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H7849

שָׁטַח

shâṭach /shaw-takh'/ Ask about this word
a primitive root
to expand
all abroad, enlarge, spread, stretch out.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shâṭach — 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 shâṭach, represented by H7849, is a primitive root meaning to expand, enlarge, spread, or stretch out. It appears 6 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible. Its core idea involves extending something over a surface or area, whether literally or figuratively.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7849 is used to describe a range of actions. In a literal sense, it depicts the Israelites who "spread them all abroad" when referring to the quails they gathered in the wilderness Numbers 11:32. It is also used to describe an act of concealment when a woman "spread ground corn" over a covering to hide a well 2 Samuel 17:19. Figuratively, it conveys a posture of supplication, as the psalmist has "stretched out my hands unto thee" in prayer Psalms 88:9. The term is also used in the context of divine judgment, where the bones of the unrighteous will be "spread them before the sun" as an act of desecration Jeremiah 8:2.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to clarify the concept of expanding or directing:

  • H7679 sâgâʼ (to grow, i.e. (causatively) to enlarge, (figuratively) laud; increase, magnify): This word is used in parallel with H7849 to describe God's sovereign power, stating He "increaseth the nations... he enlargeth the nations" Job 12:23.
  • H6566 pâras (to break apart, disperse, etc.; break, chop in pieces, lay open, scatter, spread (abroad, forth, selves, out), stretch (forth, out)): This term appears alongside H7849 in 2 Samuel 17:19, where a woman first "spread a covering" H6566 and then "spread ground corn" H7849, showing a close, synonymous relationship in the act of covering a surface.
  • H5148 nâchâh (a primitive root; to guide; by implication, to transport (into exile, or as colonists); bestow, bring, govern, guide, lead (forth), put, straiten): This word is used as a direct contrast to H7849 in describing God's dominion over nations, as He "enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again" Job 12:23.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of H7849 illustrates themes of divine power and human response.

  • Divine Sovereignty: The word is used to describe God's absolute control over the fate of nations. He is the one who "enlargeth the nations" and also brings them to ruin, highlighting His power over history Job 12:23.
  • Physical Action and Consequence: The word describes tangible acts with significant implications, such as spreading out quail for sustenance Numbers 11:32 or spreading bones as a sign of ultimate judgment Jeremiah 8:2.
  • Posture of Prayer: By "stretching out" the hands, H7849 signifies a physical expression of earnest appeal and dependence on God during times of affliction Psalms 88:9.

Summary

In summary, H7849 is a dynamic verb that moves from the simple, physical act of spreading something out to encompassing profound concepts. It is used to illustrate God's sovereign ability to enlarge and diminish nations, as well as to describe deeply personal human actions, from a desperate cry for help in prayer to the finality of divine judgment.

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 6 occurrences, inflected in 6 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.

  • שִׁטַּחְתִּי
  • יִּשְׁטְחוּ
  • תִּשְׁטַח
  • שְׁטָחוּ
  • שָׁטוֹחַ
  • שֹׁטֵחַ

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.

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 5 verses across 5 of the 39 books. 5 books tie for most frequent (1 verse each); never once in the other 34.

1
Numbers
1
2 Samuel
1
Job
1
Psalms
1
Jeremiah

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.