Word Study for H7860 (שֹׁטֵר)

shôṭêr /sho-tare'/ Ask about this word

Rootactive participle of an otherwise unused root probably meaning to write

Meaningproperly, a scribe, i.e. (by analogy or implication) an official superintendent or magistrate

KJV usageofficer, overseer, ruler.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shôṭêr — 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 shôṭêr, represented by H7860, is a term for an officer, overseer, or magistrate. It appears 25 times across 25 unique verses in the Bible. While the root of the word likely means "to write," suggesting a scribal function, its usage expands to encompass a range of official administrative and supervisory roles within Israel's civil, military, and religious life.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7860 is used to denote officials in various leadership structures. During the Israelite enslavement in Egypt, these officers were fellow Israelites placed under Pharaoh's taskmasters H5065 and were held responsible for the labor quotas Exodus 5:14. In the wilderness, Moses appointed them as part of an organized civil structure to lead among the tribes Deuteronomy 1:15. They also played a critical military role, relaying commands before battle Deuteronomy 20:5 and preparing the people for key events, as when Joshua commanded them before crossing the Jordan Joshua 1:10. The law itself mandated their appointment alongside judges to ensure justice in every community Deuteronomy 16:18.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the role and context of the shôṭêr:

H8199 shâphaṭ (to judge): The term for a judge is frequently paired with shôṭêr, indicating their complementary functions in Israel's administrative and legal system. They were appointed together Deuteronomy 16:18 and listed as distinct roles in the administration of the kingdom 1 Chronicles 23:4.
H2205 zâqên (elder): Shôṭêr often appears alongside zâqên in lists of Israel's leadership. These officers were a recognized part of the national council gathered for significant events like covenant renewals and addresses from leaders like Moses and Joshua (Deuteronomy 29:10, Joshua 24:1).
H5065 nâgas (taskmaster): This term highlights a hierarchical structure. In Egypt, the Israelite officers (shôṭêr) were subordinate to Pharaoh's taskmasters (nâgas), demonstrating a clear chain of command in a context of oppression Exodus 5:6.
H5608 çâphar (scribe): While the definition of shôṭêr implies a scribal origin, it is listed as a separate function from "scribes" among the Levites, who were appointed as scribes, officers (shôṭêr), and porters 2 Chronicles 34:13.

Theological Significance

The practical importance of H7860 is evident in its consistent association with order and governance.

Civil Administration: The command to appoint officers alongside judges established a framework for local government and the rule of law throughout Israel's tribes Deuteronomy 16:18. These officials were essential for a functioning society.
Hierarchical Structure: The term consistently describes a supervisory role within a larger system. Officers answered to taskmasters in Egypt Exodus 5:14, served under the king's authority during the monarchy 1 Chronicles 27:1, and were organized as part of a leadership team with elders and judges Joshua 8:33.
Military Organization: Officers were vital for military logistics and morale. They communicated commands from leaders Joshua 1:10, prepared the army for movement Joshua 3:2, and were responsible for announcing exemptions from military service before a battle Deuteronomy 20:8.

Summary

In summary, H7860 defines a crucial administrative role within the societal structure of ancient Israel. It is more than a generic title for an official; it represents a specific, delegated authority responsible for implementing commands and maintaining order. From the oppressed foremen in Egypt to the civil magistrates in the promised land and the commanders in the army, the shôṭêr was an indispensable figure in the day-to-day governance of the people.

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 25 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

שֹׁטְרֵי
שֹׁטְרִים
שֹׁטֵר

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 25 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Deuteronomy (7 verses); never once in the other 32.

Exodus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Proverbs

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.