Daniel 5:23.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7624 is centered on the proper object and attitude of worship.

The Object of Praise: The usage of this word starkly contrasts true and false worship. It is used righteously by Daniel and a humbled Nebuchadnezzar toward the God of heaven (Daniel 2:23, Daniel 4:34), but it is also used for the profane adoration of inanimate idols by Belshazzar Daniel 5:4.
Praise as a Response to God: In the narrative, praise is often a direct response to God's mighty acts. Daniel praises God after receiving divine wisdom Daniel 2:23, and Nebuchadnezzar praises God after his reason is restored Daniel 4:34, acknowledging God's power and mercy.
Worship vs. Pride: The word is used to draw a clear line between humility and pride. Nebuchadnezzar learns to praise the God who can abase the proud Daniel 4:37. In contrast, Belshazzar's downfall is linked to praising idols while lifting himself up against the Lord, failing to honour the God in whose hand his breath is Daniel 5:23.

Summary

In summary, H7624 is a potent Aramaic word for adoration whose significance is determined entirely by its object. Found exclusively in Daniel, it differentiates the legitimate praise offered to the King of heaven from the empty idolatry offered to gods of wood and stone. Its use alongside terms for blessing, honoring, and extolling underscores the nature of true worship, which stems from a humble recognition of God's ultimate authority and power.

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 5 occurrences, inflected in 5 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.

מְשַׁבַּח
שַׁבְּחֵת
שַׁבַּחְתָּ
שַׁבַּחוּ
מְשַׁבַּח

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

5 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.