English · KJV
H7779

שׁוּף

shûwph /shoof/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningproperly, to gape, i.e. snap at; figuratively, to overwhelm
KJV usagebreak, bruise, cover.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shûwph — 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 shûwph, represented by H7779, is a primitive root with a range of figurative meanings including to overwhelm, break, bruise, or cover. It appears 4 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible, indicating its specific and impactful usage.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The word H7779 is used in several distinct contexts to convey overwhelming force. In its most prominent appearance, it describes the reciprocal conflict declared in Eden, where the seed of the woman will bruise the serpent's head, and the serpent will bruise his heel Genesis 3:15. In the Psalms, the word is used to describe the feeling of being enveloped or covered by darkness Psalms 139:11. Job uses it to express being broken by affliction, stating God breaketh him with a tempest and multiplieth his wounds Job 9:17.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words illuminate the contexts where H7779 is found:

  • H342 ʼêybâh (hostility; emnity, hatred): This word establishes the state of conflict in which the "bruising" occurs. It is the enmity God will put between the serpent and the woman Genesis 3:15.
  • H7218 rôʼsh (the head): This signifies the target of the decisive blow in Genesis 3:15, representing a place of authority, a beginning, or a chief part. The seed of the woman will bruise the serpent's head.
  • H6119 ʻâqêb (a heel): This represents the point of attack against the woman's seed, signifying a track or the rear. The serpent, in turn, will bruise his heel Genesis 3:15.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7779 is concentrated in its specific applications:

  • Primal Conflict: In Genesis 3:15, the mutual "bruising" establishes a foundational theme of cosmic conflict. The action against the head H7218 implies a fatal or decisive blow, while the action against the heel H6119 implies a wound that is painful but not final.
  • Divine Sovereignty in Suffering: Job's use of the word portrays a sense of being broken or overwhelmed by a tempest H8183 from God Job 9:17. This highlights the tension between divine power and human suffering.
  • Omnipresence of God: In Psalms, the psalmist considers that even if darkness H2822 were to cover H7779 him, it would be as light H216 to God Psalms 139:11. The attempt to be overwhelmed or hidden is negated by God's presence.

Summary

In summary, H7779 shûwph is a potent and versatile word. Though used sparingly, its applications are profound, ranging from the declaration of primordial enmity H342 and conflict in Genesis to the personal experience of being broken by suffering in Job and the impossibility of being covered from God's sight in Psalms. It demonstrates how a single root can articulate concepts of attack, affliction, and overwhelming presence.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

  • יְשׁוּפֵ
  • תְּשׁוּפֶ

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.

H342 אֵיבָה from אָיַב; hostility; emnity, hatred. H7218 רֹאשׁ from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in man H6119 עָקֵב or (feminine) עִקְּבָה; from עָקַב; a heel (as protuberant); hence, a track; figuratively, the rear (of an army); heel, H8183 שְׂעָרָה feminine of שַׂעַר; a hurricane; storm, tempest. H2822 חֹשֶׁךְ from חָשַׁךְ; the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedn H216 אוֹר from אוֹר; illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.); bright, clear, [p

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 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis, Job, and Psalms (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

1
Genesis
1
Job
1
Psalms

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.