### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **shachath**, represented by `{{H7845}}`, refers to a **pit**, **ditch**, or **grave**. It is derived from the root שׁוּחַ and appears 23 times in 23 unique verses. While it can denote a literal pit used as a trap, it is more often used figuratively to represent **destruction** and **corruption**.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical usage, `{{H7845}}` carries the dual sense of a physical trap and a state of ruin. It is often depicted as something the wicked dig for others, only to become ensnared themselves, as seen in the proverb, "Whoso diggeth a **pit** shall fall therein" [[Proverbs 26:27]]. The term is also used to signify the grave or a state of final decay. In a significant Messianic prophecy, the psalmist declares that God will not abandon his soul to Sheol nor allow His "Holy One to see **corruption**" [[Psalms 16:10]]. This concept of being saved from the pit is a recurring theme, where God is the one who delivers a person from destruction [[Job 33:24]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the meaning of `{{H7845}}`:
* `{{H953}}` **bowr** (cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well): This word for pit is often used in a physical sense and appears alongside `{{H7845}}` to emphasize the nature of a trap dug by an enemy [[Psalms 7:15]].
* `{{H7585}}` **shᵉʼôwl** (grave, hell, pit): This term refers to the realm of the dead. It is used in parallel with `{{H7845}}` to link the concept of corruption with the destination of the soul after death [[Psalms 16:10]].
* `{{H1350}}` **gâʼal** (to redeem): This verb describes the act of deliverance from the **pit**. It highlights God's role as a redeemer who saves a life from **destruction** `{{H7845}}`, as described in [[Psalms 103:4]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7845}}` is significant, illustrating key principles of divine justice and redemption.
* **Moral Retribution:** The pit often symbolizes the self-destructive nature of evil. Those who dig a **ditch** `{{H7845}}` for the innocent are the ones who ultimately fall into it, demonstrating a biblical principle of just consequences ([[Psalms 7:15]], [[Proverbs 26:27]]).
* **The Grave and Corruption:** Beyond a simple trap, `{{H7845}}` represents the finality of death and physical decay. Job, in his suffering, speaks directly to **corruption** `{{H7845}}` as if it were his own father [[Job 17:14]], and Jonah describes being brought up from **corruption** `{{H7845}}` by God [[Jonah 2:6]].
* **Divine Deliverance:** The pit is consistently portrayed as a place from which God rescues the faithful. He redeems life from **destruction** [[Psalms 103:4]], keeps the soul back from the **pit** [[Job 33:18]], and delivers a person from going down into it [[Job 33:28]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7845}}` is a powerful word that conveys more than a simple hole in the ground. It serves as a potent metaphor for the snares of the wicked, the finality of the grave, and the ultimate state of destruction. Most importantly, it provides a backdrop against which the biblical theme of redemption is displayed, where God's power is shown by His ability to deliver His people from the very **pit** of corruption and death.
TRV